For a long time, I wanted to meet the man of my life and have children with him. Like everyone else you know, we grew up watching Disney movies and seeing the famous "American Dream" on TV and in books. The more my adult life progressed, the more I realized that this goal might not be for me. We agree, real life is not nearly as simple as the movies and admittedly today's relationships are pretty complicated, thank you.
The more time went by, the more unsatisfying and unsustainable relationships I had, and the more I realized that I liked the person I was when I was single so much better! It's special, I know, but when I'm in a relationship, I'm more stressed, partly because I have a hard time trusting the other person. When I'm single, I'm more zen. I give the best of myself to the people around me. I'm also super picky when it comes to choosing a partner. We agree that when you get older and think about the family you want to create, you realize that you can't do that with just anyone… A child binds you for life!
Breaking Free from Conventional Family Norms
So I was a bit of a perpetual bachelor, and by the time I was 31, I had no complaints. I was self-sufficient and quite happy that way. Except for one thing: I really wanted to be a mother and had always wanted to be a mother. When you've been brainwashed by the American Dream when you're young, the first reflex is to think that you need a father to make that happen. A father and a mother. But when you begin to think about it, you think about things like gay couples, blended families, or single mothers abandoned by the biological father. In short, you start to realize that there are so many different models of families out there. Even my own parents split up when I was young, and each of them met someone else after they had had their children.
That's when I started talking to people about my potential project. To my surprise, several people told me that they knew a woman in their circle who had a child on her own. Word-of-mouth led me to a Facebook group for single mothers, and I realized this project is more common than we think. More importantly, I discovered that it was possible and within reach.
Embracing Single Motherhood
After several tests and concerns about my fertility, I got inseminated on November 22, thinking I had little chance of it working on the first try. Well, I like to think that I was really in the right place at the right time and that being a single mother was my destiny because it worked! I was pregnant!
I gave birth to my little Raphaëlle on August 17th and it's the best thing I've ever done in my life. Yes, being a single parent has its fair share of challenges, I am aware of that, but the key is to be surrounded by help. I have such a supportive circle of people around me who do my cleaning, bring me meals, and try to give me a break from time to time. It's precious, and I think anyone who's going to go into single parenthood needs to make sure they have the support of those they love. That, and finding little tricks to make everyday life easier, like any accessory that simplifies life!
How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
Furthermore, I am receptive to anything that can ease my workload, which is why I plan to use the Petit Coulou winter cover I received. Not having to dress my baby before I leave may seem trivial, but it will save me a lot of time and stress. In my opinion, that's the key: the little things that make life easier on a day-to-day basis!
I would do it all the same way if I had to do it all over again. Being a mom has been the most wonderful thing that has ever happened in my life! So if you can recognize yourself in this text, I would encourage you to go for it and follow your dream of having a family, no matter how unconventional it might be!
Best of luck to you all,
