Proof that we are not alone....another article that gave me a sense that others understood. An interesting read...
Regrets of a stay-at-home-mom
http://www.salon.com/2011/01/06/wish_i_hadnt_opted_out/
Please feel free to share your own stories as well as your worries and/or hopes for the future.
I intend to share many things that I have learned or need to learn to help me through this transition into the unknown. From saving money by clipping coupons to do-it yourself home repairs....we may be single and struggling to make ends meet, but there are the little things that help feel like we're doing our best! Whether I repaired a shower or have made all homemade (CHEAP) gifts...I feel some accomplishment at a time when I feel like I have little to contribute financially. I may be college educated, but that's not enough these days, so.....I save where I can until I put more pieces of this puzzle together.
Monday, January 7, 2013
A new beginning....
Following 15 years of marriage and a long term choice to stay home to raise my daughters myself, I have recently faced the rocky roads of divorce. No matter how many years I believed that would never be me or that I could make it work....for the kids, it was supposedly "for the best". As a result, I am a single, stay-at-home mom in a less than inviting workforce and economy for such a woman. When I made the choice years ago to be home and enjoy the time I had with my kids, teaching them to be the best they could be, and being a part of every aspect of their life....I never foresaw it as permanent damage to my future.
While I do have financial support from my ex-husband, it is far from enough to maintain the life we had before. I have taken on freelance writing, selling garage sale finds on Ebay, and utilizing any creative juice I can muster to make sales on Etsy. All of which I can do from home, yet it is not enough to continue the lifestyle we had chosen for our children. I know changes such as divorce do alter the lives of all involved, yet trying to minimize those changes for the girls is my biggest challenge.
I know, I know, it sounds as though I have regrets and am feeling sorry for myself, but it is just "unchartered" territory and no easy solution. In a time when the housing market is on a continuous downward spiral along with the job market and grocery prices are on the rise it is not an ideal environment for stay-at-home moms, let alone those that are single. So, my question has been (for a while now)....what now? Where do I go from here? How do I keep a roof over my head without facing foreclosure? How do I avoid making an already tough transition for my girls even harder? How do I get a job in a challenging job market?
I know there are many moms (and dads) that have faced the same circumstances and I know I continue to not be alone. What I have found is that not many have those much needed answers. They don't come easy and there is a huge void in help and information to find it on your own.
We have all heard the questions, advice, and unwanted thoughts of others in regards to where our lives have led. I'm sure I'm not alone in hearing the comments such as "well, obviously you need to get a job" and "what do you do while the girls are at school?". I've heard them and yet know that it is just not that easy. If it was, what would I have to write about? :)
I decided to start this blog in hopes of sharing my questions, fears, and ideas with others in this same "unchartered" crossroads. It is a scary and unsettling place to be, but I have hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I have hope that not only will my kids still turn out okay, but that we will all have a future of happiness and success!
In looking for resources and insight into the parenting choices I have made over time and the results of such choices, I found this article that I would like to share....
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/19/divorce-and-the-stay-at-home-mom/?smid=pl-share
While I do have financial support from my ex-husband, it is far from enough to maintain the life we had before. I have taken on freelance writing, selling garage sale finds on Ebay, and utilizing any creative juice I can muster to make sales on Etsy. All of which I can do from home, yet it is not enough to continue the lifestyle we had chosen for our children. I know changes such as divorce do alter the lives of all involved, yet trying to minimize those changes for the girls is my biggest challenge.
I know, I know, it sounds as though I have regrets and am feeling sorry for myself, but it is just "unchartered" territory and no easy solution. In a time when the housing market is on a continuous downward spiral along with the job market and grocery prices are on the rise it is not an ideal environment for stay-at-home moms, let alone those that are single. So, my question has been (for a while now)....what now? Where do I go from here? How do I keep a roof over my head without facing foreclosure? How do I avoid making an already tough transition for my girls even harder? How do I get a job in a challenging job market?
I know there are many moms (and dads) that have faced the same circumstances and I know I continue to not be alone. What I have found is that not many have those much needed answers. They don't come easy and there is a huge void in help and information to find it on your own.
We have all heard the questions, advice, and unwanted thoughts of others in regards to where our lives have led. I'm sure I'm not alone in hearing the comments such as "well, obviously you need to get a job" and "what do you do while the girls are at school?". I've heard them and yet know that it is just not that easy. If it was, what would I have to write about? :)
I decided to start this blog in hopes of sharing my questions, fears, and ideas with others in this same "unchartered" crossroads. It is a scary and unsettling place to be, but I have hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I have hope that not only will my kids still turn out okay, but that we will all have a future of happiness and success!
In looking for resources and insight into the parenting choices I have made over time and the results of such choices, I found this article that I would like to share....
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/19/divorce-and-the-stay-at-home-mom/?smid=pl-share
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