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Solo Mother

May 12th, 2008

…what I got for Mother’s Day

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He painted them himself. The one in the foreground is a galaxy. The one in the background is of a storm. I think they are absolutely magical.

My mother cut out the canvas and bound the placemats, then sealed them.

We switch them back and forth. It’s his turn tomorrow to get the storm one for breakfast. I can’t wait.

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By christina -- 1 comment

May 11th, 2008

Happy Mother’s Day, single moms!

It has been a lovely day, grey skies and all. The KoE and I are busy doing housework and a little bit of detective work.

You see, someone apparently was in a desperate fix for Mother’s Day flowers, and helped him- or herself to the ones left at my gate yesterday. Thankfully, a neighbor stopped by to ask if I’d gotten the flowers he’d seen there… and beat his breast in sadness that he hadn’t thought to stop and put them somewhere safer than right on the street where anyone could steal them.

Which, apparently, someone did.

I’m so grateful that someone saw the flowers and could tell me I got some. Wish he’d been a little more inquisitive, though, and read the INSIDE of the card. I have no idea who sent them to me, and though my suspicions run to friends like Fannfare and Mme. Meow, who would do such things for this single mom, there are other possibilities out there.

Which, in its own way, is a wonderful gift for Mother’s Day. Someone loves me enough to think of me today. And I get to imagine who it is. So thank you, all of you, for being here with me through this transformation into a happy, single mother of a happy, single son. We couldn’t have done it without you.

And to the person who stole the flowers? You’re welcome to them–only next time, be considerate and throw the card back into my front gate, so I can thank the person who bought you flowers?

Thanks.

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By christina -- 3 comments

May 10th, 2008

count down to Mother’s Day… T minus 10 hours and counting…

My kid has something up his sleeve for Mother’s Day. He and my mom have been making me a present for the past two weeks, more or less, and he comes home messy and painted and grinning ear to ear. He hasn’t even told me what the present is, which is a first for Mr. I Can’t Keep A Secret.

On Friday, I went to his school for Muffins for Mom, a lovely coffee-and-sweeties sort of assembly. I sat with the moms I know best from his school, and watched the classes perform such hits as “You Are My Sunshine”, “Skidderidink”, and a bunch of stuff in Spanish and Chinese that I couldn’t even hum.

The best part of the morning was getting some unexpected, unexpectedly sweet time with my son, whom I see too little of these days. We shared a muffin and some extra hugs, and I’m telling you, I’ve already had as good a Mother’s Day as I can remember.

My dad has something up his sleeve, too. He wants to borrow the kid tomorrow morning after we come up for pancakes. I think they are going to go shopping for something for Grammy. And my dad called this evening to speak to the Kid… there was much whispering and monosyllabic answers on the Kid’s end of the conversation. “We’re just talking about your Mother’s Day present, mama,” he explained.

My parents are so wonderful. Going out of their way to be sure a Hallmark Holiday is a day I’ll remember for ever.

Thanks, you’ve already made it so special!

Where ever you are tomorrow, single mom, sit back and reflect on the love you have, and the love you give.

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By christina -- 0 comments

May 9th, 2008

can’t buy you an iPod for Mother’s Day… want to win one?

I really wish I could buy each and every one of you fabulous single mothers (and fathers, and FOSM’s) one of those fabulous iPods… you know, the 80 gig Pod with video playback?

I can’t.

But… I can point the way to a great opportunity to WIN ONE!…

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By christina -- 0 comments

May 8th, 2008

Dear Sperm Donor: Sunday is Mother’s Day

I loved the headline when it popped into my Google alerts: Get what you want this Mother’s Day: Twist the ex’s arm. I followed the link, eager to read some pithy article on how to get deadbeat dads to fess up and cough up back child support.

Instead, my eager clicking was quickly replaced by WTF…

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By christina -- 5 comments

May 6th, 2008

Two important things you can do to help Moms and kids this week

If you’re going to buy someone flowers for Mother’s Day, consider ordering from Pro Flowers.… $10 of all Mother’s Day orders in the US will be donated to the March of Dimes, the US’s leadng non-profit organization for pregnancy and baby health.

I don’t usually post info verbatum from action alerts in my inbox but damn, here’s one we just have to read and act on now (thanks to Moms Rising):

Want to honor mothers this week? Take a moment to ask your Congressperson to co-sponsor the just introduced Family Leave Insurance Act of 2008 in honor of Mother’s Day.

If passed, the Family Leave Insurance Act (HR 5873) would provide paid family leave to care for a new child, sick family member, treat their own illness, or deal with an exigency caused by the deployment of a member of the military. With the recent passageof Family Leave Insurance bills in New Jersey and Washington, MomsRising.org members have been gaining momentum. Now it’s time to bring that momentum to the national level:

http://www.momsrising.org/Cosponsor_FamilyLeaveInsurance

MomsRising.org members are a make-it-or-break-it force on this issue. Frankly, it’s going to take some heavy lifting to get the co-sponsors and momentum this bill needs to pass. But it’s worth the effort. The U.S. is way behind the rest of the world on family leave, and this bill can help us catch up. Here are some quick stats:

  • A Harvard/McGill University study of over 170 countries found that only four don’t have some form of paid leave for new moms. The four are the United States, Papua New Guinea, Swaziland, and Liberia;
  • Paid family leave has been shown to drop infant mortality by as much as 25%; and,
  • Paid family leave has been shown to help narrow the wage penalties mothers face.


This is an important moment to help spark real change.

EMAIL YOUR CONGRESSPERSON TODAY TO GET THEIR SUPPORT FOR FAMILY LEAVE:
http://www.momsrising.org/Cosponsor_FamilyLeaveInsurance

Thanks to Shani and Suzie for these heads-up!

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By christina -- 2 comments

May 6th, 2008

What I learned at the fair: the difference between girls and boys

I’d imagine, based on how I was when I was a girl, that dealing with a moody female five year old would involve a lot of conversation, a lot of questions, a lot of humoring and coaxing and consoling. Or at least, because I was a girl, I’d assume that’s what folks would assume I wanted when I was in a bad mood.

Perhaps they should have taken a hint from the grumpy boy manual I accidentally discovered at the fair this past Sunday. Simply pick up a grumpy boy and fling him over your shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and proceed to carry him up the hill, bumping and thumping him and upending him at will until he howls with laughter and threatens to throw up… all the cotton candy he ate half an hour ago… down your back.

Rinse and repeat until he can’t even pretend to pout any longer.

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By christina -- 0 comments

May 4th, 2008

How to tighten your belt, single moms

img-0246.jpgSo, how can we keep making our food budget ends meet at our middles? I’ve got some ideas, and I’ll gladly share them with you, single moms–and everyone else watching the bottom line on the checkout stands.

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By christina -- 3 comments

May 4th, 2008

Oh yeah, a little something for Saturday night/Sunday morning

Don’t we all wish it could be so easy?


Find more videos like this on My Single Parent Diary

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By christina -- 2 comments

May 3rd, 2008

Are you ready to tighten your belt, single mother?

The front page of last Sunday’s Washington Post was alarming: The New Economics of Hunger. Suddenly, everyone is declaring, hunger is coming. I’m worried about single mothers. I’m worried about all of those folks out there who are just getting by. Higher food prices are going to push to many of us over the edge. Too many people are going to fall through the cracks. There is no margin for error.

Unfortunately, when I start to panic about money, I buy food. I overstock the pantry, the fridge, the freezer. Inevitably, half of it goes bad before I can use it. Knowing bad habits is the first step to changing them.

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By christina -- 3 comments

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