Mom2Mentor
Encouraging and motivating single mothers, reminding them of their strength and determination. They can succeed as a single parent as long as they remain focused.
Its not about how you arrived at the single mom title, but, its what you do with it!
Mom2Mentor
The Simple Life: Rediscovering What Truly Matters as a Single Mom
Getting back to basics involves reconnecting with fundamental practices like gardening, crafting, and prioritizing health that shaped previous generations and can still enrich our lives as single mothers today. These simple yet powerful approaches help us ground ourselves and teach our children valuable life skills that foster independence and character.
• Growing your own vegetables in containers is affordable, educational, and connects children to food sources
• Making handmade gifts and cards creates more meaningful, lasting memories than store-bought items
• Having actual phone conversations provides emotional connection that texting can't replicate
• Prioritizing your own health needs alongside your children's is essential for sustainable parenting
• Returning to in-person church attendance offers spiritual guidance and teaches children proper conduct
• Teaching children manners and respect gives them essential tools for navigating life successfully
• Embracing your single mom status with confidence allows you to focus on productive parenting
Visit singlemomsunitedpodcast.com to leave comments on the blog and join our community. Remember, it's not how you arrived at the title of single mom, but what you do with it that matters.
https://singlemomsunitedpodcast.com/
It's not how you arrived at the title, but what you do with it.
Hey ladies, welcome to the Single Moms United podcast. If you're a first time listener, welcome If you're a repeat listener. Thank you for joining, thank you for your loyalty. I'm sure some of you are saying well, why do you always say that as you open up your podcast? I say that because I try not to take people or things for granted. There are millions of other podcasts out there that you could be listening to right now, but some of you are choosing to come back weekly or whenever I publish a new episode, to hear what I have to say, and I appreciate that. It's so encouraging and motivating because this is something new for me. I've been doing this for seven months now. You know I didn't know what to expect initially, but I'm getting a little more comfortable each day and with your help. So thank you for that. All right.
Speaker 1:So today I want to talk to getting back to basics and what that means and why it's important. Getting back to basics is, you know, I have a list somewhat of things where you know, when I was growing up, this is what I was exposed to and this is what I feel like has been a key contributor of who I am today and some of the things that I have done and some of the things I tried to pass along to my children as they are growing up, for them to be successful in life. You know cooking, for example, my mom used to have a garden and in the garden she grew everything and it was a big garden. I'm not talking about 8 by 12. You know it was a huge garden. It was on the side of a hill, large garden where she planted everything. We always ate fresh stuff. We used to have apple trees. All of these things were just, you know, organic and it's lovely, and that's what they call it in the store. Now, right, which it costs more. It was great that my mom grew the food and I think because we were, we have a large family. You know that helped cut down on expenses when you grow your own.
Speaker 1:But guess what, ladies, you can do that too. Just get you a large container or a pot, a large pot. You can probably find it at Lowe's or Home Depot. I mean one of those real big pots. And then if you don't have that kind of money or can't get to one of these particular places, then you can buy maybe some smaller pots and you can get that, even at the dollar store or dollar general, buy you some seeds and some dirt and guess what. You can plant this and water it, and guess what? Now you're growing your own vegetables as well. How about that? And it's real quick and inexpensive. And now it's allowing you to get back to basics, right. And then now it's also exposing your children how to grow things on their own and that they don't have to spend a significant amount of time in the produce area, and this is just a great fun exercise to introduce your children to.
Speaker 1:The other thing we should consider as well is arts and crafts. Crafts, you know, back in the day, again, sewing was something that was very popular. I remember my sister. She used to buy patterns and material, stick pins and she would cut it out and then sew it and next thing you know she has a shirt, a dress or curtains or things like that. Getting back to basics, make your own. What's wrong with that? What's wrong with investing that time and doing it yourself? And some of the stores you could go to to get material is Joann's, michael's. You can do stuff online, but in my mind, for this type of situation, I would say you would definitely want to go to one of these craft stores and try to make a purchase and I think Walmart also has a craft area as well, so you don't even have to go to Joann's or Michael's. You can go to Walmart and in their section and and buy the things you need to start your arts and crafts.
Speaker 1:You know, and the other thing, too, that I like about arts and crafts is for special occasions Christmas or birthdays why not make something? Why not make the gift? Because you know what it's going to have a greater impact than anything you could ever buy. For example, a few years ago well, it's been more than a few years ago the kid's grandfather knew a young lady that made specialized cards, if you will specialized cards, if you will and this particular card. He asked her to make it for the kids, for my birthday, and it's so unique. I still have it today. May he rest in peace. I look at it and I think about. This is something I would never get rid of. Right, on this cardboard card, if you will, it is cardboard and she covered it with some fabric and then she wrote out a very special message and then she laminated it. Then she put some little tinky winkies around the border. She created a border on it and it was just really cute and the wording and everything was expressions for my birthday at that particular time. And again, that's something that I will never get rid of.
Speaker 1:This is the kind of things, ladies, we should introduce to our children Even now. And they used to in school, make specific or arts and crafts and bring it home for, like Mother's Day or any other type of holiday for the mom, which was just great, right, because that's something you're going to keep. They put their little hearts into making it. Or those homemade cards Weren't those just awesome? They were just awesome. Weren't those just awesome? They were just awesome. We should encourage our children to stay on that path of being authentic and original versus going and buying a card. Right, it means the world. You know, I bought my son a wallet not too long ago and it had the inscription of to my son and then it had all the value that he brought into my life and why he's special and so forth. So do you really think, long-term, he's going to get rid of that? Yeah, probably not. Even if it rips up, he's probably still going to try to cherish that in some manner, because it's personalized, right. So those are things that we have to encourage our children to continue to do.
Speaker 1:The other thing we also want to consider I know texting and social media is the thing to do these days, right? I would encourage you or your children, pick up the phone and call sometimes, because there is an element of support there that you're not going to get through a text. There's just a greater comfort when you're actually having that verbal interaction with someone versus just hey, what's going on? Actually talk to them, and I'm guilty. I am guilty. I tell people all the time you want to reach me, text me, that's the best way to get me. But every now and then, every now and then, I do make a call and actually have a conversation with someone, because before I know it, an hour has gone by, two hours have gone by, because there's something about that verbal interaction that you're not going to get with a text message or through messenger or however else you're communicating outside of a verbal conversation. So I would encourage you, as we're getting back to basics, have that phone conversation every now and then. It doesn't have to be all the time, but every now and then. Have that discussion over the phone.
Speaker 1:Here's something else, ladies when we talk about getting back to basics, we don't go to the doctor and the dentist like we should, and I know that there's so many things out there that we can look to to help manage any symptoms that we may be encountering. Okay, that's okay, but don't neglect going to the doctor or the dentist especially. Well, they're both important. But people can't see your insides, but they sure can see your teeth, and if you're not going to a dentist regularly, guess what cavities form.
Speaker 1:Therefore, starting to cover up your mouth and not smile, but getting back to basics with regular toothbrushing, you know, I was told you need to do it twice a day or every time after you eat. That's a lot of brushing, but at least morning and in the evening before you go to bed is what I was taught. Now I just ordered an electric toothbrush. The electric toothbrush has a timer on it. Now, I didn't know you were supposed to brush your teeth for a full two minutes. Did you know that? And I know, over my lifetime I have not brushed my teeth for consecutive two minutes. I know I haven't. So this is going to be pretty cool to find out how well this works. It also has a beep or something in it that says when to go to the other side of your mouth, which is going to be kind of cool. So I'm learning some stuff as I'm going along.
Speaker 1:But getting back to basics and taking care of ourselves and I think, as a single mom, we do get lost in translation. For me it was all about my kids and making sure they were taken care of, making sure they went to the doctor, making sure they went to the dentist, and here I haven't been in two to three years because I've been making sure that they've been going on a regular basis. But, single mom, we have to get back to basics as far as our, our health and our care. The other thing, ladies, you know, with COVID happening, church was a regular option, and I shouldn't say option, it really wasn't an option. Church was what happened on Sundays, it wasn't an option. Excuse me for that phrase. We were required to go to church, and not just on Sundays, but other activities that may have been going on during the week. We were required to be in attendance.
Speaker 1:Now, since COVID has happened, many folks, many churches, are streaming their services on the TV now. So many people just say you know what? Hey, same effect. I don't have to go into the building, I don't have to get dolled up. I don't have to go into the building, I don't have to get dolled up, I don't have to do this, and I can still hear the word et cetera, et cetera, and all is well and I save some gas. Well, ladies, okay. However, the streaming is really designed for those people that can't get out.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's why these churches started. This is because COVID had limited us getting out and being able to come together or assemble in the house of the Lord, because of the disease and the fatality of it If you caught it, depending on who caught it, and the death. So everybodyality of it if you caught it, depending on who caught it, and the death. So everybody was like afraid, right, but now things are starting, or get under control as it relates to COVID. So we should be going back into the church, we should be taking our children back into the church. Why is that important?
Speaker 1:Back to basics, because you learn so much in church. Not only do you learn about God, you learn about discipline. Right, you're teaching your children how to conduct themselves in that type of setting and if they're at home, and then they have to go out and be in a setting like that, how do you think they're going to adjust? How do you think they're going to adjust? So we're not really doing them any justice, or ourselves, when we choose to stay home and not go back to church and being in that setting, because TV is one thing and it's almost like a barrier, if you will, versus you being in the congregation and singing and clapping and participating. I would look at it like this Take, for example, you have a meal and it's covered in saran wrap.
Speaker 1:You not going to church is like you trying to eat that meal through saran wrap. It's not the same. But once you take the saran wrap off the meal, you get right down to the nitty gritty. Big difference, right? Your experience is gonna be different. That's why we need to focus on getting back to basics, getting back into church, getting back into church, getting our children in church, getting them active in church so that they know what it's like going through that experience, because at this point it's needed.
Speaker 1:And as this world continues and I'm going to say it in my out loud voice and as this world continues and I'm going to say it in my out loud voice just continues to spiral out of control Again. Just the violence and everything that's going on and how people's manners and so forth, and just rudeness and racism, and just so much is going on now, racism. And just so much is going on. Now. We have got to get back to the basics of learning about Jesus Christ and God and what it means to have them in our lives. And we're just not going to get that as long as we're at home sitting on the couch or laying across the bed, watching church service or doing dishes or doing some that distraction. Because, again, when you're at home, many distractions occur. Yes, they occur in church as well. However, they're limited. We have many, many, many more distractions in our household than we do at church.
Speaker 1:And then, finally, back to basics, as I just mentioned before manners and respect. When I was growing up, to address an adult I had to say yes, ma'am, or yes sir, no, ma'am or no sir, and and it was just out of respect for our elders and had to say thank you, excuse me, had to make sure that respect was given. And if we're not given that respect, do you really think we'll get it? Think about that for a minute. So when we teach our children, or let me rephrase, when we aren't teaching our children about respect and manners, guess what there's going to be a bit of a struggle in life. Because once you have this to get respect, respect is earned. And if we're not teaching our children about that, guess what it's going to make life a little uncomfortable for them and how do they adjust to that? How do they adjust to that? But that's our role, mothers, that we have to teach our children about respect and what it means to be respected and what it means to give respect. That's going to help them get through life a lot easier, a lot easier. Now, I'm not saying there's not going to be some challenges, but guess what? Once you start giving respect, then you'll start getting respect and it's going to make a world of a difference.
Speaker 1:Okay, ladies, I sure hope you enjoyed today's episode. Back to basics, and I hope you will tell another single mom it's not how you arrived at the title, but what you do with it, and this podcast is all about helping you with what to do with it, because it is so important, ladies, that we not get stuck on. Oh my God, I'm a single mom, and stop. Yes, I'm a single mom and okay, and I'm confident in who I am. I'm confident I'm going to raise children that's going to be productive in this world, in this society. I'm confident that I can do that.
Speaker 1:But in order for us to do that, sometimes we need a little nudge in the right direction. Again, that's what this podcast and these episodes are all about is giving you a nudge, inviting you to think about your situation and are you taking the best approach? All right, thank you so much, ladies, and if there's gentlemen out there that's joining, thank you. Hopefully you're telling another single mom, inviting them to listen to this podcast, inviting them to listen to this podcast, inviting them to leave comments at singlemomsunitedpodcastcom on the blog. I really appreciate your time. You all have a great day and a fantastic week. Take care.
