To all the Single moms out there, playing both mom and dad roles for their little ones. You Super Moms are the Rock Stars of this world.
It takes a village to raise a child, they say. But, you’re out here raising your kid, or kids, on your own.
You’re working your 8, or 10, or 12 hour shifts. Then picking up your child and taking them home to work another 12 or more hours as mommy and daddy.
You’re making dinner, as nutritious as you can. I’m sure you’re finding whatever left overs your kid hasn’t eaten as the appetizer to your meal. A meal that you probably don’t have time to sit and enjoy leisurely.
You try to keep bath time as dry as possible, and bed time routine as quiet as you conceivably can.
After the house is silent and everyone is asleep, when it’s past 10pm or so, you make time to unwind from the day.
It could be as simple as catching up on social media on your phone. Maybe, responding to text messages or simply taking a shower for as long as you want. Because lets face it, it’s probably the only time of the day when you’re not working.
Trying to go to bed quickly yourself isn’t so easy.
With all the things you need to do; the laundry you need to fold or throw in, the trip to day care or school, getting yourself ready for work, and the never ending list for after you get out of work – all these thoughts keep you up past 12am.
And when the morning comes, your day repeats.
Your tireless, solo effort to provide for your family, the discipline you have to wake up for work, and the love you show to your child(ren) amidst all the chaos of your day, makes you Wonder Woman.
Because of this, no other mom can feel as appreciated as you do, especially on Mother’s Day.
The love your kid(s) shows is twice the love than others, because you are both mom and dad in their eyes.
The hugs your kid(s) gives is twice the strength of that than others because you are the ONLY one there to receive them.
The giggles your kid(s) has is twice the joy because you are the ONLY one who can enjoy the sweet sounds of their laughter.
The smile your kid(s) shares is twice as heart-melting than others because those smiles are SOLELY for you to see.
The list goes on.
I was there once – as that kid. The village that took care of me and my siblings changed from time to time because of our circumstances, but when it came time to Mother’s Day, it was always the same.
There wasn’t anything sweeter than giving our Mom as much love as we could through what we had.
She hadn’t remarried for years after my father passed away when I was very young. She did the best she could to provide for my siblings and me.
Every hand made card or letter that we ever wrote, was done knowing she was both Mom and Dad. And she deserved every word of love and appreciation we sent.
So, to all the single moms out there, I hope this Mother’s Day was full of extra tight hugs, the deepest giggles, and extra slobbery greeting cards that your child(ren) sealed with excessive spit to ensure it stays intact.
You deserve every bit of love your child can squeeze out on your special day and every day after.
Happy (every day is) Mother’s Day!
The Guam Daily Post published a version of this article.
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Betty Rose is a writer and the voice behind the #MomLife Column. Born and raised on the Pacific Island of Guam, she now resides in Seattle, Washington. After having her first child, she began sharing her new role as a Chamorro mother living in the stats and continues to contribute feature stories of Pacific Island communities in other publications. She embraces the diversity, the struggles of motherhood and hopes that, through her writing, she can break and bring awareness to the barriers set on minority communities across the world.
Lovely article!