Categories: uncategorized
Date: 06 March 2007 07:05:43
Last night the news made me turn over; I could bear no more. The reason yet another situation where lone parents (NOTE: WE'RE NOT SINGLE MOTHERS) were being stereotyped and then some obnoxious women's rights person came on being all righteous and indignant about the rights of women to live up to that stereotype.
So anyway, now it's my turn to get all righteous and indignant about certain recent news stories. Well actually rather than get righteous and indignant I'm just going to explain what a lone parent's life involves.
In many ways I am a typical lone parent: I work, I am a lone parent through a marriage that was wrong not working out (and so my partner leaving) - therefore I have not "chosen" to be a lone parent, my ex partner doesn't see his daughter too often because we now live in different towns - that doesn't mean he isn't interested, it's just difficult; now my daughter is in high school I can't supervise her over part of the holidays because, despite working in education, I sometimes have to be at work, I can't get to some meetings at her school because I am working - that doesn't mean I'm not interested, if she is ill I cannot just take time off - I have to work and therefore getting her to the doctors can be difficult, I have to leave the house before her and so if she were decide not to attend (which isn't happening) there is not alot I can to do, I care very much about her behaviour and so set ground rules, which generally she will stick to - however I cannot physically stop her leaving the house should she choose to do so. I get home from work well after her and so what happens between her getting home and me arriving back is a matter of trust - she is too old for after school provision (which ends at 12).
However, I am lucky. I have had a supportive family and have been able to retrain for a professional job (and I already had a degree), therefore I do not have to take a job which may involve shift work (as many retail or care jobs do). I am part of a church and so my daughter has the opportunity to get involved in many social activities which don't cost much.