Welcome to my first Single Parent Round-up for BritMums. My name is Hannah and I am a single mummy to my son, Bear, who is almost 5 years old. I don’t really know what it’s like to be a parent as part of a couple as my marriage broke down when my son was very young and so this is my 5th Christmas on my own.
Christmas can be a tricky time for everyone but as a single parent or co-parent, it can be a lonely time as expectations and wishes are not met.
Mandy Charlton writes about her plans for this year. As a single mum of 3 children, she faces trying to please everyone whilst trying to block out the media image of Christmas and reflects on Christmas’s past.
Pen, who blogs anonymously at The Single Swan wrote about her first Christmas as a single mum and how they came to the arrangement that they did. It’s the same arrangement that my ex husband and I have always had but I am wondering whether it is time to change our plans to incorporate our son’s feelings.
As Christmases pass, I have realised, sometimes we have to adapt the way that we do things and find a new way to celebrate and to be happy. Abi at Mum in a Hurry is really looking forward to Christmas this year and as a reader, I am so happy to hear this as she has had a particularly hard and emotional year.
Tracey from One Frazzled Mum has gone one further – her post talks about how she will be having a different Christmas compared to the ones that she’s used to, despite it not being her first as a single parent and she includes quotes from 6 other single parent bloggers. I have to say that I am very envious of the relationship that she has with her ex husband.
Martyn has written a really inspiring post for the single parents like myself, that struggle with their relationship with their ex partner, at Inside Martyns Thoughts. I only hope that in time, we’ll have everything as sussed as he does.
After Christmas has passed, the meal has been cooked and enjoyed and the presents have been opened, it’s time to breathe a sigh of relief that we made it through, sit back and smile at the joy and magic that we have created. It’s time to look towards the New Year with optimism and prepare to make resolutions that we may or may not keep.
It’s also time to get ready to fall asleep on the sofa at 9pm party the New Year away. Just when you think you’ve got through one of the potentially toughest times of the year as a single parent, you need to negotiate the excitement and build up of the last day of the year. Mummy and Boo finds it the most awkward day of the year and explains why.
I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas, no matter how it looks to you and make lots of wonderful memories. See you again in the New Year and thanks for taking the time to check out the brilliant single parent bloggers this month.
Hannah
About Hannah Spannah
Hannah is a (now) happily single parent to her young son, Bear. They have a little cottage in semi rural North Yorkshire and share it with a demanding yellow Labrador, a cat, 2 guinea pigs and 3 fish. She began writing when her health took a turn for the worse and Hannah writes about parenting and most aspects of life. She faces many a co-parenting challenge but hopes that her blog, hannahspannah.co.uk shows a positive view of life as a disabled single mum. Cake is her food of choice and she spends most of winter covered in mud thanks to the dog and child.