Why Single Mothers Are the Secret Superheroes

By Melissa Jones.

All mothers are superheroes, but it takes a special kind of strength to do it alone.

Motherhood is already a full-time role. Add sole financial responsibility, emotional labour, mental load, caregiving, organising, remembering everything, and holding it all together  without a safety net, and you begin to understand the reality of single motherhood.

Support + provider + nurturer + organiser + decision-maker + income earner – rest – relief – backup = single mother burnout.

No one really talks about that equation.

Most women don’t actively choose to become single parents. For many, it’s unplanned, unchosen, and arrives alongside grief, trauma, or upheaval. Yet despite this, single mothers are expected to just get on with it. We show up when we’re sick. When we’re exhausted. When we’re overwhelmed, anxious, or barely holding things together.

I often say my daughter has never had the “best” of me — because for most of her life, I’ve been in survival mode. And I know I’m not alone in that feeling.

Mothers need a village — single mothers need it more than ever.

Parenting was never meant to be done alone. Yet single mothers are often doing exactly that.

There’s no one to tag in when we’re exhausted.
No shared bedtime routines, so we can rest or recharge.
No flexibility with school runs, so we can stay late at work.
No margin for error.

We carry it all — physically, emotionally, mentally, financially.

And this is why single mothers are disproportionately impacted financially. One income. Rising childcare costs. Jobs chosen not for progression or passion, but for flexibility around school hours. Lower-paid roles that “fit” parenting, at the cost of long-term security and career growth.

The reality is this: single parents don’t have an off switch. There is no downtime. No shared load. No cushion.

Why employers must do better

Supporting single parents in the workplace isn’t a “nice to have”; it’s essential.

When employers fail to understand the realities of single parenting, they lose talented, capable, committed employees. I know this firsthand. I had to leave my own job because childcare and support simply weren’t there.

Education is crucial. When employers understand the context single parents operate in, they can make small but meaningful changes — flexible hours, understanding of school commitments, compassionate policies — that make a huge difference.

This isn’t about special treatment. It’s about equitable support.

Why I created Culture Kind and The Single Mums Club

I built Culture Kind to educate and support employers, helping workplaces become environments where parents, particularly single parents, can thrive instead of just survive.

And I created The Single Mums Club because single mothers don’t just need workplace support; they need a village.

The Single Mums Club is an online community for connection, understanding, and solidarity. A space where single mums don’t have to explain themselves. With monthly meet-ups and real-world connections, it’s about rebuilding what so many of us are missing: support, community, and belonging.

Both were born from lived experience, not theory.

But let’s talk about the superpowers.

While we’ve talked a lot about the challenges, it’s time to talk about what single mothers bring to the table.

Single mothers are:

• Highly resilient — we adapt fast because we have no choice.
• Exceptional problem-solvers — we manage complex logistics daily.
• Emotionally intelligent — we regulate ourselves and our children.
• Reliable and committed — because failure isn’t an option.
• Efficient — we get things done with limited time and resources.
• Natural leaders — we make decisions constantly, under pressure.

Single mothers are not a liability in the workplace. They are an asset.

They are already doing the impossible every day. All they need is support — not judgement, not assumptions, not silence. And when we build workplaces and communities that truly support single parents, everyone benefits.

 Melissa Jones is a single mother of one, founder, and advocate for parent-friendly workplaces. After navigating solo parenthood for the past five years, she has firsthand experience of the challenges and the resilience required to balance parenting, work, and life on your own.

She founded Culture Kind to educate employers on how to better support parents in the workplace, and The Single Mums Club, a community providing connection, advice, and support for single mothers.

In her column, Melissa explores the realities of single parenthood,  from managing work, finances, and mental load, to building a village and thriving as a solo parent, offering insights, practical strategies, and honest reflections for both parents and those supporting them.

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