Dear Single Mother,

Stay strong. You have to stay strong; I know it gets tough trying to raise your kids on your own, trying to work to provide and have enough time to be home so your kids don’t feel alone-- be strong.

Trying to survive off of that one income, working overtime and then some, be strong. You see you have one of the hardest tasks ever. You have to alone raise your kids to be better than they saw, be strong.

You have to play a double role, trying to show your son how to be a man so that when he has his own, he doesn’t leave home and not return. Be strong. You do what you can to make sure that he learns that when he has a family, it is his responsibility to handle his responsibility so that they all can live happily. And that in order to live happily, he can’t just be a baby daddy; he has to be a father. Be strong. You make him take out the trash and shovel the snow, occasionally you go upside his head to let him know who is running the show and that just because you are not a man doesn’t mean that you will sit back and watch him become anything less than a great man. Be strong.

You have your daughter and you know that one day she will meet a man, so you educate her in hopes that when it is her turn she will pick better. Be strong. You sacrifice for your kids and often times you don’t get the recognition or appreciation that you deserve. You wish you could meet new guys and date, but you have to be mindful of your kids because they are watching and their futures are at stake. Be strong.

Sacrifice, sacrifice, give, give, give, that is all you do, while very few do for you. Be strong.

I say be strong, but in reality you are already strong. You are a mother and a father and you don’t have to be. You could easily give up and walk away, but the love you have for your children won’t let you. YOU ARE STRONG. So, Single Mother, thank you for all that you do and will do and understand that there are individuals out there who do appreciate you. Stay strong.

The amount of single mothers in the world does not make any sense. Fathers are needed-- a family isn’t complete without a father around; without the father the balance is off, which can lead to the kids being off. The single mother trend needs to end. So again, shout out to all the single mothers but also to all the men being the father figures their kids need and deserve.