Single Mom Struggles: Facing the Dreaded Father/Daughter Dance As a Divorced Mom by Jessica Lawrence

Recently a friend of mine, along with her husband, decided to hold a father/daughter dance. I remember seeing pictures of things like this years ago, before I had my daughter, and couldn’t wait for the time to come when she could participate. Things are different now, of course. I’m a single mom in a small town. Her father lives two and a half hours away, and it was a weeknight.

My friend (the host) encouraged me to bring her myself. Other moms would be there, she said. But I couldn’t bring myself to do that. Shame? Maybe. Tonight, I looked at pictures of kids dressed up, happily dancing with their fathers. It looks just as adorable as it did before I had my own daughter. But the idea of attending a dance filled with husbands, dressed in shirts and ties, made me feel sad. 

I’m the only single mom (that I know) who doesn’t have a partner to do these things with. Nor do I want to be a focal point in a room filled with little girls who might be friends with my daughter.

Maybe next year I’ll have the strength to go and not worry what others might think. 

What struggles have you faced as a single parent?