Dear Single Mom and Sister,
I will never forget the moment you called me to tell me you were pregnant. There was both terror and excitement in your voice. You knew in that moment that you would be doing this as a single mom. And you knew it was going to be both the hardest and greatest thing to ever happen to you.
My big-sister instincts kicked in right away and I wanted to shield you from the parts of being a single mom that were going to feel impossible. To figure out a way for you to not fly solo. To help make being a single parent easy and painless for you. I know now that this wasn’t something that needed to be solved or made easy. It was instead an absolute blessing for you and so many others around you.
Nearly five years later, you are killing it as a single mom. You have been since the second you found out you were pregnant. And I have been in awe of you every second.
I want you to know that I see you
I see every sacrifice you make, both big and small.
I see you working hard every day, as a single mom, to create a world for your daughter that is both safe and fun. One that allows her to grow and learn, while being completely herself at the same time.
I see the moments late at night when you feel completely alone. Like you’re watching the world go on around you while you’re tethered to your own life.
I see the moments when you are beaming with pride about the little (and huge) victories. You are extra beautiful in those moments.
I see you growing as a mom and your own person every day. I am privileged to witness it.
I see the incredible bond you have formed with your daughter that gives her security and space to blossom into the best version of herself.
I see you navigating co-parenting with someone that doesn’t always make it easy. You somehow do that with grace and perseverance every single time.
I see when you feel like you’re failing at everything. I also see that you never, ever are.
I see the way you’ve built your support system who help hold you up when this gets difficult. That village doesn’t happen by accident.
I see how you survived a full year of a pandemic as a single mom in your home with a 3-year-old, and how you both came out better on the other side.
I see you buy her the best books, the fun toys, the gymnastics classes, the healthy food, and the cute clothes, while quietly putting so many of your own wants and needs to the side.
I see the endless adventures and memories you plan for your daughter to give her a childhood filled with magic and wonder.
But more than anything…
Above all else, I see the incredible person you are and the incredible person you’re raising. Single parenthood has not been easy, nor will it ever be, but it’s brought a new version of you to the surface that is strong, inside-out beautiful, and resilient.
Single parents are superheroes, no matter how you slice it. You will forever be one of mine. I hope you’re able to take a moment on National Single Parent Day to remind yourself of what you’re capable of, what you’ve accomplished, and the incredible person that you are. You deserve that today and every day.
