Working Mom’s appendectomy made a temporarily single parent out of me. Very temporary — she was home within a day, although she’s still not quite up to full strength. The experience put into my mind that a lot of parents — most, maybe — have things way harder than I do most of the time.
I just posted on the ordeal over at GNM:
Though as a stay-at-home dad I’m pretty good at juggling baby and household chores, I still depend on my wife’s return from work so I can get dinner made, laundry done, and the house straightened up. With my wife out of commission, after just a few days the living room was covered with a crust of toys, cracker crumbs, and odd socks: I just hadn’t had time to get anything off the floor. I’ve done a total of one load of laundry this week, down from an average of one per day. And cooking? Well, let me just say that I’m glad my daughter likes grilled cheese so much.
Some are at-homes like me have spouses who travel. Some are in two-working-parent households, and, of course, some are single parents. Since taking care of one child, one house, and one wife is exactly the limit of my ability — sometimes past my limits — I just can’t imagine how you handle your lives.
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I have three children and a husband who travels frequently (and I work from home). I have a HUGE respect for single parents who do it all the time.
Found myself as a single mom of four who, three years later are 11,9,7 and 51/2. No, it’s not easy, but I’ve given up the emaculate house, the timely laundry and the social life for the evening read alouds, paper plates and a good board game. I teach full time and parent full time and someday, I will get out from under. For now, I am content hanging out with the best four people I know.
Well done, both of you! I don’t think I could manage…
The thought of being a single parent scare the poo out of me. I can’t imagine how they do it. My husband and I both work outside of the home, and he does have the responsibility of the animals when he gets home but he is such a crucial part of our lives.
I’m a single mom of one. I use to have no life of my own when she’s still young. Now, I work from home, I blog and sometimes go out. Being a single parent or being a stay at home parent is really not an easy job. You need to have time management and energy to do all the daily chores and take care of the baby as well.