It’s Okay To Have A Day

I need to remember that its okay to have emotional days. So do you. Being a single mom is hard. Being a domestic violence survivor is hard. Being a working mom is hard. Shit, just being a woman is hard sometimes.

I try to be strong for everyone-all of you across the world who read this, my friends who are going through things in their lives, my son and my family. I need for Beau to see that I am strong, that my family and I are all he will ever need. I feel this need to show everyone that you can come out of a domestic violence relationship on top. That by being completely broken by someone can make you stronger than you were before. I answer every email, every comment on social media, every text trying to help everyone. It can get really exhausting and I hate looking weak.

Somedays I miss the good in the relationship I had with R. Now, before we all jump to conclusions and think that I would ever go back to him ,the answer is HELL NO. This is a completely normal emotion after leaving a DV relationship. You miss the happy times. Now, in the same breath, today I hate him a little more than usual. I hate that my child has to see other dads in their child’s life and him feel different. I hate that I am going to have to make up some cover story to answer the “Why?” questions Beau will have pertaining to the absence of a dad because I can’t tell him the real monster his sperm donor was. I hate that I feel awkward in situations around married couples with children. I hate that Beau gets asked if his dad cuts his hair or if is dad taught him to do things. I hate that I am always wondering if someone is believing the lies R told about what happened. I hate that I put this pressure on myself to be tough like a father yet soft and gentle like a mom should be. I hate that I get looked at weird at a park for being a single mom when asked where his dad is. I can’t exactly explain over 2 years worth of abuse to a stranger, nor do I want their pity.

At the food store a few weeks ago Beau had his treat of choice for behaving well at the store. While I loaded up the bags in the car he saw a family next to us. He asked “Mom whats that name?” He is three years old so I told him “Its a mommy, a daddy, a little girl and a little puppy.” He responded with ” I want one!” I said “The puppy?” He answered with “No, a daddy mommy, can I get one?” Total stab right in my heart. If you have been following my blog since the beginning you would know that I fought with R to get his parental rights taken away. I fought for over a year and eventually I won. The judge said he had never granted that in his career but he knew it was the right choice for my child. While I am so happy and thankful that R isn’t in our lives, times like that make me really hate him and hurt. My child is the friggen best. I know every parent says that but he really is and the fact that he feels like he is missing something at three years old makes me really want to punch R right in the mouth. Beau shouldn’t have to suffer because of the piece of garbage his “father” is.

Going back to work full time I know that I am going to miss out on a lot of stuff in Beau’s life. Maybe its me feeling the “working mom guilt” but I hate it. I have an amazing family that I know will fill in the gaps when I can’t be there for Beau, but it just drives me nuts that R gets to live his life god knows where, never getting any jail time, not having ever paid a dime for Beau. Let me tell you, I will be the mom that puts on fake facial hair, wearing a baggy t shirt and backwards baseball cap when it comes time for Beau to have his breakfast with dad at school so that he doesn’t feel any different.

As woman we need to realize that it is okay to have a day. Being a single mom I have to worry about my child’s future. While my friends are traveling and getting married, I am having to accept the fact that my life plan is different. I have to worry about preschool, hitting developmental milestones, and saving for college. As moms we compare ourselves to each other all the time,even if we don’t realize it. There are moms whose bodies snap right back after having their child, there are working moms, organic moms, helicopter moms, a million kinds of moms and we all think the other mom is better. We need to stop comparing ourselves to other moms because in our children’s eyes we are the biggest rock stars.

Today was a rough day for me, but its okay to have a day.