Single Parent Support Thread

[DIS_MERI]

Hello fellow singles

I'm Missy, single mom to 3 (DS10-E, DD8-R and DD4-I) since I got out of the Navy almost 3 years ago. We're probably 3 years out from our trip to WDW, so everything I'm learning now is bound to be out of date, but at least it give me something to plan for/dream of. I am essentially a stay-at-home Mom, although I do work very part time (4 hours a week), and we homeschool, which sucks up pretty much all my time (but gives me lots of flexibility for planning vacation dates!). It is great to see other single parents with Disney dreams And, this thread needed a bump

P.S. Amiee, I'm also from southern IN

 

[jennyf2]

We are planning for August 21-28th Wondering if anyone else will be there during that time?

 

[melmar136]

We are planning for August 21-28th Wondering if anyone else will be there during that time?

We will be! My daughter, who will be 12 then, and me! 8/21-8/25, and then 8/25 on the Dream! Can't wait!

 

[Kfyr23]

Single dad here of a 5 y/o princess. Just saying hello to all.

 

[Carrieannew]

Hi Everyone!

Just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. I am taking my daughter and son at the end of May. I have been on many trips with my daughter (she is turning 13 on our trip) but this will be my son's first trip. He will be 15 months when we go.

Many many many people think I am crazy and that I will "need" help. I know it won't be easy but being a single parent every day at home seems just second nature to be a single parent at my favorite place.

 

[nvsnot]

Hello,

I'm the single parent to a 2 year old and have been since my daughter was 10 months old. It's funny how life works...i'd been married for 5 years and after giving birth to my first and only child, all hell broke loose.

At times I feel so overwhelmed which is why my upcoming trip in June is much needed. I won't be going at it alone since my mom, 2 aunts, 3 first cousins, and 2 second cousins (fist cousin's daughters) will be accompanying me on this trip. Finances are tight, but i've set aside some of my income tax return to help pay for this trip.

Some days I feel guilty for setting aside a budgeted $2500 for Disney (flight for 2, room, summer clothes and shoes, stroller, souveniers (sp), and everything else I will possible need to make this a magical vacation), but I quickly remember the hell i've been through over the last year and snap to my senses.

Silly me, married a man with poor credit and as a result everything was put in my name and now i'm stuck paying all of the bills alone because he's already taken so much so i'm not willing to allow him to ruin my name.

Wow, getting this off my chest really felt good! Thanks for listening....

ETA: I've read many of your stories and I can't believe how many of us became divorced, single mothers with young children. At times, I feel as if i'm all alone so it's a blessing to have found this forum to realize that i'm not!!!

Blessing to you all!

 

[stephielela]

Joining in! I am a single mom to a DS who will be 3 in April. He has been to Disney 3 times, and this fall we are doing our second "Mommy and Jack only" trip. Due to my work schedule, we live with my parents, so we rarely get any one on one time. Jack's father used to be my best friend. We were not together very long and we broke up before I found out I was pregnant. There were brief talks of getting back together, but then he decided he wasn't ready to be a parent, and I would rather be a single mom than force him to be in Jack's life, financially or otherwise, so for all intensive purposes, Jack doesn't have a father. My dad and uncles and cousins are huge parts of his life though, so at least he has some male influence... I haven't tried dating yet, life has been pretty hectic, but all my friends are (strongly) encouraging me to get out there, so we will see!

 

[Carrieannew]

Joining in! I am a single mom to a DS who will be 3 in April. He has been to Disney 3 times, and this fall we are doing our second "Mommy and Jack only" trip. Due to my work schedule, we live with my parents, so we rarely get any one on one time. Jack's father used to be my best friend. We were not together very long and we broke up before I found out I was pregnant. There were brief talks of getting back together, but then he decided he wasn't ready to be a parent, and I would rather be a single mom than force him to be in Jack's life, financially or otherwise, so for all intensive purposes, Jack doesn't have a father. My dad and uncles and cousins are huge parts of his life though, so at least he has some male influence... I haven't tried dating yet, life has been pretty hectic, but all my friends are (strongly) encouraging me to get out there, so we will see!

Hi! I read your trip report. How old was your son when you took him alone?

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

Hey everyone, Ive been around for awhile but never introduced myself as a single mom

Planning an upcoming trip in June with my beautiful 4yr old, cannot wait!!!! This will be her 2nd trip but the first time that I am taking her alone!!

 

[stephielela]

Hi! I read your trip report. How old was your son when you took him alone?

Hi! He was almost 2 1/2 last September.

 

[ksloane]

Hi. I'm Kimberly. I'm the single mom to two daughters, 19 and 10. I've been on my own with my 10 year old since she was 2. The 19 year old actually isn't my biological daughter. She came to us 4 years ago.

My first trip as an adult was with my youngest when she was 5. Then all 3 of us have been 2 more times and on a Disney Cruise.

I'm currently planning a surprise trip with just my youngest again for June. My oldest is helping me plan. She chose to not go and let my youngest have a trip all about her.

My oldest is pregant so I'll soon be a single grandma as well. We're pretty excited about bringing up another Disney fan!

We are booked for 2 cruises in December. It will probably be just myself and the youngest as my oldest will be a new parent...

 

[Gina]

Hi all. I have one son who will be 15 in a couple weeks, and it has been he and I against the world since my divorce when DS was just under 2. We have been going to WDW since he was 4 (turned 4 on our first trip, up in the castle being loved on by princesses ) and leave for our next trip tomorrow.

When we're not going to WDW, we're cruising, which we also adore. My son and I have made so many amazing memories together... I went through hell with my ex, but I can't say I would have things any other way now. Because it has been just DS & I, we have an awesome bond -- and he is truly an awesome kid! (Yeah, even as a teenager! ) As a single parent, I have been able to raise him as *I* see fit -- no compromise, no debate. And I am so proud of the young man he has become.

There are good times and bad, and I'm sure life would be easier if it wasn't just me and there were two incomes, but life is good and money is just money. If our house burned down tomorrow and we had nothing but the clothes on our backs, we would still have all our memories and our closeness, and that is all that matters in the world to me.

 

[NickNElliesMom]

Hi, I'm Becky! I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm a single mom of 2, my son will be 12 and my daughter 8 when we take our trip in August. We've been to Disney many times before but always as a family of 4, this will be my first trip with the kids alone. I was so worried about it, I've been asking friends and family if anybody would like to join us. I'm still hopefull another single Mom friend may join us with her kids. But if not, any suggestions on the best way to make this a great trip for the 3 of us!?!

 

[melmar136]

Very long story, so I won't bore you with the whole thing. The gist of it is that I am thinking of going back to court. Ex-h gives me an argument about everything, even though he isn't here at all, and I am wondering if I should go back to court, but only want to do so if #1 below can't be ordered, and if child support won't be lowered....
Any experience with the following???

1. Ex-h moved out of state (way across the country) when he remarried 3 or so years ago. He has seen DD for maybe a total of 2 1/2 weeks in that time. I won't let her fly alone, due to age and her temperment (she isn't the type of kid who will say anything to a stranger if there was any kind of issue) and the fact that she has said she is too nervous to do it. Can a judge say that I would HAVE to let her fly alone?
2. Ex-h now makes combined with his new wife, more than double of what I make. A lot of it is her salary though. Does the child support amount figure in her salary at all

Thanks!

 

[ksloane]

Not sure about #1, but #2 would vary by state you live in I'm pretty sure.

 

[jennyf2]

Good Morning!

I was lucky enough to get the FD pin!!! So we move our trip up 1 week--August 13-20th ASSports..

Anyone else???

 

[DanielleandBrady]

HI Everyone!!! I am new here!! Single mom to the most amazing 6yo boy!! This will be our first trip to WDW by ourselves..we have gone 2 other times, once with my parents and the other time with my 2 sisters, BIL, my nieces and nephew and my mom. I am really excited to spend a vacation with just the 2 of us!!!

I have been a single mom since the day my son turned 2. I cannot believe how fast time has gone!

I have dated, and I try to make time. Just haven't met the "one" yet. My ex-h and I get along really well, so I am lucky in that sense, but we do have some fundamental differences in child raising

I am so happy about this thread!! I didn't know it existed and I feel a lot better about reading others' experiences! Yes, although there are a lot of people out there that are single parents, it's amazing how lonely it can feel!! So this thread is great! Thank you!!!

I look forward to reading more!! I have only read the first couple of pages so I can't wait to read the rest!

 

[Kfyr23]

Hello,

I'm the single parent to a 2 year old and have been since my daughter was 10 months old. It's funny how life works...i'd been married for 5 years and after giving birth to my first and only child, all hell broke loose.

At times I feel so overwhelmed which is why my upcoming trip in June is much needed. I won't be going at it alone since my mom, 2 aunts, 3 first cousins, and 2 second cousins (fist cousin's daughters) will be accompanying me on this trip. Finances are tight, but i've set aside some of my income tax return to help pay for this trip.

Some days I feel guilty for setting aside a budgeted $2500 for Disney (flight for 2, room, summer clothes and shoes, stroller, souveniers (sp), and everything else I will possible need to make this a magical vacation), but I quickly remember the hell i've been through over the last year and snap to my senses.

Silly me, married a man with poor credit and as a result everything was put in my name and now i'm stuck paying all of the bills alone because he's already taken so much so i'm not willing to allow him to ruin my name.

Wow, getting this off my chest really felt good! Thanks for listening....

ETA: I've read many of your stories and I can't believe how many of us became divorced, single mothers with young children. At times, I feel as if i'm all alone so it's a blessing to have found this forum to realize that i'm not!!!

Blessing to you all!

I am a single father in same boat as you my ex left me with house and all the credit card bills. It is really hard to get by but I am doing it.

 

[Harly1619]

Great thread!!!! I'm in!!
I'm Lisa. A 34 yr old single mom of 2 girls, 17 and 10. Been a single mom since my youngest was going on 4.
Then, just about 3 yrs ago, my mom grew ill. She passed away in '09. So I'm now the single mom of 5! haha
As hard as it sounds, we've grown from it all I'm sure. Her 3 boys are now 20, 18 and 17. The 20yr old has his own place and is becoming an extraordinary young man. The 18yr old is about to graduate HS this June and is a fireman. The youngest boy, while giving me a hard "teen" time, is going to exceed in life also, and is a sophmore in HS.
My girls have been to Disney once, when they were 3 and 9 (ish), when I went in '03 with my ex.
The boys have never been....anywhere!
With that being said, we're ALL going to Disney in July With the exception of the 20 yr old, as he works and can't take all that time off. That leaves me sad and feeling even guilty we have to leave him behind. I'll never get over him not being able to go. But hope maybe he can be in attendance with us next year.
It's nice to read everyone's stories and sharing our single lives, yet accomplishments on here! Like I said...great thread. I'll come back here and keep on reading

 

[BelleBeautyandtheBeast]

Good Morning!

I was lucky enough to get the FD pin!!! So we move our trip up 1 week--August 13-20th ASSports..

Anyone else???

I am still in the planning stages. Hoping airfare goes down . I got the FD PIN as well!!! I am so excited . We are looking at the same dates as you, the kids want to stay at ASMusic this time around.