Strength of a Single Mother

Mother's strength often goes unnoticed but now that I am a mother myself I can finally appreciate my mothers' sacrifices. I have come to realize that I owe everything to my mother. Being raised by her and seeing her struggle throughout her life changed me forever. Watching her work two jobs to provide my brothers and sisters and myself with all we needed was painful. I was the oldest of all the children which gave me a better understanding of the situation. I tried to help her as best I could. I watched my mother come home from work at 2am and wake up two hours later to get her children ready for school day after day without any support structure. No matter what the weather, no matter what the obstacles, she never wavered. She nursed us when we were sick, helped us with her homework, and always got to work on time.

My mother's unwavering strength has made me the person I am today. My mother never made me feel as if I was inferior because I was the child of a single mother. Whenever I needed her emotionally, she was there to offer a shoulder for me to cry on. Despite the tremendous stresses she endured, she was seldom short-tempered and impatient with us. I had to assume responsibilities far behind my years but I did not resent this because I appreciated that she needed me.

Sometimes I feel that single mothers are the unsung heroes of the world. They always put themselves last. They have no one to complain to, no one to assume half or even one quarter of the duties of the household. They have to be both father and mother to their children. This can be emotionally as well as financially draining. Every day they get up, go to work, get their children ready for school, and make dinner. No one ever celebrates these daily accomplishments.