Jack Canfield - Chicken Soup for the Single Parents Soul: Stories of Hope, Healing and Humor

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CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SINGLE PARENTS SOUL

CHICKEN SOUP
FOR THE SINGLE
PARENTS SOUL

Stories of Hope, Healing
and Humor

Jack Canfield
Mark Victor Hansen
Laurie Hartman
Nancy Vogl

Backlist, LLC, a unit of

Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC

Cos Cob, CT

www.chickensoup.com

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook onscreen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

copyright 2012 Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC

ISBN: 978-1-4532-7627-3 (ePub)

Cover design by Andrea C. Uva
Interior design by Dawn Von Strolley Grove

Contents

Marvin J. Wolf

Linda H. Puckett

Michelle Anzelone

Nancy Vogl

Jane Robertson

Karen J. Olson

Laurie Hartman

Carmel Sullivan-Boss

Michelle Lawson

Susan Hamilton

Jennifer Clark Vihel

William Jelani Cobb

Terri Cheney

J. W. Schnarr

Nancy Vogl

Carol A. Kopacz

George Walther

Trina Wray

Hazel Holmes

Donn Marshall

Patricia J. Lesesne

Richard Parker

Christine E. Penny

Dorothy Hill

Kathy Bohannon

Sande Smith

Linda Ferris

Sierra Sky Brocius

Rosemary Heise

Toni Hall

Jeff Gemberling

James W. McLaughlin

Kelly McLane

Patty M. Kearns

Suzanne Aiken

Brandi N. Rainey

Barbara Stanley

Wanda Simpson

J. D. Gidley

C. Leslie Charles

Lynn Fredericks

Kathline Collins

Mother Teresa

Victoria Moran

Barbara Schiller

T. J. Banks

Joe Seldner

Victoria McGee

Tanya J. Tyler

Stephen J. Lyons

Michael Shawn

Patricia S. Brucato

Mary Lynn Archibald

John K. Steelman

Barbara Stanley

Joseph Salazar

Susan Carver Williams

Ed Mickus

Jeff Barr

Heidi Cole

Steven H. Manchester

Wendy Keller

Ellen Barron

Barbara E. Stephens-Rich

Ervin DeCastro

Joanna Emery

Rob Daugherty

C. J. Druschke

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer

Richard Zmuda

Nancy Vogl

Bob Thurber

Patricia Buck

Kathleen Kersch Simandl

Sheryl Templeton

Sara Henderson

Donna M. Snow

Cynthia Borris

Mike Robbins

Gerilynn Smith

Nancy Vogl

Maureen Deutermann

Lorraine Elzia

Mary Zisk

Patricia Lorenz

Toni Roberts

If you are reading this book, chances are you are a single parent, or you were one... or perhaps you grew up in a single-parent family. Amazingly, you are far from alone. With nearly one-third of all American households being single-parent families, there are tens of millions of people affected by single parenting. And the numbers are growing, especially with single-parent fathers. Roughly one-fourth of all single-parent families are now headed up by a single dad.

At some point, society will no longer be able to refer to the two-parent family with children as traditional.

Single parents are a special breed. We may not always start out this way, but most of us find an uncommon strength and tenacity to survive and thrive. Why? Simply because we have to. We have no choice! We have bills to pay, children to care for, obligations to meet, work schedules and double the household responsibilities. The daily tasks sometimes seem endless, with little time left over for ourselves.

Yet, there is a level of pride we feel because of our role as single parents. Maybe you never would have fixed that leaky sink if you were in a two-parent family. Maybe you never thought you could drive that long-distance trip by yourself with your children. Maybe you managed to purchase that house or open up that business. Maybe youve done lots of things you never knew you could do, but had to because there was no one else to help. Youre doing it, and somehow, youre making it.

This book is filled with stories of similar triumphs and challenges from people just like you. Some are sweet and endearing. Others will surely make you shed a tear. Many will make you smile or laugh. And all are upliftingoffering hope, comfort and inspiration. We all have different stories to tell, but we believe you will find a common thread woven throughout this book that other types of families simply wont be able to relate to. But you will.