Hi! I am Christine, and thought I was handling the single parent thing fine up until last week, when I hit the big 4-0. Since then I have felt so alone, and like I'm the only single woman in a town full of couples.

A little background - I have been divorced for 2 years, raising my 2 wonderful daughters by myself for 3 1/2. My ex walked out when our younger child was less than 2. I'm very lucky, because although I don't approve of his lifestyle (he's living with the woman for whom he left me, my former best friend), we still have a relatively good relationship. We can talk to each other on the phone or in person without things getting ugly, he (mostly) pays the child support on time without the checks bouncing too often, and he calls his daughters probably 5 nights a week. He doesn't, however, take them for visitation very often. So far this year, they have spent 3 weekends and 1 week during the summer with him. This is his choice; I have never told him that he cannot have the girls for a weekend.

Anyway, I am a full-time teacher (high school math and engineering), a full-time mom (my daughters are now 8 and 5), a full-time graduate student getting my master's in educational administration, and a more than full-time tired person. Another online group with which I've been involved for 9 years (gads, I'm getting old) is made up of mothers, but all of them are married, so I don't have the same "issues" as they do.

Wow, I didn't realize I had so much to say. Hope to get to know some of you around here.

Hi Christine,
I am also new to this web. Boy you have your plate full. Hope to chat sometime with you. I am also a single mom of a seven year old. Ha ha I am 49 and the plate has ran over. I stay active as you sound like you do. Stay strong, it always gets better. I also have father issues, mine is 2000 miles away and only calls once a week for about 5 minutes, and sees him only two times a year for about 4 hours each visit. Life goes on but with stregth from each other, all is possible

I agree, you do have a full plate.

I am 48, (but only until Dec LOL). Sometimes I feel like I am 20 and then there are days when I feel like I am 80.

I have two chidren. A young man of 22 and a daughter who is 12. My son is away at college so it is just my daughter and me.

I work two jobs to clean up the mess my ex left, but I have been blessed with family and freinds who have stood by me and supported me.

My ex is not in the picture at all,(Long story)so a lot of the issues that some women deal with I don't have to. I don't get any support financially. I don't have to deal with visitation, but I do deal with a 12 yr old girl who misses her father and takes all of anger out on me.

WELCOME!!!!!

I'm fairly new myself. I enjoy coming here, even with what little time I have. It's so hard to find people in my community also. I'm trying to find a church where I feel accepted and they understand and can offer some guidance or experience on single parenting. Not going well and we have a lot of churches in this town and close by as well.

Glad you have a good relationship with their dad, no matter how hard it is, it's best to bite our tongues sometimes unless we have to let it out but not in front of the kids. His relationship will be as important or even more so than the monetary. I had nothing growing up but even worse no father. My son's father cut all ties with my son and his daughter. My son has been hard to raise, he's 18 now and currently in jail. Just went yesterday morn. I think if his dad would have been involved or a good father figure somewhere in his life, he would have had a better chance in life. I have 2 girls 7 & 9, they are great and their dad is mostly involved in their life, their stepmom more so but he takes them every other week.

Sorry, I got off track, that's how I am. I'm trying to get to know people on here but I forget names and posts I made LOL Real space cadet also ADD, I amuse people at work and in my life and I can laugh at my dumbness too. I've found (the hard, long way) that it's easy to keep track of my posts So I'm trying to keep up. i only get on once or twice a week but check in daily to read a little.

again, WELCOME!!!

Kim