To you, the parent doing it all on your own

Since the kids were little, Pierre has often had to take short business trips, but only 4 times has he had to travel for longer than a week. 

When our kids were 3 and 5 years old, he went to Denmark for two weeks. 

Two years later, he went to the Dominican Republic for a week. 

A couple of years ago, work took him to the US for two weeks.

And right now, he’s on a 10-day trip to India. 

When he was in Europe, the kids were pretty young and I was also working full-time outside the home. I remember how I tired I was when he got back. I told him that being a single parent for two weeks made me realize I’d never want to be divorced, and that our relationship would always be a priority for me. 

My own mother became a single parent when I was twelve, when my father died. 

And every time that Pierre leaves for a trip, I can better appreciate when she went through for so many years. 

When he leaves for work, I usually end up managing fine. Even when there are unexpected hiccups, when I find myself in a busy period with work, or when one of the kids is sick. But it also makes me realize what a huge undertaking it is. I do it from time to time, but the parents who do it every day? Wow. Double wow. 

To you, the parent doing it all on your own, I salute you. 

Not out of pity or sadness, but respect. 

Because it’s a reality that’s far from easy, and you do the best that you can, day after day. Despite nights that are sometimes too short, despite a budget that’s occasionally a little tight, despite the fact that sometimes, you just really need to talk to another adult, you stay strong and continue to set a good example for your kids. 

I respect you. 

It’s hard for me to find the right words, but please know how sincere I am and how much love my words hold for you. 

I’d like to know what to say, what to do, to help you, but I don’t know how. All I can do is offer you a listening ear when you need it, and invite you to join the discussions among the parents on our Je suis une maman Facebook page. 

You’re not alone. We’re here for you.

Article by Jaime Damak

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