This (Wo)man Is An Island

No man is an island. Yeah, right. Tell me that when I am the only one wakes up every morning to get my son ready for school. Tell me that when I'm the only one who has to figure out exactly how much is left in the budget for the month. Tell me that when I am the only one who has to work all day then come home to get dinner on the table & force the boy to eat something other than dry cereal. Tell me that when I'm the only one who has to deal with his tantrums. Tell me that when I'm the only one who has to cope with him trying to physically hurt me in the middle of these tantrums. Tell me that when I'm the only one who has to prevent him physically hurting himself in the midst of these tantrums. Tell me that when it often feels like rinse. lather. repeat.

I've said it before that single parenting can be so lonely. It is lonely. I've found that my unique situation makes it even more so. I really can't go to a singles group at church or in the community because, technically, I'm not single. Unfortunately, there aren't too many single parent groups available around here. The one that we used to belong to now meets at a different time. This would totally throw off my son's schedule so I choose not to go instead.

Add his special needs to this and it completely affects the whole dynamics. As a result of clueless friends and ill informed relatives, not to mention just plain rude people, I have been very careful about who I let into our lives. I want to protect him as much as I can. It is also possible that I want to avoid situations which will make me want to smack somebody upside their heads.

These often sometimes make for a very lonely and isolating life. Yes, my son and I enjoy things together. Yes, we have fun. But, for the most part, this woman is an island.