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Dear Single Mother, You Messed Up
A mother’s journey of healing and redemption
I am single. I am a mother, and my child has a father who is just as committed to her as I am. Does that make me a single mother? It doesn’t matter.
While scrolling through Instagram, I’ve noticed how the algorithm works: if you show even the slightest interest in an ad or a post, it bombards you with more of the same. A post aimed at singles catches my eye. Posts about single parents draw my attention. As a result, I found myself engulfed in a sea of content about single motherhood and, disturbingly, reading the comments.
I was shocked to see how negatively people view single mothers.
Unfortunately, many men — the same ones who contribute to a woman’s journey to motherhood—harbor a negative attitude toward single mothers.
I’ve read things like, “Why deal with ‘baby daddy drama’ when you don’t have to?” or “Why would I father someone else’s child?”
Some men I’ve encountered view women with children as “unworthy.” Society itself frowns upon single mothers, labeling them as “lesser” based on their circumstances. These old stereotypes are damaging and shaming, but I refuse to allow them to define me.
