Being a single parent is extremely challenging, as you’re solely responsible for raising a tiny little human who will one day grow up into a big human. Then, there are the mean-spirited and harmful stereotypes that come along with it..
So this past Sunday, the single mom and Australian blogger Constance Hall decided it was time for some “single mum myth busting.” In her now viral Facebook post and selfie, which has more than 76,000 likes and 22,000 comments, she writes:
“Today I’m saluting single mums. I was raised by one, I respect them, and I admire the shit out of them…But the toughest part is the stigma.”
And then she went on to the record straight:
“Their kids aren’t disadvantaged. The only disadvantage children of single parents face is the knowledge that their mum is being judged. Kids are clever, they pick up on that sh*t.
They aren’t always broke. Single mums often work.
They didn’t f*ck anything up. Anybody could wake up tomorrow and become a single parent, whether they chose it or not, anyone.
Their kids aren’t baggage.
They don’t want your husbands.. They didn’t spend all this time getting rid of theirs and supporting their kids and working their arses off to have to wake up next to your farting, snoring, horny delight. He is all yours.”
It’s no surprise that many of the comments to the post were written by other moms who shared their own experiences with negative stereotyping. It also struck a chord with single fathers and, really, of parents of all varieties. Because families don’t just come in one shape or size, and just because a family doesn’t look like ours doesn’t give us the right to judge.
Read More:
Billie Lourd Opens Up About Mom Carrie Fisher & Grandmother Debbie Reynolds
I Took a Vacation By Myself And It Wasn’t What I Expected
I Fed My Kid Only Candy For a Day & This is What Happened