How did you arrive at the destination of dating mom? Are you fresh out of a marriage, a long-term relationship or was it complicated? Are your beautiful children the glorious products of a decades-long marriage “sanctified by God and the State”, a one-night stand, or a sperm bank (or turkey baster, depending on your budget)? Are you a degreed professional, an entrepreneur, a waitress, a student, or trying to find your purpose? Do you and the father of your children harmoniously co-exist as co-parents, putting your kids’ needs above your own or is your children’s father not in the picture at all?
What difference does it make? The point is, and I hope you see my point, is that dating moms can’t all be put in the same category. Dating moms are of all races, colors, religions, socio-economic statuses with personal goals and dreams as varied as they are. Each of us is unique in our situations. Some dating moms are overburdened and feel the heavy load of doing everything alone. Some dating moms are spoiled by an entire village of family and friends to support them, and have an enviable amount of ‘me-time’ when the kids are with Dad. The point is that all of us are different and we can’t be lumped in the same category by society, by statistics, by the media, by whatever.
In other words, you are not to be simply relegated to being a statistic. And neither are your children. At this particular point in your journey in life, you are so much more than that.
Speaking of statistics, according to the U.S. Census bureau, in 2013, there were over 12 million single parent households in the United States, with over 80% of them headed by single mothers. That’s a lot of single mothers who are, just like you, getting the job done. There are proportionately more single Black mothers than single White mothers. Children of single mothers are more likely to live in poverty. 49% of single mothers report never having been married, while 51% report being separated, divorced or widowed.
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