Feeling fed up

[Cherryblossom200]

Hi everyone,

I think I should feel grateful for my situation, I am a full time single parent to an amazing 8 year old. She is wonderful, so I can't complain. I have a good job, have my own house, great family close by and a great network of friends.

I've been single since having my child, I have just loved being a parent and wanted to focus solely on that. I have a friend in the same situation as me, and she has had about 4 relationships in the last 8 years, her poor child doesn't seem that happy and I don't blame him. I just didn't want this for my child.

Up until recently I was happy on my own, but now my child is getting older I'm starting to really miss being in a loving relationship. I see all the families in the weekend and I yearn for it. My friends are amazing, but they are all married. They invite me out all the time, but I can't help feel people just feel sorry for me. Not sure why I feel that.

In general I am happy, I'm busy during the week with work/clubs etc. I go to the gym at lunchtime so I get to be around people if I need it. I travel with my child, go camping just the two of us - I want her to see as much of the world as possible.

But I just feel fed up at the moment. I don't know why. I just feel sad. It's not something I've felt before.

It's the weekends. Especially when the sun is out. I walk past houses with family bbq's and people having fun and I just feel awful I can't have the same or provide my child the same set up. I feel I've let her down for some reason.

I'm proud of what I have achieved, people all the time tell me what a lovely house I have and all I provide for my child. But something is missing.

I'd love to meet someone, but being a full time parent means meeting someone is difficult. I don't have a problem attracting people, but I can't see how can I sustain the dating process when I have my child all the time. My parents are older and I don't like relying on them it feels unfair. So I kind of feel stuck.

Not sure what I'm wanting from this, maybe I just want to vent how I'm feeling.

My DD is currently sat curled up next to me and I feel the luckiest person alive, but just wish something things were different.

I’m in a similar situation people have told me to pay for babysitters

My situation is a little different, I’m still living with parents with my son as I work full time but still don’t seem to have the money to find my own place. Like you I feel the same I love my child and wouldn’t change a thing but sometimes just feel as though I’m stuck in a rut! I’m kind of glad that I’m not the only one feeling this I have lovely days out with him but can’t help looking at the little happy families and wishing I had something similar! I find it hard when my friends with supporting fathers to their children rant about how annoying they’ve been etc and find it hard not to say “well at least they want to know their child” but I just stay quiet and go along with it!
It’s hard to share because people are always like this is what you always wanted a child, which is completely true from a young age I always just wanted a family but they don’t understand that this is not the situation I wanted, sometimes you just feel so alone even having people around you!