Let’s be honest: parenting is already a full-body, full-heart job. Add “single” in front of it, and suddenly the load doubles—while the outside recognition often shrinks.
I’ve seen this up close with friends who are raising kids on their own. I’ve also had moments—even in a two-parent household—where I’ve tasted what it’s like to feel stretched beyond capacity, juggling more than feels fair. But for single parents, that’s the everyday reality.
So today, I want to honor them. Not with pity, but with deep acknowledgment. Because the sacrifices single moms and dads make rarely get the spotlight they deserve.
Let’s get into it.
1) Putting dreams on pause
Every parent gives up a little piece of their personal freedom, but single parents often put whole chapters of their life on hold.
That advanced degree? The trip they always wanted to take? Even something as small as joining a weekly yoga class? Those become luxuries when you’re balancing childcare, work, and keeping a household afloat on your own.
It’s not that dreams disappear—they just get carefully boxed up, saved for “someday.” And sometimes that “someday” doesn’t come until the kids are fully grown.
One qualitative study of 30 employed single mothers showed that many feel forced to forego education, leisure, or social activities because of chronic time, money, and energy constraints. And yet, the quiet grace in that choice often goes unseen.
2) Carrying the weight of both roles
Here’s something that hit me once when Matt had to travel for work: bedtime fell solely on me for a week. By day three, I was drained—not just physically, but emotionally.
Now imagine never having the other set of hands to tag in. Single parents step into both roles constantly. They’re the disciplinarian and the comforter. The coach and the nurse. The breadwinner and the bedtime storyteller.
It’s an invisible juggling act most people don’t fully see. And it means every “I love you, Mom” or “Thanks, Dad” holds even more weight, because it lands on one set of shoulders carrying it all.
3) Living with constant financial trade-offs
Money stress is something families rarely talk about out loud—but it’s always there, humming beneath the surface. For single parents, it’s like that hum gets cranked to full volume.
Groceries versus new shoes. An overdue bill versus a birthday present. Even if they earn a solid income, there’s no safety net of a second paycheck.
One of my single mom friends once told me, “Every purchase feels like a math problem where love is the variable.” Do I skip this field trip so we can afford healthy food this week? Do I say no to soccer lessons so the electricity doesn’t get shut off?
It’s not about materialism—it’s about the constant sacrifices that nobody else sees, hidden behind a brave smile at the checkout counter.
4) Having little to no margin for rest
Let’s face it: rest is already hard to come by when you’ve got little ones. But when you’re parenting solo, you don’t get to say, “Can you watch them for an hour while I nap?”
That luxury simply doesn’t exist. Illness, exhaustion, even something as simple as a headache—single parents power through it all. Because if they don’t, who will?
In fact, a study comparing parents found that single parents tend to report higher levels of parental burnout compared to partnered ones. Yet somehow, they still show up, packing lunches, reading bedtime stories, making sure the world feels safe for their kids.
That kind of stamina is both heroic and heartbreaking.
5) Navigating loneliness in the quiet moments
Here’s something we don’t often acknowledge: parenting is lonely sometimes. And for single parents, that loneliness runs deeper.
When the kids are finally asleep, there’s no partner to swap stories with about the day. No one to laugh with over the funny thing their toddler said. No shoulder to lean on when everything feels heavy.
Yes, friends and extended family can help fill the gaps. But the day-to-day intimacy—the shared load of building a family—that’s something many single parents quietly grieve.
I remember a friend telling me, “The hardest part isn’t the tantrums or the bills—it’s the silence once the house is finally still.” That’s a sacrifice almost no one thinks about, but it takes a toll.
6) Facing judgment they don’t deserve
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: single parents are often judged more harshly than anyone else.
From strangers assuming their child is “missing out” to coworkers who mutter about flexible hours, the world has a way of piling on unnecessary criticism.
What’s worse? Single parents often internalize that judgment, carrying guilt that doesn’t belong to them.
In truth, most kids of single parents grow up deeply resilient, empathetic, and strong. But the parent sacrifices peace of mind along the way—fending off both subtle and not-so-subtle critiques.
7) Always putting their kids’ needs first—even at the cost of their own
This one might sound obvious, but it’s worth naming: single parents give up pieces of themselves every day so their kids can thrive.
They eat the leftovers so the kids can have a full plate. They skip new clothes so their child doesn’t feel left out at school. They go without downtime, without hobbies, without little indulgences—because their children come first, always.
And while many parents do this, single parents do it without a partner whispering “thank you” in their ear at the end of the day. Without someone reminding them that their sacrifices matter.
Final thoughts
Single parents rarely get the applause they deserve. But if you’ve ever watched one in action, you know: their love runs bone-deep.
They are the bedtime readers when they’re bone-tired, the breadwinners when the budget doesn’t add up, the shoulder their kids cry on when there’s no one else around. They hold it all.
So maybe the next time you meet a single parent, you’ll pause. You’ll see the invisible sacrifices. And you’ll let them know—not with pity, but with genuine respect—that the work they’re doing is nothing short of extraordinary.
Because the truth is, their kids will likely grow up strong, capable, and deeply loved. But that strength doesn’t just come out of nowhere—it’s carved out of the daily sacrifices that single parents make, often quietly, and without enough appreciation.
And that, to me, is worth honoring out loud.
