Interviewee Kayleigh Watson, who was featured in the Daily Mail piece recently about single mums, appeared in the paper again today. This time I spoke to her mum and gran, who were also single mums about how these days there is no stigma to being unmarried when you have a child (unlike in gran’s case when it brought shame on the family). Kayleigh’s story was placed with a news story about the growth of single parenthood through the generations. Kayleigh is pictured with her mum, Pauline and gran, Jane as well as one of Kayleigh’s two children.
Kayleigh is one of many interviewees whose story is placed not once but twice (and often more!)
For more interesting reading – and to see the variety of publications that interviewee’s stories went to last year go to – www.featureworld.co.uk/recent-stories2009.html
I would just like share my opinion of being a single mum. For many of us out there who are single mums we didnt get to choose to be that way. We are all cases of abuse and have found ourselves raising our children. We are doing double jobs because we have to be role model to our children as parents and at the same time keeping a full time job to maintain our family. In my case i dont really have a choice because the laws these days are telling us that regardless that the father does not support the children financially they still get to see them and spend time with them. Which shows you that laws were not made for single parents as such at certain instances. They dont care if those children are being fed as long that they get to have a good time with that same ex who has abuse you and your children for several years. As long that they hide themselves behind a mask and pretend that they have changed they get away with it. We as single mums get to pick up the pieces when our children are emotionally unstable.
Being a single mum is a tough job, it is not something that should be seen as a punishment either. I love the fact that I can come home and not have to worry about the next person who used to cause us so much harm. However things does get tough at times, when you come home feeling all exhausted and still have to cook diner, get washing done, pick up your kids from hockey games, shower, bedtime story and the list is quite long. Weekend is even worse because it goes so quickly. Am just sharing what i feel life as single is about. We can all paint a beautiful picture and make it look as if all is well. My motor is keep on smilling girl, if it’s going to make the next person happy!!!
I was just reading about a mum who asked ‘how does a single mum deal with an injunction from her ex that the court has in place’? well its an awful situation, it sound like its a form of protection for your children but when you think of it in real life scenarios its not fun. I cant even take a holiday without going to court, i cant change my location without applying to the court and what else…… So what’s their to enjoy about it? The question is how does the system affect the single mums? I dont want to sell any story but i just thought i should share that little piece.
Thanks for your feedback, Bernadette.