One of the wonderful things about being a single mom is discovering just how many jobs you can have without receiving a single additional paycheck.
I’m the cook, housekeeper, chauffeur, accountant, handyman, landscaper, personal assistant, and apparently the entire IT department.
Oh, and I have an actual full-time job, too. Just for fun.
Something breaks? I fix it.
Something needs to be scheduled? I schedule it.
Something needs to be paid? Well, that’s definitely me.
And if I don’t know how to do something, there’s always YouTube, Google, and an alarming amount of misplaced confidence.
But it’s not always the endless list of things that need to get done. Sometimes it’s the decisions.
Take this morning, for example.
I took my 10-year-old son to an orthodontist consultation. First of all, TEN. I thought we had a few more years before we started discussing thousands of dollars in orthodontic work, but apparently teeth have their own timeline.
After explaining the treatment plan, the orthodontist looked at me and said something along the lines of, “Once we go over the pricing, if you need some time to go home, talk about it, and think about it, that’s perfectly fine.”
Talk about it.
With whom, exactly?
The dog? She’s a terrible financial advisor.
There was no one to go home and discuss it with. No second opinion from another parent. No conversation about whether we could afford it, whether it was the right time, or how we wanted to approach it.
The decision was mine.
And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I know my child. I know our finances. I’m perfectly capable of making decisions about both.
But sometimes it’s a strange feeling to realize that there’s no one else at the table.
And it’s not just orthodontics.
It’s medical decisions, school decisions, financial decisions, home repairs, schedules, and approximately 47 other things before lunch.
I’m the CEO of Absolutely Everything.
And while the title sounds impressive, the benefits package could use some work.
Because here’s the thing.
Just because I CAN do it myself doesn’t mean I WANT to.
Sometimes I don’t want to make another decision. I don’t want to figure out another problem. I don’t want to be the person who has to know every answer, remember every appointment, and have a backup plan for the backup plan.
Sometimes I’d love for someone else to just handle something.
Without asking me seventeen questions first.
And preferably without making me responsible for explaining how to handle it.
There’s something empowering about knowing you can take care of yourself, your child, and your home. I’ve learned that I’m capable of far more than I ever gave myself credit for.
But being capable doesn’t make the responsibility any lighter.
And being independent doesn’t mean you never wish you had someone to share it with.
So yes, I can do it myself.
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