Single Parent in Sudan *My Story*

I personally have endless stories about my experience as a single parent living and residing in Sudan. However, reflecting only on the “lockdown” period and how it affected my personal life and relationships with the people around me, I must admit that this period was a life-changing one for me. 

Before Corona

Let me take you all the way back to how my life looked like before “The Virus”, so I used to be a renowned workaholic since I was a single mother. I had to make money to pay for my son’s education, physiotherapy, clothes, toys, etc. I also had to pay for all the help I needed around me from shadow teachers to nannies and private teachers. I was living in a vicious cycle of working 7am to 8pm as a full-time Radio Host who earned little so I can pay all the expenses around me. Of course I had some support from different family members, but I couldn’t be the needy family member leeching on others to make it happen. So I ended up working endless hours to make the money which was taken from the time I spent with my only child. I hardly had conversations with my son, I didn’t know his weaknesses, his strengths, I hardly knew his personality and his traits as he was growing in front me, yet I was not there with him. I missed many of his milestones, I didn’t attend school meetings, I missed all his PTA meetings and I did not give his education much attention as I relied heavily on the school, teachers and his personal shadow teacher. To me money was the most essential thing to make his life and mine better!

During Corona

Now moving forward to the complete lockdown period, the first thing that this lockdown has done was PAUSE my fast pacing life cycle and allowed me to take a much needed step back to think and reflect on my true goals that I wanted to achieve in my life. In 7 long years, I was finally able to spend day and night with my only son and truly start conversation with this 10-year-old who was growing before my eyes without me noticing a thing! 

This period was so essential to the extent that I started appreciating my own family and loving the person my little man was growing into. I spent more time with him, I channeled my creativity to serve both of us so we are constantly entertained and had things to do together and alone. All of a sudden, during the corona virus lockdown, I started our YouTube channel and I was able to include my son in every aspect of my life. I have grown to not only love but respect my son more because he tolerated all the milestones I missed while growing up. Now my attention is focused on making money while I am around my son rather than away from him. 

It is not easy being a single parent, it is not easy being a single mother, it is not easy to be in Sudan, however, now I can face the obstacles and challenges with a massive smile on my face and enjoy looking at my son’s smile day and night while I overcome whatever is thrown at me.