My husband travels quite a bit. He’s gone for much of the winter, which can be trying when it comes to trivial things like snow removal, frozen water in the barn and of course, hugs.
It is especially difficult because we have a young son, with another child on the way. As many parents know, our little ones grow up so quickly. While my husband is only gone for short spurts of time, it is difficult for him to see how much our child grows up during these times of absence. These days, having to travel for work is a common thing, especially for those of us who reside in the country. It is a fact of life, and it is something that I accept about our family, because it is for the best. I must admit how hard it is to raise a little one on my own, especially during those late nights of teething, colds and those days that just don’t go the way that you had hoped. It is exhausting in ways that would never occur to you before you became a parent, from preparing breakfast every morning, to waiting patiently for your son to figure out how to put his boots on (at this particular point in our lives, our son is very determined to put his outdoor things on by himself, which can take anywhere from two minutes to three-quarters of an hour).
This brings me to a very important point. While my son and I are often missing an essential part of our family, it is only ever a temporary circumstance. My husband and I are still a unit, and we are together, albeit over the phone. We make decisions as one, and support each another in the enormous responsibility of raising a miniature human. I am, thank goodness, part of a team—which is something that I appreciate. I am able to work from home, with family close by to help if hubby has to be away. That being said, I can’t imagine being a single parent. To me, this is a task that is equivalent to that of a superhero. More so, even. To have to rough those sick days alone, to have to work full-time to support your child without help, is an incredibly admirable feat. Not to mention those days when needing another set of hands just isn’t an option, in those moments when your attention is so absolutely torn between what you want to do and what you need to do. So I tip my hat to the single parents of the world. Regardless of what anyone might say, raising a child is the most difficult task that most will ever face, and with it comes a heavy responsibility—being brave enough to go it alone deserves a particular sort of applause every single day of the week.
