Single mothers... well done for not being in jail ;)

[meltedchocolate]

Chatting to someone, say I need to go to bed because I will be sleep deprived. Their response..

'At least your not in jail.'

'Haha, yeah..'
'Wait hang on, what?'

'Well most single mums I know in your area are stabbing people or in jail..' (I live in a quiet, nice area)

Then i think... what single mums does this person know HERE? probably barely any, so probably more of an attack if you ask me... He has never even seen me with my son!

Why do we get such bad press?? The only other single mum I know of from around here is lovely and wonderful with her kids.

So we do things slightly differently?? We have to! There is only one of us to do it all! It is so much harder with only one it is hard to desribe!

I don't get it... I really don't. Becoming a single parent made no difference to me in the sense that I still have the same love, care and responsibilities to my son that I had before.. the only thing it changes is that I am doing it ALL myself! Why does that mean I am going to become a nut and end in jail or be a terrible parent? I don't want to sound up my own backside but I KNOW I am a great mother! I will not allow my child to become a thug as it seems is expected of me.. He will have discipline and morals/ prnciples as well as a fun childhood I hope. Why do some people try to make a job that is already so much harder even harder than that?!

as you were..

Forget about the Wii, you get hours and hours on the peace of your own company!

Ooooh, think of all the reading you could do? And, I could finish my OU assignments on time.

Grrrrrrrrrrrr to all the stereo typing sh*t that we have to put up with. I've been a single mother all along (DD 2.4) and knew I would be from the minute I conceived. I do not receive a penny of state aid other than child benefit but who cares anyway? I'd rather my tax supported mothers keeping their families going than stupid, bloody sports events or millenium domes!

Oh no. To OP - ignore - please do, just ignore.
I get the judgement and the 'of course it's hard, get on with it' crap. We do ok, I hope. DD fell asleep tonight happy with her day, nursery and mummy. That's all I ask really.

It is so hard to describe but if finding the words helps, OP, then use them. I get quiet admiration at work (they never say) - I bet there are people you have met that feel the same for you.

have had a load of shit of this type today. Appying for school places as we are trying to move. One school wouldnt accept my application unless it was signed by BOTH parents, even though we are divorced and I have residency. Another wrote back to me as Mr and Mrs EM. how crass is that? my kids are at private school where apparently they dont appear to have single parents, only me, with the youngest of my children running riot on an academic scholarship

God that is just offensive.

I would complain. Strongly.

I would ask for a written response - so that you can tell a national newspaper which has contacted you about your case -- on the School/Head teacher's policies towards separated, estranged and divorced parents, unmarried couples, lesbian/gay partners and women who have had artificial
insemination/have no idea who the father is.

And details of their policies towards the male half in relevant cases.

Then offer to make a cake for the tombola.

Then get those answers in writing and make that cake a historical icon of Change.

For goodness sake some of these stories are nuts!

I was brought up by a single mum. Yes you do all deserve a medal, I wouldn't take any notice of what he's saying. Utter nonsense.
There is a subspecies of man who thinks it might just work to pull a woman by putting her down - there was one of those laws of dating books a while back that suggested it as a ploy. So what I think is: he fancies you. This was a backhanded and totally pathetic attempt to get in your pants. What an idiot.

I suspect it is more to do with them not believing that a single mum could possibly afford to send their kids to private school, after all shouldnt they be out on the streets setting fire to cars whilst I get pisssed on cheap wine

MeltedChoclate,

I like this thread, it is crazy! I am a second generation single parent, and I am doing as well as most married couples probably do. My daughter is like a star, and is doing well at school.

I had my daughter at 27, yet left excluded from many services because of my age, and because I was employed!!!
Secretly, I enjoy my independance, and work part-time, and will soon start volunteering.

It is scarey though how people love to make assumptions instead of seeking clarity about what they are assuming!

Keep up the good work, Meltedchoclate!

Tricky - doubt it, it was an ex. Funny thing as well is it was HIM who had trouble with the police in the past. I have never. Good girly that i am