I am a single mother. But I am not a single mother by choice. I did not set out to get pregnant on purpose or to raise a child by myself on purpose. I got pregnant and my lover broke up with me the day I told him I was pregnant. While that did not surprise me, it did break my heart.
I considered an abortion. I am militantly pro-abortion. I don't believe any man has a right to even express an opinion on the subject, and when I go though menopause and can no longer conceive, neither will I. That decision is totally up to the woman and she should have the right to make that decision and it's nobody else's business. I was 34 years old, I owned my own home, I made good money, and I loved him. I couldn't do it. I chose to have the baby.
Being a parent is the hardest single thing I have have ever done in my life and I do not recommend it to anybody. Married or single. In some ways I have it easier than married couples do. My word goes. I don't have any conflict with a father to have to deal with. There is no father. It's just me.
Why anybody would purposely put themselves in that position I will never understand. Being a parent is so hard. It's not the least bit rewarding. It's worry, and guilt, and more worry, and it never ends. If we're lucky, our kids won't turn out to be drug addicts or hookers or serial killers. If we're really lucky, they'll grow up to be decent people who can make their own way in the world, and not hate us too much.
I sorta forgot what my point was, but being a single parent does not only suck from the kids point of view.
