Honest pros and cons of being single

[Nc4567]

I have never been single since I was 17, which is just over a decade go. I now have 2 dds, aged 5 and 2, with dh (six years with him, I had about two weeks between him and ex, but I pretty much left ex for dh)

So... Honestly.

Pros and cons of being single. This is not just to decide whether to s up, but also where I would live etc.

"I'd bet my grannys gold tooth it isn't always such a beautiful love-in behind closed doors "

I know it isn't. Lost count of the times I've spent listening to various married/partnership girlfriends sobbing into their wine glasses about how unhappy they are and how difficult life is with 'him'. Next breath they say 'I don't know how you manage on your own'.... The irony is quite lost on them.

pros
-not having to compromise on your beliefs around raising children
-eating the food you like
-not having to buy 'treat' food -ex was the only one who wanted it but if it was in the house it was so hard not to eat it!
-knowing exactly how much money I've got in the bank without someone else spending it
-watching what you want on tv
-buying things for the house without having to consider other people's taste
-so long as I can get a babysitter I can go out when I like and spend whatever I think is appropriate

cons
-not being able to nip to the shops without dragging everyone along
-christmas and birthday shopping without DCs takes organising
-it can get lonely (but not as lonely as being in a bad relationship)
-if 1 dc needs to go to a&e you have to take the other one so can't concentrate on the poorly child
-one they are in bed you are house bound

Amen to the decorating. It's been a while since I had a live-in partner but occasionally I'm looking at swatches, in two minds which to pick, and I hear a ghostly 'no way are we having that wallpaper...' Decision made

Many of the pros of being single are perfectly possible with a reasonable partner. See these two posts, for example.

Pros: not having to answer to anyone, you can go to bed at 7.30pm if you feel like it, lie around reading novels and not do the hoovering, no one cares except you. Doing things because you want to. Not having anyone around who can put you down and make you feel like shit.

pros, you can watch whatever you want on tv, buy whatever you can afford with nobody passing judgement, you can invite friends over, you don't have to please anybody else, you don't have to consider another adult, you know what you have to do and get on with it; no waiting hopefully or resentfully for somebody else to do their 'share'