A Thank-You to Single Parents Everywhere
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My dad has been my best friend for as long as I can remember. From playing Nerf wars in the front yard to making a custom “Sophie Sandwich,” nobody could make me doubt his love for me. As I’ve gotten older and looked back on my childhood, I’ve come to appreciate just how much my dad has done for the development of who I am today. From late nights helping me do my homework to early mornings driving me to school, even though it was 30 minutes away, my dad has done it all. Throughout this past week, my mind kept thinking of single parents everywhere– the parents who have had to fill in for both roles, the ones who have done so by putting their children’s needs first and supporting them at any cost. Parents who have worked overtime to offer their children a better life. Parents who have done it all for their all.
I want to start by thanking single parents. Most single parents are not casually glazing over the Strike Magazine’s “latest” tab; however, I hope that those who are reading make the effort to send those single parents this thank you because, let’s be honest—it might be the first time in a while that they have heard those two, meaningful words.
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Thank you, single fathers, for learning tasks that most mothers do. For learning how to sew for your daughters who have come home with a hole in their favorite blouse. For learning how to braid hair at the ripe age of forty. For learning how to bake chocolate chip cookies that your kids will brag about for the rest of their lives. Thank you, single mothers, for taking longer shifts so that your kids can live more comfortably than you have. For enduring every disgusting comment others have made to you about how to handle your family situation and still coming home with a smile on your face. Thank you, single parents, for filling both roles—no matter how exhausting it may be. This thankless journey that was thrust onto you was not fair in the slightest, but your perseverance will stick with your children for a lifetime.
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To fellow children of a single parent, I want to ask you a favor. Take a moment to appreciate them—ask them for a childhood recipe or maybe even their favorite personal anecdote—anything to show them you care. To show them you think of them. Hug them tight when you visit, just as they have hugged you tight and shielded you from the world. Remember that this doesn’t have to be a thankless role, and recognize that those small words go a long way. I know this is a lot for a random Strike writer to ask of you, especially if you don’t know me and happened to stumble upon this article. However, I hope that my plea doesn’t fall on deaf ears. I hope you take my words to heart as you remember what your single father or mother has done for you. I hope you send them this—a thank you from a stranger—so they know that someone’s child sees them, and is grateful for them, no matter who they are.
Strike Out,
Writer: Sophie Palmer
Editor: Emily Montarroyos
Tallahassee