My Single Mother Story
Telling Your Single Mother Story
Every single mother is unique. We come from a range of cultural backgrounds; work across all sectors and professions; and experience victories and challenges as individual as we are. Yet the tired old stereotypes persist.
My Single Mother Story is CSMC’s project that aims to smash that negative, two dimensional stereotype by shining a light on all the amazing individuals who make up our single mother community.
Two single mums, three kids, and an open road
Years ago, when I first went on a holiday with my baby daughter, my sister-in-law, also a mother, warned: “The thing you have to remember about holidays as a mother, Margie, is that it’s not really a holiday: it’s just transporting the chaos to a different...
Belonging: stories from CSMC members
When her local Member of Parliament recommended she contact the Council of Single Mothers and their Children, Sandra says she had never heard of the organisation. “Fifteen years later, when I look back, it feels like CSMC has played such an important role in my...
Sienna’s story
I hope my story can offer hope to other single mums who feel left behind. I used to love working. Before my daughter was born I worked as an administrative officer in a city accounting firm, a job I enjoyed and which provided me with a comfortable income. But that...
Carol’s story
For several years, lawyers and the Family Court were very present in my life. I became a single mother over ten years ago when my house was raided by the police and my husband (now ex) went to jail for convictions relating to child abuse material offences. I had no...
Julie’s Story
When I was going through the Family Court, I didn’t just tap into my inner-lawyer, I ended up changing careers and becoming an actual lawyer. Law was actually something I’d being thinking of before then. I initially considered it whilst doing my Arts Degree at...
Shirley’s story
Probably the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life was to leave my husband with four children in tow. This was early 1981 and there were few supports for single mothers apart from family. As it was, both my parents had died when I was young and my two...
Fanny’s story
By Kacey Sinclair, La Trobe University On 22 January 1856, an extraordinary event in Australia’s history occurred. It is not part of our collective national identity, nor has it been mythologised over the decades through song, dance, or poetry. It doesn’t even have...
Kakul’s story
I got divorced in 2019 and it was such a terrible time. My life was shaken up completely and I didn’t know that I could be so strong. I came to Melbourne 10 years ago from India, with my husband who I had just married. There were some challenges. I missed my family...
Skye’s story
CONTENT WARNING: This story contains details of sexual assault. I was born In Tamworth and my family moved to Newcastle when I was four. My dad was a financial director and my mum stayed home to raise the kids. I know from photos and stories that I had a good...
Martha’s story
As a social worker, I speak with females experiencing different kinds of abuse all the time, but I never saw the signs in my own life... until an experience at work made me realise that was me too. I was married when I was 20 years old, was pregnant at 22, and...
