This Is Why You Don’t Have To Feel Bad For Anyone Raised By A Single Mother

Throughout my life, I have been surrounded by strong women: My mother, who raised me and my sister alone when our dad left us— sacrificing everything so that she could give us a stable childhood. My grandma, who raised three children by herself after my grandfather’s untimely death. My sister who, despite being terrified when she first became pregnant at the age of 22, is taking on motherhood by storm and raising the sweetest almost-three year old you’ll ever meet.

I remember the first time I told a teacher that I came from a single-parent household—that my father spent most of my life in jail. The look on her face was something between bewilderment and shock, with just a dash of pity for flavour.

Single-motherhood is looked at as the curse of an unsuccessful woman. A woman who couldn’t hold together a marriage even for the sake of her children; A promiscuous woman who couldn’t keep her legs shut long enough to ‘put a ring on it’; A woman who spends too much time working. A woman who doesn’t value family.

A broken woman.

That couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Independent mothers teach us to be resilient, to make the right choices—even if they’re gut-wrenchingly difficult.

They teach us to appreciate the families we choose; to embrace quiet moments alone.

They teach us to be self-reliant and fearless; to be brave when the power goes out and life trips us up.

They teach us that no matter what, you can always pick yourself up— that nothing is hopeless and that everything is possible.

They teach us that we can make it through life’s losses in stride, no matter how tough they are and how much they hurt us.

They teach us that being alone is okay— that being by yourself is better than being in the wrong relationship, no matter the circumstances.

Don’t feel bad for anyone raised by a single mother.

Honestly, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Being raised by a single mother has made me strong, successful, independent, and everything in-between. She’s made me ambitious, and given me hope to follow my dreams, because if she can raise me alone— there is nothing I can’t do.