After her husband took his own life, Vikie Shanks was left to raise seven children – all with special needs – on her own. She tells us about their unbreakable family bond, and how she has coped with no support from extended family…
single mum
Family
Libby Liburd, the writer of one-woman theatre piece Muvvahood, discusses why she decided to create her show, the stigma attached to single mums and how she makes her performances inclusive of other lone parents…
Wellbeing
One minute, she was happily married with two sons – aged 12 and nine – the next, her husband had died. We speak to Jemima Thomas about the unpredictable nature of grief, losing friends who thought she should move on and how it feels to be a widow, five years on…
Family
We asked three women who are primary carers for their kids to share both the positive and negative aspects of shouldering that responsibility. Here are their thoughts on what it’s like to be a single mum…
Mornings
“This past weekend, I bought myself a 1981, bright orange VW Kombi. I drove it around the mountains, took the dogs for a walk in the snowy forest, and drank cider in tiny pubs along the way.” Kate Berry, of Lunch Lady Magazine, discusses her recent decision to prioritise life over work…
Work Life
As a working mum, Keira O’Mara found she was on a never-ending quest for a better work life balance. She addressed this by launching her own – now multi award-winning – company, Mama Designs. All while raising two kids singlehandedly…