A strong family is only as good as its support
system. Through my journey as a single mother I have learned a lot about my
fears, my weaknesses, and my strengths. I used to worry a
lot about how people saw my children. It wasn’t about me, the former teen mother,
the girl who goes out with her kids and still looks like the older sister; it
was about the children of this young, single mother. I worried if people at school felt bad for
them because there was no father on their emergency contacts card. I worried if
they were seen differently by their friends because grandma picked them up when
I couldn’t make it and dad never came to any of their games or school
activities. I wondered if the doctor thought I wasn’t smart enough to
understand when they talked to me during our visits. I worried a bit too much.
As my children have gotten older, many of those
fears and doubts have begun to subside. Looking back now, I realize that I have
met so many people who have been supportive of me and my decisions. People who
have taken the time to educate me, to teach me, to help me be a better parent
and pass along lessons to my children of what a healthy, strong family looks like.
Today, I’m no longer scared, and I no longer feel powerless. I have the
confidence to approach others and ask for help. I have the confidence to take
my kids to the park and not worry about what other parents think. I have the
satisfaction of coming home every afternoon and knowing that my little family
is as strong as ever.
I am grateful for those who take the time to
hold our hands and guide us in the world. I am glad that there are support
systems for families who face many of the doubts that I faced. Who acknowledge
that they don’t meet the unrealistic standards set by society but are willing
to do anything to ensure their families hold the one thing society doesn’t
place enough emphasis on: the unbreakable bond of communication, respect, and
love. If you were to ask me today who
helped me build my strong little family I would in a heartbeat answer it’s
people like you. Those who believe that while we took a detour, we are still
human beings with the same desire as everyone else: to make our children (and
ourselves!) happy.
The support of organizations that continuously
work to improve the lives of families like mine are doing what they envision – helping us and many others. I’m a
supporter of volunteers, of policymakers, and of those community leaders who
are able to connect with us and who fight for the services that help us find
the road to self-sufficiency. I am grateful for their genuine interest in
families which with time will yield a better society. I am grateful for having
had that help to accept that I am capable of building and maintaining a strong
family. I am grateful for finally feeling like a proud mother, and grateful to
have such a strong village helping me in raising my children.
Lisette is a proud mother of two,
and advocate for young mothers, for families of children with disabilities, and
abused women. Through life's experiences she has learned to appreciate those
who have helped her, and has learned to share her stories to help others.
Blog posts represent the opinion of the author, not necessarily Forward Together or Strong Families.