1. You get to do things the way you want to — decorate the house, raise the kid with that crazy ‘positive parenting’ sh** your ex couldn’t stand
2. Tiptoeing into their bedrooms at night to steal one last glimpse, one last kiss, and never have that moment ruined by returning to a grumpy spouse
3. You never have to look over your shoulder or feel less than worthy
4. Your friends can come over any time, and you don’t have to make sure it’s ‘okay’
5. When your child says, “I love you,” every struggle in your day to day world melts away, and everything you’ve done to make it work for you is worth it.

Scam.
I’ve been searching high and low for these so-called “grants”, even going to the actual Foundation Center and searching their exhaustive grant database. Which, by the way, is accessible for free from your local library computer: www.foundationcenter.org
What’s funny is, even the folks who are trying to debunk the grant scam are trying to sell you something else, as though there were some magic secret to surviving and thriving as a single mom. Sorry, I think that’s someone’s catch phrase, and if it is I apologize and am not referring to you, whomever you are.
Watch out for scams, ladies. A few …read more

Five contests make a post!

Well, first off, those lovely ladies over at SingleMommyHood are giving away chocolates courtesy of Dove and Martha Stewart Living, so head on over there and leave a comment!
If you have a Twitter account, then you’ll have a chance to win some serious bling–including diamonds!–in celebration of the new movie coming out, called, of course, Valentine’s Day. CinemaBlend.com is running the contest so check out the details and it’s oh so easy to enter…
Lingerie Addict is giving away six lace thongs from Hanky Panky, packaged in a heart-shaped box. Who doesn’t need a little bit of sexy in their …read more

Not even a month ago I checked in on Co-Abode, a network that helps connect single mothers looking to share living space. Tonight, Catherine is wondering, “What happened to them?”
After about twenty minutes poking around on the Net, I have no answer to that question.
I hate it when something just disappears without an electronic trace.  It reminds me of the day I discovered that my ex’s company website was suddenly ‘under construction’.  What kind of company shuts down their website for redesign? Especially one whose business is all about the Web?  Asking him about it was no good, he just …read more

Came across Her Bad Mother’s Basement today and I’m glad I stopped to read her whole post, “Dear Married Moms: Be Nice to Me”.  Seems she’s being shunned in her neighborhood for the audacity to have divorced and stayed in the house she once shared with her husband, in order to provide stability and consistency for her children.
I spend much of the afternoon with a client, who had to get back to a friend’s house at a decent hour. Seems his friend, a single mother, had to go out of town for a fundraiser, and was scrambling for child care …read more

I know I’m a grouch and a Grinch when I say this, but I’m always somehow secretly relieved when it snows on the weekend.  Yes, I know, the kid gets gypped of the pleasure of a snow day…
…but snow days for single mothers aren’t always pleasant.  So tell me, if you’re looking at a snowy forecast tonight (or any weeknight) are you pleased or panicked?
What’s to panic about?  It’s only a little snow… right?
 
RIGHT???

Watch out for yellow snow (manmonsters)!

 
My son is a big Calvin and Hobbs fan. So when I suggested we make some Calvin and Hobbs snowmen, there was no hesitation. Now, the question is — did Calvin ever make a yellow snowman?

If I learned nothing else in my time with a political organization, it’s this: a single voice cannot be heard.
A single body cannot move a mountain. A single fish can’t break the net (come on, haven’t you seen Finding Nemo a thousand times? “just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming!”)
I gripe about this time and time again: women are a strong and powerful and numerous force in this nation. Women need to form their own coalition and be as ruthless and dedicated to supporting legislation that offers health, education, and opportunity to children, women, families–and equally determined to block legislation …read more

Don’t ever get involved with a narcissist. End of lecture.
 
Seriously. My Facebook feed was ringing off the hook about her decision to divorce John. And it got me thinking: how in the hell do we end up choosing these men?  Well, the Atlantic has a thoughtful wrap-up of the whole mess in,  “Three Lessons from John and Elizabeth Edward’s Divorce”:

If  it seems too good to be true, it probably is
Without trust, marriage can’t survive, and
deceit creates a trail of victims

I’d dare to add a fourth: don’t get involved with a narcissist. You’ll be able to spot them if you pay attention. …read more