The Single Parent May Be Single Once Again

7th July 2016
The Single Parent is Single Again
Are you surprised? I doubt it, this is me after all; Queen
of car-crash relationships.

Jokes and sarcasm aside, I’m heartbroken. I’m embarrassed
and I’m very, very low.
We haven’t broken up because we don’t care about each other
or because one of us has done something to break the trust. 
We have broken up
because he doesn’t want to have children with me.
It hurts to the point of tears blurring my eyes when I type
those words. 
He doesn’t want to share a family with me, the one thing that I
feel defines the strength and love of a relationship.
He’s a lot older than me so most people would laugh and say ‘surely
you knew this from the start?’ but no. I had those concerns and was open with
him before we got together. He said he wanted two more children and even when I
questioned his age and energy levels to do that he was adamant he was as fit
and healthy as anyone in their forties, which I believed.
But nearly seven months down the line when I’m in love and
looking at spending the rest of my life with him, he decides to drop the bombshell
that he definitely wants no more children.
Since I ended things with Chunk’s father four years ago I
haven’t had a serious relationship with anyone, because I’ve been far too
scared to get hurt again. That man destroyed me. The man I thought I would be
with forever broke my heart so many times to the point it died.

I’ve avoided relationships for four years because the
thought of going through that pain again whilst attempting to be a functioning
parent was not a risk I was willing to take.
Until this Bloke came along and changed that. He made me
feel safe and initially made me feel loved and like he would be there forever.
I started to take my defences down and allowed myself to love him and let him in.
I told him so many deep, personal things which very few
people in the world know, because I thought he would never leave.
Sure we are not perfect, but who is when they are still
getting to know each other and working out ways to rub along together? That stuff
takes years and I was willing to go through that because I thought we cared
enough for each other to never give up.
We’ve not been getting on great lately, but that’s been a
mixture of him not knowing if he wanted children, me worrying about him
possibly not wanting children, his workload and financial problems as well as
my mental health. We have had a lot to deal with in such a short space of time,
and where many new couples would have been torn apart by these things, we got
stronger.
So I’m devastated, because I’ve lost something that could
have been forever.
My son has lost a great male role model, who he has grown to
love.
I don’t know if I do want another child some days, because I
feel like I fail as a mum quite often, but I’ve known so many adults who
were only-children and I haven’t liked a lot of the traits they have. I don’t
want my son to be like that. 
I want him to have someone he can go to for
support when his father and I are no longer on this earth. I want him to share
this world with someone who is also a part of me.
I want him to have someone to bicker with and play with. I don’t
want him to be alone.
Sure I hate the idea of going through another pregnancy and
having a baby because babies are quite hard work. Toddlers are hard work. And I’m
broke and now at a point where I enjoy having six hours sleep a night without
being disturbed.
The Single Parent is Single Again

But I look at other men who are having babies, men that are
older than Bloke, and I see how much they love their family lives and it hurts. Why can’t he
want that with me?

Why can’t he believe in our ability to get through those
tough early stages and get through them happily?
Why can’t he believe that we are strong enough to do it but
also enjoy it?
Why doesn’t he have faith in me, or us?
Part of me is thinking I shouldn’t have ended it because of
a child I may never even get to have, because I find it so hard to meet men anyway,
especially men who I trust and who are strong enough to deal with my baggage. I
may never get the child I want anyway, so why lose the guy too?
I get angry because if I were to get pregnant by accident he
has said he would be overjoyed. Why can’t you be overjoyed if we planned it a
year down the line too?
I’m so confused, hurt and angry.
I hate myself for believing him when I first met him. 
I hate
myself for believing in him and us.
I hate myself for letting my guard down and allowing myself
to love another man who has left.
They all leave.

This has just reinforced why I don’t trust men.
It’s so hard not to take it personally, not to think that he
just doesn’t love me enough to want that with me. 
He’s only the second man in
my life that I’ve ever wanted a baby with which shows just how much he means to
me- I don’t do things like this lightly at all.
What am I going to tell my son? He’s already asking where
Bloke is as we’ve not seen him for a few days.
How do I get through this? How do I get up each day and try
to pretend I’m happy when Chunk is around? 
Today is the first day it’s sunk in
that I’m alone and that my dream of completing my family may never happen and
to be honest I am struggling to pretend in front of Chunk.
I’m a mess yet again and I’ve had enough.
Yes I’m feeling sorry for myself and yes I know that’s not
attractive or necessary, but more than that I feel angry with myself, I feel
ashamed and I feel disgusted that I have allowed myself to be rejected and hurt
yet again.
I never learn.
I’ve lost another best friend and I’m surrounded by
reminders of what I’ve lost. I pass the same café everyday where we first met.
I have photos that have arrived from our first, and only, holiday together. His
slippers are still in the hall.
Now it’s so unlikely I will meet another man and have a
child whilst Chunk is still young enough to not have a huge age gap. I’ve
fucked up for my son as well as for me.
It would be so much easier if it had ended because I no
longer loved him. I’ve had to let go of someone because they didn’t want the
same future as me and that hurts so much more.
I’m trying very hard not to think about how easy he will
move on as this is a guy who isn’t single for long. If he does, I guess it
shows he didn’t feel the way I thought he did after all.
Apologies for such a negative, depressing post, but I like
to write about real life, the highs and the lows, and I just cannot pretend to
be something I’m not.

Any advice on how to deal with this situation would be
gratefully received. 
The Single Parent is Single Again

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4 Comments

  • Claire

    7th July 2016 at 10:06 am

    If for any reason it doesnt allow you to comment on here, you can use the contact me box at the top of the page 🙂

  • Unknown

    8th July 2016 at 6:06 am

    oh Claire I'm so sad for you. Reading this was like I'd written it myself 9 months ago. It's so so shit but you will get through it. the times people said that to me last year and I was adamant I'd feel broken forever. it does leave a huge scar but focus on Noah and you. Make yourself happy and comfortable in the life you have. We are all steered to aim for the mother and father and 2.5 kids as the standard goal in life but it is just another fairy tale. Love yourself, love your boy and love your life. No need to add man to that. Keep going Claire, you can survive this. Michelle @mish_shell xxxx

  • Martyn Kitney

    8th July 2016 at 6:24 am

    Oh my dear. I'm so sorry! Just reading this is heart breaking! You are an amazing woman and I've been in awe of you for a long time. You deserve happiness that you want and to go this king just to have it change and leave you feeling broken again is horrible.

    I get this though. Maybe it's a single parent things. We want that person to be there, to be that other person for our children, to let them see us happy and to make them happy in return. Some "normal" functionin relationship, one to be our partner in crime, vest friend and to complete our little parenting duo. But to have this turn is heart breaking.

    I had nearly exact his last year. First time in 3 years that I let anyone in. Trusted that person and it turned and changed. And the worst part is that it seemed so good; somr how I could cope if it was wrong, if we didn't get on or was a bad coupling. How are we meant to trust again?

    It's definitely tough bit I haven't lost hope. I still believe that there is someone out there for us all to have that "perfect" relationship and I hope to find and have that one day. We all can't be left broken and alone.

    In the meantime try and stay string and if you need a chat then message me. I will always be around…..even if it's just to listen 🙂 xxx

  • Michelle

    17th July 2016 at 3:06 pm

    I don't know if I can give any sound advice as I've been single for almost 4 years and have no plans to be with anyone anytime soon. A year after my marriage broke, I found myself falling for a long time childhood friend. He is someone I truly admire and respect but we had a falling out and since then haven't spoken. What I felt for him was so strong I couldn't see past it. I still have feelings for him, if I'm honest, but I have learned to live without him in my life. I'm like you and don't let very many people into my very private world. You know, those secret places that most people never get to see of us, so finding someone to be my Clyde to my Bonnie has ceased to be a priority in my life. I have decided to only focus on my kids and myself. If someone is meant to be in life, they will come. If not, they won't. Either way I will be happy. The only advice I can give is to try to occupy your mind until the pain lessens. It will eventually but until then, keep your focus on your goals. That's what helps me. That's what helped me get through the loss of not just someone I fell in love with but a friend. I still think of him from time to time but I no longer feel so broken over it anymore. It took 3 years to get over him. It's a process. I wish you the best and I hope you are able to find a way, your way, of dealing with this.

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