Single Parenthood

I’ve watched a lot of my single friends raise their children. It looked incredibly difficult, but they managed. And the kids are fine. Some aren’t, but most are just fine.

I don’t think being raised by single parents automatically screws people up. I think growing up in dysfunctional families, whether your parents are married or not, is what screws people up.

I made a deliberate choice not to be a single parent. I didn’t think it would be right for me and I didn’t think it would be best for my child. But really, it just looked too damn hard. And I had a bang-up career that I loved. I wondered how the single moms did it, it just looked too damn hard.

I was diagnosed with Bipolar I when I was in my 30s. Bipolar is a genetic disease. Not every child inherits the disorder, but some do. That wouldn’t have stopped me, necessarily, from having biological children, but in retrospect, I’m glad I didn’t.

Only you can decide what is best for you and your children. Trust your gut.

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An excerpt from my book How To Do Single With Dignity and Grace.