"I've been a single mom for just over five years. My daughter's dad and I separated when she was six months old, and since then, I've dedicated my life completely to her. I haven't dated, traveled, or done pretty much anything "for me." Despite having joint custody, our daughter refused to sleep over at her dad's place, and they only saw each other once a week, during the day."
"She would occasionally spend the night at my mom's, which was good because it gave me some free time just for myself. However, that time would often be constrained to chores, some body maintenance such as waxing, pedicures, hair and face masks, and occasional meetups with my girlfriends. Before becoming a mom, I was an avid traveler, having visited over 20 countries across three continents. Traveling was one of the things I missed the most from my pre-parenting life."
"Then something horrible happened. Just two weeks before my trip, my mom fell off a bike and broke her ribs when she was vacationing with my sister. She wasn't even able to travel back home. My whole world was crushed because I thought I had to give up on my long-awaited trip. After some contemplation, I decided it was time to do something I hadn't done in years"
She separated from her child's father when their daughter was six months old and has been the primary caregiver for over five years. The daughter resisted sleeping over at her father's home despite joint custody, limiting visits to daytime weekly meetings. Occasional overnight stays with the grandmother provided the mother brief personal time, usually spent on chores and self-care. The mother had been an avid traveler before parenthood and missed travel deeply. She planned a three-day trip to Milan with a friend and booked months ahead. Two weeks before departure, her mother broke ribs in a cycling accident and could not return home. The mother nonetheless resolved to do something she had not done in years.
Read at Business Insider
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