Navigating Mother’s Day: A Message for Those Who May Struggle

This Sunday is Mother’s Day here in Canada—a day of celebration, love, and appreciation. For many, it’s a time of joy, filled with hugs, laughter, and heartfelt gestures. But for others, Mother’s Day can feel different.

I am a single mother, and this year, my children won’t be with me on Mother’s Day. I have a healthy, positive co-parenting relationship with their father, something I am grateful for, but as the day approaches, I feel a wave of sadness. When I first became a mom, I pictured Mother’s Days full of sleepy morning snuggles, little handmade cards, and feeling celebrated by a partner. But that’s not the way things turned out—and that’s okay.

It’s okay to feel a little heavy about it. To mourn the version of Mother’s Day I thought I’d have-because grief for what could have been does not diminish the beauty of what is. I know I'm not alone in these feelings. There are moms out there facing tough situations—moms with complicated relationships with their children, moms in the military who are far from home, moms who have lost children, and moms who don’t have a relationship with their own mothers. If that’s you, I see you. And I get it.

One thing I've learned as a single parent is this: I can do hard things. And with each challenge I face, I grow stronger, wiser, and more resilient. So this Mother’s Day, I will acknowledge my feelings—giving space to both the sadness and the gratitude. I will embrace the few hours I do get to spend with my children, holding onto those moments with intention and love. I will soften my heart to any self-judgment, knowing that even though this isn’t the path I had planned, it is the reality I choose to walk with grace.

To all the mothers out there who might struggle with this day, I hope you give yourself permission to feel. To honor both the joy and the ache. And above all, to recognize the immense strength you hold within you—because you, too, can do hard things.

Sending you light and love,

Bethany