A Single Mum’s Mother’s Day…

Being a single mum has its good days and not so good days. And when Mother’s Day comes around it can feel a little sad and perhaps lonely. Being a mum when you were in relationship didn’t seem so much that way and in fact it was a great way to have some time off, right? But now as a single mum, we find ourselves organising something for us. Which seems crazy, seeing it’s really a time of gratitude from our children to acknowledge all the work and effort we as mums do.

But, if you are feeling a little sad, maybe lonely or overwhelmed, perhaps even ripped off, maybe you need to look at it differently, maybe you are going about Mother’s Day as a single mum the wrong way.

Mother’s day as a single mum for me is a time to remember the birth of my children, to remember the love and hard work each and every day as a mum. It also reminds me of the heartache and struggles we have from time to time, with the organising and running around, trying to be in two places at once but knowing we do come out of it and that I do my best no matter how the end of each day turns out, because when I am with my children I know I am the luckiest person alive. With Mother's Day, I don't want some time off, I want to embrace every single moment with my children.

Mother’s Day is a time to embrace YOU as a mum. Not a single mum and not a single woman. Just MUM.

From experience I can tell you the older the children become the more independent they are, and life as a single mum does become easier in some ways. But even so, it really is a time to be together. To not focus on what all the shops are saying we need to buy or should be receiving. The best gift I could imagine from my children is their presence. Maybe they will cook me breakfast in the morning (and that’s a hint…) and to share some quality time together during the day, perhaps either order take out or cook together in the evening, oh and having a bottle of bubbles in the fridge ready for a treat for me at the end of the day.

So if you are feeling a little flat, and sad this Mother’s Day, perhaps knowing you won’t receive a gift, I mean how many pairs of fluffy socks and slippers do you need, remember you have the most precious gift of all. Your children. And I couldn’t ask for anything more than this. What about you?

Don’t focus on the material things, but focus on the love you will receive.

I want you to know you are an amazing mum, and don’t stress about what you are missing out on as in a gift, look at your children and remember they are your gift. Remember they are the ones that each day teach us how to be a better person. They teach us how to love even when we may be feeling unloved. They put a smile on our face when they make a passing joke, and yes maybe make us yell when they question our direction. But the real beauty in Mother’s Day as a single mum, is that we have an opportunity to spend time with our gifts any way we like.

A special time to stop and embrace.

Don’t fret over the missing material gifts. Spend this time in presence, feel the love, reminisce about the great times, remember the funny times. And make new memories and traditions. I wouldn’t change it for a moment this Mother’s Day, because this day is for me and my children.

Some suggestions for being present this Mother’s Day:
Cook together
Go on a bike ride
Hiking is always fun
Set out on a road trip for the day
Settle at a park and enjoy a picnic
Head to the movies
The list really is endless.

Embrace this Mother’s Day and enjoy your day with perhaps a little bottle of bubbles chilling in the fridge at the end of the day.

From me to you, Happy Mother’s Day.

I love the photo I have used here. It’s a reminder of what it’s like to be a single mum. A friend of mine was taking some photos of us and as beautiful as the photo is, at the beginning of the day, neither one of my children were too happy about having their photo taken. There were the arguments and struggles of having to do something Mum wanted, but by the end of the shoot, we embraced it, and what became was the three of us. The us we know best.

MEET JOANNE         SUPPORT         BLOG        INSPIRED        CONTACT