Single Motherhood

Why are single mothers still portrayed as one-dimensional, hot messes? Why are we constantly told that children of single parents will be damaged for life? In this myth-busting manifesto, Sarah Thompson shares her own experience of single motherhood, along with contributions from leading child psychologists, to examine the positive impacts that being raised by a single parent can have on a child. She shares practical tips for dealing with the many financial challenges that single mothers face, and advice on how to navigate work when you’re parenting solo.

Divorce has devastating effects on children. Yet for divorcing parents who carefully consider and manage the intricacies associated with this difficult time, both parents, as seen from the child’s perspective, can remain as loving and supportive as they ever were. Parenting through Divorce concisely lays out the specific emotions and reactions parents need to anticipate from their children while going through separation, divorce, and its after-math.

You might be wounded by the broken promises of your child's father. But God offers a greater promise to you and your family. Roland Warren, himself the child of a single mother, invites single moms on a journey not only to heal their hearts but also to parent their boys to become healthy men, good husbands, and strong fathers. He offers guidance and wisdom to moms who want to raise sons who will make and keep their commitments.

Louise Pentland has been through a lot. From a traumatic birth with her first daughter, to single motherhood, to finding love again and having a second child, Louise's parenting journey has been full of surprises. Discussing the realities most working mums face, plus the impact of maternal mental health, Louise is on a mission to make other mums feel less alone and very much heard. She beautifully reveals her own imperfect but perfect route to motherhood, as well as the loss of her mum so early in her life, how it shaped her and the mother she became.

There are so many issues surrounding starting school that parents struggle with: selecting the best school for their child (and knowing the right things to look for and questions to ask), preparing their child emotionally and practically for starting, knowing what must-haves to buy (and what not to buy!), navigating school settling-in procedures, coping with behaviour regressions at home, friendship issues, anxiety, tricky behaviour at school, school refusal and homework. This audiobook will address these.

When Emma Johnson's marriage ended, she found herself broke, pregnant, and alone with a toddler. Searching for the advice she needed to navigate her new life as a single professional woman and parent, she discovered there was very little sage wisdom available. In response, Johnson launched the popular blog Wealthysinglemommy.com to speak to other women who, like herself, wanted to not just survive but thrive as single moms.

Liv's Alone is an honest and hopeful memoir that captures the joy and the challenge that is parenting alone by choice. From smashing the fairy tale story that we're fed from a young age and grieving the life you thought you were going to have, to buying sperm from Denmark and bringing a baby into the world, Liv guides listeners through the highs and lows with warmth, humour and understanding.

Fourteen years ago, Mike Milligan learned he would become a grandfather for the first time. He was surprised to find that there was little or no information available on what it means to be a grandfather, how to make the most of the experience, and how to be the best grandfather possible. Sure, there were shelves of books dedicated to grandmothers - all with cuddly covers depicting spring bouquets or gentle little lambs. But there was not a single book that spoke to him, a 64-year-old grandfather-to-be. It struck him that there were countless other grandfathers out there experiencing this same feeling of neglect.

When Amy Nickell left university, she managed to nab herself a real -life paid job as a celebrity reporter in London town. She literally got paid to ask Robert Downey Jr out for Nando's while living with her gay best friend, their Harry Styles cardboard cutout and their pet toad, Snoop Frog, and drank prosecco way before it was in fashion. Things were good, they were fun, they definitely weren't serious. However, that life took a very grown-up, very serious detour when Amy found herself expecting the unexpected and pregnant age 24.

When her daughter was born with cystic fibrosis, Kate Micklethwaite vowed that Daisy would never be defined by the illness. When Daisy starts school, Kate meets her new teacher, the kind and charming Mr Spencer Swanson. Now, with more time on her hands, Kate can start thinking about her own future. With her Open University dissertation deadline looming, Kate needs to decide what she wants next. But as she and Spencer get to know each other, Kate notices that people are whispering behind her back once more.

Young minds are full of all the excitement of the day, and they are not old enough yet to understand why they feel the way they do. While we associate going to bed and sleeping with rest and relaxation, children can sometimes become stressed and anxious as they are parted from their parents and siblings and worry about being left alone. Mary Fern’s Monster Under My Bed books have been carefully designed to help anxious children find restful sleep and to part with their fears.

George Glass, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist, has designed an audiobook to help parents understand the challenges of beginning new lives with blended families, and to help their children make the necessary adjustments. He explains how to approach unavoidable dilemmas when they occur and offers invaluable lessons about the link between divorce and issues of self-esteem, depression, substance abuse, and relationship failures that often result from the breakup of a family.

Alexandra Collier was a writer living in a light-filled Brooklyn brownstone in New York with the man she loved. But when she woke up to a ravenous hunger to have a baby that her partner didn't share, she had to make a choice between love or a future family. From defying her family's expectations to searching for sperm and navigating pregnancy alone, Ally deftly takes us through the ecstatic, complicated and demanding path to becoming a solo mother by choice.

What does it mean to be a good parent? Are you a good parent when your child is compliant, but a bad parent when they're not? What if they're perfect at age three and challenging at 13? And what if your child has additional needs? This is an audiobook about parenting styles and what it takes to be a great parent. We know about tiger parents, helicopter parents, free-range parents, but have you heard of Tesla parents, leaf-blower parents and iPhone 6 parents? We can parent in so many ways, but is there a style that actually works?

Eating is an innate skill that has been overcomplicated by marketing schemes and a dieting culture. It’s time to leave the dieting culture behind for the whole family. It starts with the baby’s first bite! When babies show signs of readiness for solid foods, they can eat almost everything the family eats and become healthy, happy eaters in the process. By honoring self-regulation (also an innate skill) and focusing on a whole-food foundation, we can foster healthier children, parents, and families.

This is a collection of delightful Christmas tales designed to help children attain restful sleep. The story has been crafted to include specific sleep time suggestions, and the narration and pace of the story is designed to slow your child's rhythm down and bring them to gentle restful sleep.

If your kids aren’t learning about sex from you, what are they learning about sex, and who is teaching them? Having "the talk" with your child does not have to be a terrifying and awkward event. Armed with The Sex-Wise Parent, Dr. Janet Rosenzweig’s groundbreaking book, you may find you never have to have "the talk". Dr. Rosenzweig shows you how you can help protect your children from sexual abuse, trauma, and bullying through your everyday interaction with them.

You may feel lonely, abandoned, overwhelmed, and ill-equipped in your life as a single mother, but you are not alone on this journey. God is with you, and if you are willing, he will help you build a strong home and legacy for your family. As a former single mother, Michelle Lynn Senters understands you could use a little soul nourishment. In The Unseen Companion, she explores the 10 needs every single mother has and asks, "God, where are you in this?"

When journalist and podcaster Liadán Hynes' marriage ended, it felt like a loss: of her best friend and of the happy ending she had envisaged on their wedding day. In the months that followed, she had to adjust to a different future - as a single mum juggling work and managing a home - without someone to share the ups and downs of the everyday. Here, in this honest, poignant and beautifully written memoir, she gives an account of her experience.

What if the villain of your childhood turned out to be someone really rather extraordinary? A disgraced politician, Sir James Hastings is living out his retirement in a secluded Surrey village. He is unmoved by his centenarian mother's death - a woman he emotionally buried upon her abandonment. Raised by his father, a charismatic war-hero turned racing driver, the young James, torn between self-blame and longing, eventually dismissed her.