Single motherhood is not the end of the world, but it ain't easy either

There is unemployment then there is unemployment as a single mother. The latter can not only make one go crazy, it could even be fatal if not addressed on time and in an understanding manner. The fact that most men in this generation do not want to commit to marriage is no longer news to any of us. A big percentage just wants to have children and leave it at that. Some are good enough to help in the child’s upbringing while some are mean enough to even go ahead and deny responsibility of the pregnancy from the word go.

As a mother or a mother to be, the last thing a woman needs is a derailing man in her life, especially when there are other unrelated struggles like employment glaring at her. Raising a child requires a lot of input one being financial input. Children unfortunately are not like adults who can make sane decisions and understand certain desperate situations. A child will desperately seek attention of the mother whenever they are in need of anything. Their mode of communication is more or less what makes most women break when the going gets tough. For instance, you can imagine a starving infant wailing before the mother wanting something to eat yet the mother herself has had nothing to eat for days. Every woman’s dream is to be at their children’s service anytime. When you are not in a position to provide even the basic needs for your child, chances are you will break emotionally and this is a recipe for disaster.

Employment comes in handy to all single mothers giving them a shoulder to lean on when things go south. The mother is in a position to plan for her earnings ensuring the baby’s needs are first catered for before any other thing. Have you ever come across single mothers who have totally forgotten about themselves giving all their attention to their children? Sometimes it’s not always their wish that things take this turn, the world pushes them to the edge and they are left with no choice.

I have seen single unemployed mothers going into depression all because they feel like they have failed their children. Unemployment alone is enough to break any fellow, add children to the equation and all hell breaks loose. The rate of single motherhood and unemployment is the reason women have even ventured into professions that were once meant for the men. Some of these professions are blue collar jobs that require serious human labour in very tough conditions. Unfortunately enough, some single mothers end up in these professions tagging their children along since they are not able to finance nannies to look after them back at home.

This endangers not only the children but their mothers too since most of them are never trained in these professions. They venture into them because there is nothing else left for them to lean on. As we approach the month of June when Father’s Day is celebrated, my greatest wish is that all fathers understand and act the responsibilities that come with the title ‘Father’. You do not have to be in good terms with your baby mama to support your children. Yes, some women are blessed enough to be able to take the bull by its horns since they have a source of living. Learn to chip in whenever you can and whenever there is need and say yes to these innocent children. Their future is in our hands.