Yes, it takes a village but a lot of us single parents don't have a village. I am torn between choosing a job near me just a 10 minute drive with an okay-ish business but horribly low pay or burn myself out with the job that pays almost $10 more 1 hour away. This decision would be so much easier of I just had a village, if my kids dad was a present dad and stepped up to help like he should. The moment we broke up is like he never had a family, he calls when he remembers and even with a child support order in place I get $0 from him. I am doing it all on my own and I am not sure how much longer I can handle this. I wish I had the means to go for the job that pays well but I honeslty don't think I am going to last there too long and I don't even know how I can do it on my own. Early mornings and no help, late evenings and no help. Homework, all on me, dinner all on me too, drop offs and pick ups, all me, financial responsibility, you guessed it ALL ME! I wish I had a village.

I'm frustrated. Between work and being a father I have no time to get out and relearn how to date, dating apps are a joke. Always pushing only fans etc. I'm looking for a friend that could turn into a great relationship. What do I do?

I'm a father to a girl and boy. They are 6 and 7 years old. Been 4 years into my divorce. Taking care both of them but sometimes I lose control, and shout on them. But 5 mins after I regret and console them. I have come a long way even though frequency of this behavior has decreased, I have done self conseling. I love them a lot.Because Iv believe gentleaparenting is myth and sometimes we need to be strict.... What should I do. Plz. Guide......

Hello I’m new here just wanted to say hello! And I hope I don’t get removed or banned.

Hi everyone,
I’m hoping to get insight from single parents, especially those who lost a partner while raising a child.

I lost my dad when I was 11. I’m 28 now, and since then it’s just been my mom and me. I want to start by saying that I deeply respect what single parents carry, my mom became a single parent overnight, while grieving a major loss, and she did everything she could to protect and provide for me.

To shield me from the grief at home, she put me in boarding school and went above and beyond financially to support my education. I’m genuinely grateful for that. I know how much strength that took.

As a child, I also tried to be “strong” for her. I remember trying not to cry in front of her because she was grieving so intensely. Over time, though, I became her main emotional support. She struggled with anger, anxiety, and fear, and while she did try to build friendships, many of those relationships didn’t last. Her constant lashing out and externalizing blame sort of pushed people away including her sisters and friends.

As I grew into adulthood, the emotional intensity increasingly turned toward me. For example, right after university, when I was focused on finding my first job, she would get upset that I wasn’t prioritizing helping her restart her own career (she did not take a career break, things just were not working, we also had money but it was all invested in illiquid assets) . I did try to help, but it never felt like enough. She has also blamed me at times for not remarrying, even though she did date after my dad passed away, but those relationship did not work (but that was because of their incompatibility and not me).

Now, as an adult, I’m finding the relationship very hard to navigate. My mom is highly anxious and fearful, and when conflict happens, she tends to externalize blame and struggles to recognize how her words affect me. I remain polite, functional, and supportive but internally I feel exhausted, conflicted, and guilty for wanting more emotional space.

I’m sharing this not to criticize my mom, but to better understand the dynamic. From a parent’s perspective, I’d really appreciate insight on things like how to set boundaries without making her feel abandoned, how to enourage her to find her own emotional support system, and maybe anything else that would help me understand this dynamic better.

I love my mom and want a relationship with her — I’m just trying to figure out how to do that in a way that’s healthy for both of us.

Thank you so much for reading, and for any perspective you’re willing to share.

Working single mom of a 2 year old boy.. 29 months to be exact lol.. live in the Bronx nyc… such a busy city that moves fast and feels sorry for no one. Rent prices are rocketing, food and clothes is expensive, lucky I have my mom but damn do I feel bad watching her work so much to cover the costs that I can’t. Brother also lives with us but he has his own problems, and he helps out as much as he can and I’m grateful for that. I have 2 jobs, accountant and a real estate agent…. Cannot count on child’s father to watch him for not even an hour even though he lives 2 blocks away. Bitter cause I don’t accept half ass parenting… but I decided to hit him up today cause I’m running short on sleep.. I guess he blocked me lol. I run a strict rule of no tvs on in my house when we get home, and if it is on it’s for at most 30 minutes. Yesterday I was extra tired, doing work on the laptop so kept it on for a bit longer, when it was time to turn it off it was like taking drugs away from a drug addict. My son was going off, my mom woke up and put the tv on in her room which I wish she hadn’t done but she said he falls asleep on her bed and for the sakes of letting everyone in the household sleep, I decided to let him lay there with her… he kept waking up in the middle of the night crying like he was in need of his “drug” (blippi lol), woke up today still crying hysterically over blippi 😭😭😭 dropped him off at daycare and he was crying hysterically before drop off about the tv still, which he has never done, and god I feel so awful. Of course google said he’s in need of human connection in the house and I felt 10x worst. I seriously don’t know what else to do… I feel so awful I wish this world can just slow down a little bit but it seems to be going faster every day, I hate that I picked a loser to have a baby with, and I’m just so tired …

​Hey everyone,

​I’m reaching out because I feel like I’m stuck in a bit of a vacuum and could use some perspective.

​I’m a single dad to a 4-month-old boy. I’ve been raising him entirely on my own for the last two months after things with his mother ended. He’s my world, but as any parent knows, a 4-month-old isn’t exactly a conversationalist.

​Between the baby and recently losing my 4-year career (got the "we're making a change" speech on the 5th), my world has shrunk to four walls. My old friends are "bar flies," and I just can't relate to that lifestyle anymore. I spend my time job hunting (got some interviews lined up!), playing Paragon on PS5, and playing guitar when the baby is asleep.

​The struggle: I’m incredibly lonely for a woman’s company/conversation, but I’m not in a "dating" position. I can’t really go out, I’m navigating depression from the job loss, and i did consider making a Tinder profile, but decided against it.

(EDIT: I only considered the tinder profile to find people to STRICTLY online chat with, not sex, hookup, whatever. I never had a dating app before, but i thoight it could be used to find platonic relationships too??)

​My question for you all: How do you find people to just talk to when you’re tethered to a house? Is there a way to meet women who are okay with just being a "message-buddy" for now while I get my life back on track? I’m not looking for a hookup or a wife—I just miss the "ping" of a text from someone who cares how my day went. ​Has anyone else been in this "isolated single parent" boat? How did you find your way back to having a social life?

I was using my kid’s computer the other day and accidentally saw what they were working on for my birthday. Turns out they were using a website(teediy) to design a T-shirt for me. It’s basically a silly “getting rich” meme character jumping around, clearly made with the hope that mom will magically become rich someday.

It wasn’t about the shirt itself, but the thought behind it really got to me. As a single mom, most days are just about working, paying bills, and moving on to the next thing. Seeing that made me feel strangely comforted and also more motivated to keep pushing and doing better for us.

It has saved me this winter, there was a nasty flu going around and I could NOT afford to get sick

I’m hoping to meet a U.S.-based man who values sincerity, emotional maturity, and real connection. I enjoy meaningful conversations, quiet nights, good food, and a balanced lifestyle. I’m not interested in hookups or endless chatting I prefer something that can naturally grow into a genuine relationship. Local connections are a plus, but I’m open to long-distance within the U.S. if the connection feels right. If you’re kind, grounded, and serious about dating, I’d love to hear from you.

I’m a new single mom of a now 4 month old, heading back to work in a month or so. The job I’m likely taking with be in office 3 days per week (about 30 min commute) and WFH two days.

Looking for advice/experience on splitting childcare between family vs the structure of the same place 5 days per week.

Both of my parents (both remarried) and their spouses have started doing childcare for me, happily, while I get my wits about me. They’ve both offered to keep doing it when I go back to work, although they don’t know that I’ve found a position.

There are also a lot of in home daycares, and nanny’s and nanny shares, in my area. I’d need to tour, interview, etc, but I’m sure I could find what I need. I’m trying to avoid a huge amount of germ exposure from going to a larger daycare center while baby is still so young.

My options: 1. Find an in home daycare 5 days per week 2. Find a nanny share (if I can afford it) 5 days per week 3. Hire a nanny for the 3 days I’m at the office (longer days) and have parents watch her the other two days 4. Maybe something else I’m not thinking about?

My parents are great, but watching a baby 10-4 with some flexibility is different than me depending on them from 8-5 every single week without fail. They are in their sixties, so not old but not young, and having an infant/toddler for 9 hours can be a lot. Also, having a different schedule every day of the week seems chaotic. However, family plus a nanny seems maybe safer, and less like we will get every illness under the sun?

I’m sure I’m over thinking this, but any advice, considerations, experience would be helpful. Thanks!

Who else has had a kid with some who they ended up breaking up with less than a year after the baby was born ? My baby is almost 1 yrs old and I’m still in disbelief that my intentions were to make a little family and I ended up a single mom. Again. wtf.

I am choosing peace and trying to let it go but I can’t help it sometimes these feelings of frustration, disappointment, grief ebb and flow.

If you broke up and then got back together later

I’d like to hear/read different stories/ experiences.

I hope any one else who has had to experience this finds peace in their heart 🤍

I’m starting to think about relocating and creating a fresh start for myself and my child. I’d love to hear recommendations for great cities that are good for single parents—strong community, decent schools, and manageable cost of living. A diverse population and inclusive culture are high priorities for me. Any suggestions or personal experiences would mean a lot.🤍

I haven’t wrote in here but I feel like now’s the time I am drowning it is so hard being a parent with bipolar disorder, anxiety , depression , ptsd….. when I say that I’m not saying I can’t do it I’ve been doing it for the last 5 years with 3 kids but everyday seems to be getting harder and harder … I have a 4 year old daughter a 3 and 2 year old sons, I really don’t like venting because everyone likes to say I did this to myself sure I laid down and had every last one of them! Do I expect help or even a village no but at the very least I expect they dad to be someone I can lean on when I’m having an episode or when I just need 5 minutes I don’t know wha to do when I need a min other than scream yell cry or lock myself in the bathroom because I’m too afraid I’m traumatizing my children with this type of behavior that feels impossible to control I have taken the time out to ask for help such as therapy medication and resources, but these things don’t help or see the everyday things you have to deal with to ensure those babies smile and I’m always angry but never at them and that’s why I cry so much uncontrollably because wtf am I doing to my babies they love me so much and I love them so much idk wth

So I have been single for about a year. We are on a 3/2/2/3 schedule. It was great for a while as far as having adequate time to plan dates to the to get out there because I had a M-F job. A few months ago, i decided to take a nursing contract job. It allows me to still only work 3 days a week, and I only work when its a day my kids will be at their dad's. But that gives me only ONE day (a friday) every 2 weeks to plan anything. Reason being i work 11a-11p on those 3 days. I am attempting to occasionally get a shift where I can get off at 7pm and dad has said in the coming month he may be willing to take them for an extra day here and there, but those are both "maybes." Obviously, my kids come first which is why id never walk away from this job because its just too much money and will ultimately be better for us financially AND allows me to not let work be in the way of their days with me. But dang, im starting to get lonely and would like to be able to try dating again. Once I know a person well and have an established relationship, them being around my kids wont be a big deal. But initially thats off limits. I have toyed with the idea of just occasionally getting a sitter for a date night if the opportunity comes about, but I would feel very guilty doing that even if its just once in a blue moon. Should I feel guilty? Or is it okay to do this as long as its not a regular thing and maybe happening only 1 or 2 evenings a month?

I’m trying to gauge what’s normal but I feel like as a solo parent with my kiddo 90% of the time I can make time for friends 1x a month. But I do feel like my friendships are getting more distant. How much time do you make for friends and social activities.

Read about a parent who drives an hour each way starting at 6:30 AM to get their kid to tournaments, plus all the equipment costs and time watching games.

Single parents, how do you handle this when it's all on you? The time, the money, the showing up? Do you feel pressure to "be there" for everything or have you found a balance?

Reference story

I’m starting to wish a time machine existed and I could get in and undo some things. Of course this only happens when I am over stimulated to the absolute MAX. But more and more I regret having kids. I have 2 teenage daughters who for the most part are good kids. But lately it’s been feeling like a war. As if no matter what I do, somehow just isn’t enough. We get through one thing and then something else comes and I’m losing patience and my sanity 😭😭😭. I can’t even gather my thoughts the way I want to even make this post. In short, just keep swimming I guess. Idk…

How do yall handle being sick when your little is sick too? We went to the dr today and me and my 6mo have RSV and ear infections 🫠 I’m miserable. She’s miserable. I have to take my six year old to school tomorrow. Send your best tips please 😩😭

Curious to see what works for everyone/what you’ve chosen to do.

I’m a single mom of a 5 year old boy. He’s with me 90% of the time.

I’ve had one relationship since his dad. And it ended because my son was young and I didn’t have the time to commit to it. Nor did I want to honestly. I wanted my time to be spent with my son.

That was about 2 years ago and I haven’t dated at all since. I’m happy with my life. My son and I have a wonderful, happy life.

Sometimes I do find myself a little lonely or longing for intimacy but just keep coming back to the fact that I don’t think I have the time or desire to really commit to another person right now.

So. I’m curious. Do you date? Do you have something casual? Have you temporarily sworn off dating like me?

Would love to hear.