National Single Parent Day is March 21, 2020. Surprisingly, I just learned about this nationally recognized day established in 1984! Why is this significant? Because I was a single parent for eight years and never knew the day existed. So, I thought to myself, what a wonderful opportunity to bring single parents into the spotlight and raise awareness of this day.
National Day for Single Parents
Before I go into that, I keep asking myself, is this day really legitimate? Read more how this came to be a national day.
Mark the date…
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Awareness of National Single Parent Day
Now that we have established that it is a national day, March 21st, I am still somewhat baffled though. Why didn’t I know about this during my eight years as a single parent? So, I thought it would be helpful to consider some possibilities as to why.
Single Parent Lifestyle
One, I don’t recall reading or listening to the daily news. Simply no time. I relied on others to fill me in. You know, important stuff, like do I need to evacuate? If others asked me what I thought about a worldly event, I would just nod my head and say, “Tell me more.”
Two, consider this scenario. I was hanging precariously on to a ledge, holding on very tight. Every once in a while, I tried to claw my way up to make a little progress. But, as always, it was moving one claw forward and sliding five claws back. As much as I wanted to curl up in a fetal position, my claws held on to that ledge.
Three, chaos. I was told by a professional, “You need to learn how to live in the chaos. What that means is don’t fold laundry, just climb over the piles.” That was a crazy concept for my ears. I was a Type A personality, high-energy, a “To-Do List” gal. Certainly, I could tackle the laundry!
Oh, when it comes down to it, I think it does make sense why I didn’t know about this national day. I never saw the stores decorated in bright colors! No one came up to me and greeted me with, “Happy National Single Parent Day!” As I write this, I am smiling and laughing about my own situation. If one had a day designated for them, then why don’t they know about it? I know, I know, I am making too much out of this. But, I think this needs to be considered so that all current single parents will be recognized.
In the end, does it surprise me I never knew about the national day? Absolutely not. Given everything single parents are up against, not knowing about their “own day” is pretty symbolic of the single parent life.
With a smiling heart,
Photography Credits
Photo by STIL on Unsplash - White organizer and reading glasses
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash - Pink and lavender flowers
2 Comments
I’ve never heard of National Single Parent Day either! Thanks for bringing it to our attention, and let’s acknowledge all single parents who work so hard and sacrifice to make a good life for their children in trying times. They certainly deserve recognition.
March 21st!
Love your comment! Pass the news on to bring awareness.