The silent battles of being a single parent

I can only speak on my experiences nobody else's but just because I'm a single mother I can't see how a single father's experience would be too different. First off, I'm going to start with my definition of being a single parent, because from what I've seen there are different outlooks on it. A single parent in my opinion is a woman or man with a child or children with a man or woman that is inactive or doesn't do their part in providing not just financially but in more ways than one. Being a single person with children and an active parent for your kids doesn't make you a single parent. But also, being in a relationship or married doesn't mean you are NOT a single parent either. Stay with me here on this one-----Sometimes you can have two parents in the home together and ONLY the mother or ONLY the father is actually providing financially and providing care for the child or children. Now let's dig into the purpose of this post. I feel like because the fact us single parents have to do so much on our own it builds a certain type of strength, hustle, resilience, and independent mindset. Which can be a good thing to be able to handle our lifestyles but the outside perception to some makes others think we don't break, or we are able to handle not just our burdens but the burdens of others too. People come to us for help, advice, guidance, venting etc. Which is fine I love being there for my loved ones but sometimes it's overwhelming because our daily life responsibilities that are sometimes more than others. But within this it has created a judgement for those that go through battles to close themselves down especially as parents. We know that we created them but that doesn't mean that it is all just a walk in the park or the sacrifices are easy to handle mentally, emotionally, and physically sometimes. The endless hours of working full time sometimes multiple jobs even if it's part time or per diem to properly provide, then come home and tend to the house, children, parenting tasks. Passing up on opportunities or education to better yourself because it doesn't work with your kids' schedules. The running around for sports and other extra-curricular activities. I'm not complaining my kids deserve the world, but the point is between working 8 hours and constant ripping and running, by the time the kids are settled in as a parent you might have a couple hours to yourself if that. Kids are a blessing and personally if it wasn't for my kids at one point in my life, I probably wouldn't be here writing this post. The world tends to make people feel ashamed for feeling burnt out, depleted, or even for isolating from being overstimulated. The unintentional lack of self-care for ourselves from having to put kids, work, maintaining a life for our children showing up for them in all different roles can be draining. But if you don't do it nobody else will not just because they are our responsibility but because we don't have that support from the other parent to help balance the load. As hard as it is we need to find that time to sit with ourselves, reset, do things for ourselves to make us feel good, focus on our mental health in the way that works for us individually, and even though it's hard sometimes but our physical health too (one of my main struggles). None of this is easy even if we make it look that way in reality this is just some of the struggles, I can sit here all day this is just the surface it gets much deeper. But one thing is for certain no matter how hard it gets that smile on my kids' faces, seeing them enjoying life, and growing into their own person makes everything completely worth it and I wouldn't change it for anything in this world regardless of how hard or stressful this journey gets!