My partner, Alex, is currently balancing school and a night job, which means he is out of the house from two in the afternoon until four in the morning. He then sleeps from around five until one the next afternoon, waking just long enough to eat, shower, and spend a few moments with our kids before heading out again. This routine occurs five days a week, and it has taken a toll on me.
I’m at home every day with my one-and-a-half-year-old son and my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. I adore them deeply—so much so that sometimes it feels overwhelming. The constant boundary testing, the challenges of potty training, and tantrums that seem to arise over the simplest things have left me feeling completely drained.
In a moment of exhaustion, I made a regrettable comment to Alex, expressing that with his current schedule, I felt like a single parent. Reflecting on that now, I realize how misguided that statement was. I do have a partner who is working diligently to provide for our family and pursuing his education, which allows me to be home with our energetic toddlers. If I were in a bind and needed him, he would be in the car before I even hung up the phone. Despite my fleeting feelings of isolation, I am not a single parent—not by a long shot.
I cannot imagine what it’s like to work all day and then come home to fulfill the roles of both mother and father. I do not understand the level of exhaustion and longing for a break that some single parents face, nor can I grasp the weight of the decisions they must navigate daily. The fears and struggles that fill their hearts are beyond my experience.
To all the single parents out there, I sincerely apologize. I regret taking my circumstances for granted, and I am sorry for being insensitive and whiny. I acknowledge that my comments trivialized a reality I cannot fully comprehend. In fact, I even apologize for needing to apologize—you don’t require my validation. You are handling everything remarkably well on your own.
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In summary, I recognize the immense challenges faced by single parents and the strength they embody. My previous comments were not only misguided but also dismissive of the realities you navigate daily.