006: Financial Stress in London with Amy Bullman

Single Mom Stories with Kelly Travis

Today on another episode of the Single Mom Stories Podcast, I welcome fellow podcaster, Amy Bullman, to the show. Having divorced when her children were very young, Amy opens up today’s conversation by saying that she’d already felt like a single parent far before signing her divorce papers. The only difference after the divorce was that her poor financial situation intensified. She struggled to receive any help from her ex, but she recalls how her family was her greatest support system. Her sister even moved in with her for a brief period.

Amy goes on to discuss the financial woes she suffered and how this was only exacerbated by living in London. Despite monetary stress, Amy has plenty of wonderful memories with her children and has a rather laid back lifestyle. Her children definitely prefer staying with her, although they still have a relationship with their dad. She says it’s important to check in on her children to see how they’re coping with their divorce. While one daughter copes well, Amy feels that her other one is struggling, and she has since started taking her to therapy. We draw this episode to a close by talking about what seems to be a recurring theme on this podcast: asking for help.

The Finer Details of This Episode:

• Why Amy made the decision to get a divorce
• Not receiving financial help from her ex
• The importance of familial support
• What it’s like suffering financially as a single parent
• Good memories with her children
• How Amy’s children cope with the divorce
• The importance of asking for help

Quotes:

“Our relationship was kind of a bit strained. And there were other issues kind of happening, but I just wasn't happy. And we were arguing a lot. And just it wasn't working for either of us. It wasn't what either of us wanted, and I was just going to be better off on my own.”

“I did everything anyway. The easiest thing for me was the fact that I didn't have to feel annoyed at someone for not doing what I wanted them to do and just doing it myself.”

“When I became a single mom, that's really when I started to cut alcohol out of my life, because I was like, I can't do this. Even just like once a week having a few drinks. I just felt horrible.”

“I didn't start on the apps, it was about two years after, because I didn't think it just took me a real long time to get my head around the fact that I was single again, I've never really had a lot of relationships anyway.”

“I've been doing a lot of work on myself lately. There's a fine line between feeling like you're being selfish and setting an example of, ‘I need to do this myself’, because you need to spend time on yourself.”

“The most important thing I've learned is that you need to be happy. Because if you're not happy, then you can't parent as well.”

Links:

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