A single mother has been praised online for sharing the reality of being the only parent responsible for her two children, and she spoke to Newsweek about her struggles.
Carly Harris, 36, candidly listed the most difficult aspects of being a single mother on Instagram, giving viewers a raw glimpse into the challenges of raising a child alone.
Harris said opening up about her struggles is not only cathartic, but also extremely helpful to other single mothers who may feel isolated by the experience.
Screenshot from Carly Harris’ reel about being a single parent. She talks about challenges, such as having to adapt to work when one of her children became ill. Screenshot from Carly Harris’ reel about being a single parent. She talks about challenges, such as having to adapt to work when one of her children became ill. @iamthefitmummy
“Validating your emotions and knowing that others are experiencing them can be very helpful during difficult times,” she said.
One of the most difficult aspects mentioned by Harris was the constant mental strain of raising a child alone, especially in moments of stress.
“If you’re sleep-deprived and want to calm down, you can be as harsh or unkind to your parents as you like. Sometimes you may need to talk to someone to help you control your emotions. But we don’t have that.”
Harris, who lives in the UK and goes by @iamthefitmummy on Instagram, also revealed that it’s not uncommon to feel lonely as a single mum. She admits how lonely the role can feel when constantly surrounded by the demands of motherhood.
“It’s hard to juggle the hectic pace of motherhood, and something might have happened, like a tantrum or your child climbing on top of you, so you might find yourself texting back in a group chat or making friends with friends. “Sometimes I abandon my duties as a mother, such as replying to messages from my parents. And without realizing it, I forget,” she said.
The 36-year-old said if you have any friends or family members who are new mothers, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
“Reach out to friends who are single moms. Their nights are often spent alone while their kids are in bed and they go about their mundane routines of cleaning and working. That’s the only time I have to do everything,” Harris said.
Harris’ Instagram Reel has been viewed more than 860,000 times on the platform, and received hundreds of comments from fellow single moms who appreciate the burden they have to carry.
“It doesn’t get easier, it just gets stronger. It’s like fitness training. I’ve been with my 7 year old son for 6 and a half years now. You’ll find your rhythm,” one user commented. Another user wrote: , “All single moms are doing a really great job. It’s a really hard job. You’re amazing.”
