DEAR HARRIETTE: I am strongly considering having a baby without a partner. I don’t want to wait for anybody to give me what I want in this life.
My family is constantly expressing the challenges that can arise when someone is raising a child as a single parent, but nobody is telling me about how rewarding it can be.
I am not rich, but my biological clock is ticking, and I do not want to risk being unable to have a child in the future. I want to have one now.
Is it a bad idea to have a child without a partner?
Single Parent
DEAR SINGLE PARENT: You will not be the first or the last person to be a single parent. Is it hard? Sure. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it.
What you need is a plan. Do not think of yourself as an island. You need to assemble your community — your village — of people who agree to have your back as you bring a child into this world. These can be parents, siblings, cousins, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc. Identify the people you trust who can and want to be there for your child.
