Growing up, I was always jealous of kids who had two parents. I so desperately wanted their lives and envied their completed families. For a long time, I was angry and upset with the world and constantly questioned what I did to deserve this type of life outcome.

Now, I would not have it any other way.

I am lucky, really, to have been raised by one parent who has turned out to be my hero, my mother. Many people believe that a child growing up without their other parent is a horrible thing that can influence their life in a negative way. They think that these children without a mother or without a father will grow up to make bad decisions, dropout of school, become a nuisance or create many problems. People joke about it all the time; for example, making #DaddyIssues jokes across social media. Having only one person raise you is not funny, it is not a laughing matter, it is something that affects millions of people, most of whom have the world to thank for their single parent.

My mother is my hero. She has been through unfathomable situations, still comes out strong, and teaches my siblings and I to do the exact same thing. Having just my mother raise me, I learned so many valuable lessons that have molded me into the person I am today. Being raised by a single parent, you learn to be independent. You learn to fight your own battles, remain strong, and to never quit when things get hard. You learn to be appreciative; sometimes life isn’t all butterflies and rainbows. Life can get tough sometimes and with a single parent, you learn to appreciate even the smallest things in life. You learn what true love is and what it means to unconditionally love and care for someone.

Experiencing love from a single parent is an unexplainable and amazing feeling. That parent has raised their children all alone, they have given up their entire life for their children- their children ARE their life. Everything they do is for them.

People who grow up with just one parent do not want sympathy. We don’t want an apology, or especially to be looked down upon. We don’t want to be looked at any differently than everyone else.

Of course, there were many times in my life where I just wanted to quit, I would get frustrated and I would want to cry. Because of my single mom and what she has taught me, I ended up stronger than I ever could have imagined. I learned to be brave and fight through the bad, and enjoy the good.

We are not weak, we are not easily-broken, we are not “bad kids.” We got thrown in a bad situation that turned out to be the best thing to ever happen to us. We are not defined by the #DaddyIssues people have joked about and we are not the weak and broken kids that people perceive us as.

But, we are strong, courageous, independent, grateful and happy. We learned to make the best out of any situation. We do not dwell on the past or feel sorry for ourselves so neither should anybody else for us. We have our single parents to thank for raising us to be strong, happy and thriving. Growing up with one parent did not put us at a disadvantage, it turned us into people who have learned just as much, if not a little more, than the kids who grew up in a “completed” family.

Being raised by my mother alone was the best thing to ever happen to me, and I would not want my life to be any other way. Because of my past and because of my mother, I am stronger and happier than ever and I know I would not be without her by my side. My life with just my mom has turned out to be a blessing in disguise.