Like Us on Facebook Image US Taewondo Ad
Advertise with CS Kids Magazine Image

Solo Parenting

Solo Parenting
(From our March 2024 Issue)

The March of I-Time

By Scoti Springfield Domeij

Every day the clock marches against my plans to finish all the tasks on today’s never-ending To-Do list. Do you wish there was more time for relaxing experiences? Life on the solo-parent fast track exhausts us emotionally and physically, crowding out joy.

In a culture that worships me, myself and I, solo parents find little margin for self-centeredness. When they do, their children suffer. Life is mostly about children and survival. How often do we indulge in fairytale thinking, feeling unjustly oppressed—longing for a 14-day, getaway cruise?

Can you relate to these Cinderella-like sentiments, “All I ever do is work, work, work, clean, clean, clean—with little or no appreciation.” Where’s a rescuing prince when you need one?

Here are a few things on my I-Wish list that could put a lot of cheerfulness back into life.

I-stuff: Blow all your black clouds into this bottle. The genie whisks away depression, exhaustion, and even past-due bills to the land of denial.

I-Clean: This dirt-hating magic wand keeps the house, car, clothes, and children spotless. Just point the magic I-Wand that sprinkles magic dust on dirt, grime, grease, dust, and stains vaporize—instantly.

I-Phone: Automatically answers bill collectors with, “The check is in the mail.” It makes all appointments with the counselor and all routine dental and medical appointments. It pushes mute and listens to the X complain about what an inept mother I am, how the boys are out of control when they visit, and how I need to discipline them more.

I-Wash: This super sleuth finds all the dishes, silverware, and cups stashed under beds, behind furniture, and in the car and backyard. After loading the dishwasher, the I-Wash combs the house for dirty underwear and lost socks and deposits all soiled clothes into the laundry hamper.  I-Wash never allows the ever-breeding laundry to overflow. It sorts, washes, dries, puts away, and hangs up clean clothes. No more guessing if the piles of clothes—you asked your kids a gazillion times to put away—are clean or dirty.

I-Babysit: This computerized nanny rarely sleeps or eats. Just drag her out of the closet any time—day or night. I-Babysit comforts sick kids, makes bad dreams vanish, and finds lost socks, stray shoes, and hidden homework. She even picks up Legos lurking in the night to attack your feet. If she crashes, don’t worry, give her a few seconds, then reboot her hard drive. She’s permanently hard-wired to love your kids. 

I-Trash: This handy-dandy tool remembers the day the trashman comes. It collects junk from your kid’s rooms. Pulls excess scraps of yarn, material, and rope stored for the day you knit or crochet, sew clothes or a craft, or macrame bracelets. I-Trash then compacts the trash, drops it in the dumpster, and drags the container to the curb—the night before.

I-Tired: This intuitive contraption senses your exhaustion and runs a hot bath. It brings hot tea, Prozac, books, and dark chocolate to you as you soak. I-Tired even cleans the bathtub after you drag your prune-like body to bed.

Live. Love. Laugh. Each day is a gift, hang on to each day’s sweet memories.

Propelled into single parenthood with a four-year-old son and a nine-month-old son, Scoti encourages other solo parents to laugh at the craziness of their lives. She’s been published in The New York Times, Southwest Art, Family Life Today, and other regional parenting magazines. She writes from a Gold Star Mother’s perspective for HavokJournal.com, an online military journal.