To ask you how many single parents you actually know

[cuibozo]

And age(s) of their children?

I was thinking today, I don't know any. I know a couple who split from their kids' dad and have a new partner and child(ten) though.

So how common is it?

I am friends with 3 ( horrid break ups with bastards, ALL men abusive and v v middle class) and know of two more divorces, again horrid break ups including one who married their au pair!

Everyone else still with first spouse and late forties.

If you mean single parents who don't live with a new partner I can only think of me and 3 other friends/school mums. If you include those who have a new partner living with them / remarried, I can think of 4 more among my circle of friends and school mums I know. Not the norm but not unusual either

I know loads of people who have been single parents for a while, I was a single parent for 7 years, then met dh. Dd1 didn't even notice how many parents here friends had, there were 4 single parent families in her class at her first school, I think she was the only one in her second school, not a clue in her junior school or secondary school, but of her close friendship group there are only 3 who still have mum and dad together, so most of her friends have had a single parent at some point. They're 17 now.

My sister is a single parent atm. She was a sp for 5 years, then moved in with her boyfriend a couple of years ago, now he's gone and they're all happier back as their little family of 3.

As a secondary school teacher I teach quite a lot of kids who have separated parents, either with step parents on the scene or in single parent families currently.

All broke up in ladt three yeards and no new DPs. Children range 4-10 years old.

I know 2 that I'm friend with. Loads more at DS school though.

I don't know any.

Loads, of all ages. Everything from their 60s down to their late teens.

I know a few. All women.

1. widowed, DCs 16 & 12
2. divorced, DCs 15 & 13 - no contact with dad
3. divorced, DC 10 - usual eow contact with dad
4. divorced, DCs 14 & 11 - eow contact with dad
5. divorced DCs 13 & 10 - v little contact with dad.
6. divorced, DCs 16 & 13 - no contact with dad through choice of DCs (dad abusive)

I could go on. I was a single parent too for several years. Although now remarried, I am still financially responsible for my DCs - DH earns less & I have maintenance from DCs' dad, plus I feel v strongly that he already brought up his own DCs, and paying for mine too is not part of the deal. He is incredibly emotionally supportive of them & me & to me thart's infinitely more important.

I agree with above poster who suggested that single parents tend to know other single parents. I have often thought we gravitate together - perhaps we understand eachother's stresses.

I know 2 who are good friends of mine, kids are between 8 and 10. I also know 2 school mums who are.

I never know whether to call myself a single parent or not. I was single from pregnancy until DS was 7. I've been with DP for almost 3 years and we are getting married soon. He does most of our housework/cooking etc and the occasional school run, but I do almost all of the parenting IYKWIM.

Off the top of my head 6 thinking a bit more 10 kids range from 6 to 18.+ they really are not that rare

I don't know any.

None in my personal life, that's not to say they weren't single at some point however.

Professionally far to many.

I know a few. And after the initial pain and stress, they're all happier than they were when paired up with the wrong person.

Just me and another mum I know.

I feel a bit sad now. I'd never thought about this before. I think my daughter is the only child with separated parents in her class too.

I was talking about this with a friend, there are no single/divorced parents in Ds's class, and I don't personally know any. I'm concerned that I live in some weird Stepford wife type village. Thing is I've lived here for 15 years, and never noticed!

I know 3 ,two of those are going to remarry,the other is fairly recently divorced. Im the only one I know that's been a long term single parent,13 years! My kids are 13 and 14 they see their dad maybe twice a year.
Looks like I'm going to do the full distance myself

One, not very well though.

I know well over a hundred. I've been a single parent for nearly 11 years, no relationships in that time!

About 3-4. I knew more in my early twenties but most have settled down with new partners now. A lot of them moved back home with their parents and are still there.

I can only think of two single parents who don't have a new partner. And another one who has a new boyfriend but doesn't live with him.

I know two couples with shared care - both all still single. I have a very dear friend who is a single parent of twins. My dsd mum was a single parent for a while.

Lots, we met at contact centres and stayed very close friends.

I also met four other single parents thro work, neighbours etc.

Quite a few. I think at DS' school it's about half the class.

Sorry misread..... about half a dozen in DS' year

2, 1 with 9yo, 1 with an 8yo.