When you’re raised by a single mother, you tend to learn a lot of things. Some of those things will be life lessons, like how to accept change, some things will be minor lessons, like how to make scrambled eggs, both important in their own ways. Your mother is your biggest supporter, your hero, and your number one fan. Whenever you turn around you know your mother will always be there with open arms.

1.You Learn Toughness At A Young Age.

Things are harder for single mothers, that’s no lie. I’ve watched my mother work harder for my family’s well-being than any on else could imagine, and never complain about it. Growing up she worked two jobs, provided for my sister and I, and still could make space for family time.

2.You Don’t End Up In Horrible Relationships.

I grew up knowing that I don’t need anyone. Relationships are nice and fun, but they aren’t necessary. I’ve learned that I can go through countless heartbreaks and still come out on top and happy because I don’t need someone to define my happiness. My mother taught me that I define my happiness, and I make my own happiness.

3.You Always Welcome Hard Work.

My mother never passed off the hard jobs to anybody else, and I’ve taken to that. She worked two jobs, she was a manager, worked floor sets, worked long shifts that would go into the night hours. Thanks to my mother, I was working two jobs, going to school, working floor sets, and doing late night shifts. I’m the one they call when someone calls out, and I always try to do what the others don’t.

4.You Have Great Loyalty To Your Family.

Having a family that consisted of my mother, sister, and I, we were crazy close and protective of each other. Nobody messed with any of us and got away with it. We are a small family unit and we had each other back regardless if we were angry with each other. It’s nice knowing we have someone there for us all the time.

5.You Stick Up For All Women.

My mom did everything for us, she cooked, cleaned, provided, so why couldn’t any other woman? Women are strong, we can stick together and persevere through anything when we try.

6.You Know How To Be A Homemaker.

I learned how to do my laundry, clean out stains, sew buttons back onto things, and a lot of other things at a young age. My mother didn’t have a ton of time to sit around and teach us these things so we learned to take care of ourselves and now we can take care of ourselves and others.

7.You Know That Things Aren’t Always Perfect.

Things may not always work out in the end, but if you tried that’s all that matters. Things also may not look like they’re perfect, but if they work for you that’s what’s important. I’ve seen my mother try and try, and sometimes she would fail, but she always got back up and tried again.

8.Gender Stereotypes Don’t Exist.

A woman can fix a car, a stove, a hole in the wall, and even a leaky faucet and still be a woman. Being a woman is about embracing your femininity, and that can be accomplished by doing any tasks that are typically “Guy “jobs.

9.Your Cooking Skills Are A++

I was always helping my mom cook dinner (It was probably more of a hindrance than a help). But I did start cooking my own meals eventually, even if they were only Mac N Cheese with cut up hot dogs in them. I eventually leveled up to other things like spaghetti, or hamburgers.

10.You Have An Older Soul Than Most Of Your Friends.

I grew up a lot faster than most, and had a lot more responsibilities than most at a young age. I’ve always been independent and unafraid to strike when needed, and I learned that from watching my mother. Everything you do is a risk, but if she could manage so can I.

11.You Know What Exactly Is Important In Life.

My mother had so much on her plate always, but she knew how to drop something if needed. She knew that she had two young daughters who needed her sometimes more than others and she was always there when needed.

12.You’re Able To Thrive On Tough Love.

We were cuddled and kissed, but we also went without sometimes, and we learned that we don’t always have to have constant love and attention to feel ok.

13.You Can’t Always Do It Alone.

My mother was a single mother for a long time, but she had parents to help her raise us when she wasn’t able to get home from work. She eventually got married and we had a father figure to help us out and teach us other valuable lessons.

14.You Get Used To Change.

Tons of things change when you have a single mother, we moved a lot, changed schools, schedules changed a lot. You start to realize that not everything can stay the same and that most things aren’t a strict schedule. You get used to the fact that things do change and you can’t do anything to change that.