A day for mothers

It's Mothering Sunday in Australia tomorrow. This mother will be having her first Mother's Day as a single parent ...one child is away , one child will be working ( after I have delivered them to work...blooming trains are off again this weekend) and the other child will no doubt have a long lie. This mother will be no doubt awake early, feed the dog, walk the dog...bask in the dog's love for her ...its reciprocal, he's my favourite child. ( the other children know and accept this ...he is also their favourite sibling!)

This mother is discovering daily that it's not easy being a lone parent. We've had some fairly hefty family stuff in the last couple of weeks and I really could have done with a husband to talk to , to share with , to be reassured that it will all be okay. That's not an option now...I still tell him , he just doesn't reply.

This mother used to go to bed knowing that there was a father to wait up / collect wayward children and could sleep easier ( although always having an ear open even whilst sleeping to know they were back safely.)This has been difficult for me to get used to. This is when I feel the weight of single parenthood the most...well that and a much reduced income! Please switch the lights off and unplug the telly at night as I've just had a huge electricity bill, which prior to Scott's death would just have been paid without a thought. April the 25th was the first time in over 25 years that we did not have a full time wage coming in. I now think of money values in terms of weeks groceries...my youngest daughter spent a week's grocery money on a pair of strappy shoes on Wednesday! ( her wages which she's worked hard for so up to her how she spends them)

So this mother has a new found respect ( which I always did have ) for those mums and dads who have to parent on their own. Who have to take the role of both mother and father , who have to say no, I can't afford it when maybe once they said what the heck. Who for all sorts of reasons, choice, circumstance, find themselves doing it on their own.

Have a lovely day tomorrow . Be spoiled. Be loved. Be proud of your achievement as a parent.

#mothersdayinmay