Almost anywhere in the world, there are lots of single mothers struggling to single-handedly raise their children. Some of them work hard to make ends meet, others do their best to fill the roles of both mother and father and many strive to give their kids the best life they can give.
Sadly, this reality remains unrecognized in a society where single parents face judgement and discrimination. Netizen Effy Padunan, a single mom who knew this very well, decided to write a lengthy Facebook post in the hopes of shedding light on this reality and inspiring fellow single mothers like her.
Padunan started her post by mentioning unkind questions and comments she often got as a single mom.
“This goes out to all the single moms out there and people who said ‘Nasan daddy ni Arya?’ ‘Bakit wala siang daddy?’ ‘Edi broken family kayo?’ “Kawawa naman yung anak mo walang daddy’ ‘Would've been better if my dad si Arya’ ‘Sayang naman’,” Padunan wrote
According to Padunan, she was 10 weeks pregnant with her baby Arya when her boyfriend decided to leave her. Initially, she had hopes that they would get back together believing that a baby is enough reason to keep a relationship. Soon enough, she realized he wasn’t coming back for her nor her baby.
Like any other woman put in such situation, Padunan became depressed. Until one day, Padunan discovered that her former boyfriend had already moved one and already had a new girlfriend.
For Padunan, it was a clear sign to leave everything behind and start all over again.
“I woke up one day and looked at myself in the mirror; I looked tired and unhealthy and yuck from all the crying and overthinking and stuff. "This is not me." So I decided to get my shit together; I got a haircut, I started eating for two, I finished reading the whole series of A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones; which has like a thousand page each book btw),” Padanan revealed.
On November 2016, Padunan gave birth to a healthy baby Arya via C-section. Seeing that baby Arya looks just like her father, Padunan once again felt mixed emotions. But in the end, she realized that she had everything she needed in life even if Arya’s biological father wasn’t around.
“I was happy though, and sad because if he was here, it would've been perfect because I've dreamed of having a complete and happy family of my own, don't we all? I cried again for quite some time but I stopped because, what for? I have a healthy and pretty baby girl, my parents and the whole family are very supportive, we're well provided for and the list goes on and on. What's one person's absence compare to all the love we get from the whole fam? Right?”
Padunan ended her post with words of encouragement for fellow single moms going through what she had undergone the past year.
Padunan is yet to go back to college to earn her degree. In the meantime, she’s a full-time mommy to baby Arya.
As of this writing, Padunan’s post has amassed over 12,000 shares and more than 43,000 reactions on Facebook.
--Mini, The Summit Express
Sadly, this reality remains unrecognized in a society where single parents face judgement and discrimination. Netizen Effy Padunan, a single mom who knew this very well, decided to write a lengthy Facebook post in the hopes of shedding light on this reality and inspiring fellow single mothers like her.
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| PHOTO CREDIT: Facebook/Effy Padunan |
“This goes out to all the single moms out there and people who said ‘Nasan daddy ni Arya?’ ‘Bakit wala siang daddy?’ ‘Edi broken family kayo?’ “Kawawa naman yung anak mo walang daddy’ ‘Would've been better if my dad si Arya’ ‘Sayang naman’,” Padunan wrote
According to Padunan, she was 10 weeks pregnant with her baby Arya when her boyfriend decided to leave her. Initially, she had hopes that they would get back together believing that a baby is enough reason to keep a relationship. Soon enough, she realized he wasn’t coming back for her nor her baby.
Like any other woman put in such situation, Padunan became depressed. Until one day, Padunan discovered that her former boyfriend had already moved one and already had a new girlfriend.
For Padunan, it was a clear sign to leave everything behind and start all over again.
“I woke up one day and looked at myself in the mirror; I looked tired and unhealthy and yuck from all the crying and overthinking and stuff. "This is not me." So I decided to get my shit together; I got a haircut, I started eating for two, I finished reading the whole series of A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones; which has like a thousand page each book btw),” Padanan revealed.
On November 2016, Padunan gave birth to a healthy baby Arya via C-section. Seeing that baby Arya looks just like her father, Padunan once again felt mixed emotions. But in the end, she realized that she had everything she needed in life even if Arya’s biological father wasn’t around.
“I was happy though, and sad because if he was here, it would've been perfect because I've dreamed of having a complete and happy family of my own, don't we all? I cried again for quite some time but I stopped because, what for? I have a healthy and pretty baby girl, my parents and the whole family are very supportive, we're well provided for and the list goes on and on. What's one person's absence compare to all the love we get from the whole fam? Right?”
Padunan ended her post with words of encouragement for fellow single moms going through what she had undergone the past year.
“Pregnancy shouldn't end things for us women because life goes on and I will never tell anyone to "not have a baby" because babies are gifts! Arya has given me a new and happier life; It's hard, but it's a whole new world motherhood that is. She found me when I was lost and after all, I kicked PPD (Post-partum depression) in the butt bc of her. It's not always rainbows and unicorns and it may be overwhelming oftimes but at the end of the day, when she gives me that look so pure, so sincere and full of love, I'm okay again. I'd take all the more mama snuggles over anything in the world. Being a mother is hard but that doesn't mean you should be hard on yourself too! Go take that walk! Paint your nails, have that hair treatment, go wear that pointy shoes, put on that red lipstick!” Padunan wrote.
Padunan is yet to go back to college to earn her degree. In the meantime, she’s a full-time mommy to baby Arya.
As of this writing, Padunan’s post has amassed over 12,000 shares and more than 43,000 reactions on Facebook.
--Mini, The Summit Express
