Raising a Child as a Single Parent

Remember that time when you found out you were pregnant and everything was great, you were so excited and couldn't believe it. You told everyone, and your family was so happy! You took pictures of your belly and posted all the pictures on Facebook. Everyone said how happy you guys looked together. You've been with your boyfriend for over a year, you thought you were going to get married, you thought everything was going to last forever. Remember the time being pregnant and he was by your side through the entire pregnancy, morning sickness, mood swings, singing to your baby while it was in your belly. Then that moment where you knew you were in labor. Where every three minutes you feel it. Him rushing you to the hospital as fast as he can.

Labor is one of the most painful moments you could ever experience. In my own experience I was in 9 hours of labor. They had to break my water and just like that I was ten centimeters. Being a first time mom I was so scared, I didn't know what to expect, but he was there by my side along with my family. I have to say that the epidural was the one thing that hurt me the most. Can you remember when you were in so much pain and he just held your hand? Told you to breathe in and out. Took pictures once the baby arrived. You spent months just waiting for that moment to arrive.

Things were going great and your son or daughter was getting older. Soon they learned to roll over, then crawl, then finally walk. You had their first birthday together. Then all of a sudden things started getting worse. Your boyfriend started fighting with you over money, or just because at that moment no matter what you did it was always a fight. Started yelling at you because they always had to work and all you were doing was taking care of the baby. Then they left and it was the hardest thing you had to do.

Let me tell you something, being a single parent isn't easy but it's not impossible. It's waking up every night because your child has a bad dream, or feeding them every couple hours because it's time for them to eat. It's rocking them to sleep and singing to them because they have a nightmare. It's making them laugh and seeing that beautiful smile on their face. It's making sure they are fed, bathed, and changed. It's putting their priorities first instead of your own. It's getting that job to pay to take care of them. It's showing that no matter what without a man that you are a great mother. It's teaching them how to accomplish tasks on their own. It's teaching them to trust their parent. That no matter how much they fall, that your always going to be there for them. It's teaching yourself that you can accomplish parenting on your own without help from a baby dad that just walks out. It's hearing those words that melt your heart, "Mama, I love you."

People can say that you're not a great mom, or a great dad, but all that matters is that you know that you are doing everything you can to provide for your child. That if your child is healthy and smiling, then you're doing everything you should be. I never regretted my child, and now that I see how big she is, how beautiful she is, I am so glad I had her. She is honestly my little miracle baby. And for anyone who feels like they can't raise their child on their own, you can do it, it just takes a lot of practice and dedication!