Mom's as single parents

[Judy Horowitz]

It is not easy for a Mom to raise sons alone, you end up doing a lot of "Dad" things. I truly believe the Navy has given my son something that I couldn't. Both of my sons played ice hockey, rode dirt bikes, I even learned to bait hooks and fish with them. The son that has joined the Navy has gotten something from the service that no matter how hard I tried it is just not the same. I wonder if others have had the same experience.

[Kathleen~Ma of Jonis]

I did a GREAT/AMAZING job being both mom & dad to my sons... I do feel that the Navy has helped Jonis in a lot of ways.... It's given him direction/maturity that he didn't have before.... But I don't think him needing that had anything to do w/him being raised by just his Mama..... Many Sailors were raised in 2 parent homes....

[Michele]

My son was all boy with or without a father hehehe. I do, however, believe that the Navy gave him the sense of 'his place in the world'. He matured a bit more also since joining and he isn't flip-flopping on what he would like to pursue once out :). He has always been short-term goal oriented, which I encouraged with him due to his 'all boy' energy, but now he is able to look further into the future and work towards bigger goals. I am so proud of him and the courage he has shown through adversity! Our children, I believe have a head start over 2 parent families in areas like hard times, whether financial or personal. This is true because 2 parent families lean on each other and the children usually don't know anything is wrong. I know my son really stepped up to the plate while growing up to help 'mom' with things :). I also made available to my children great male role models, which are still great friends, because I knew even though I handle 'dad duty' well I still am not a man hehehe. In short, I do believe single parenthood is the toughest job out there but not to be without its rewards and benefits!

[cotysmom]

I did it all as well,from football to gymnastics and so on. I am eager to see how the Navy is going to make a difference and I also believe that Coty will get things from there that I could never give him. They have always told my son that he was spoiled. He may have been from the standpoint of being shown love. Although I don't think that. They never had a car on their 16th birthday like all of their friends. I always made sure that they had the best of clothing so they weren't made fun of but I just couldn't get vehicles. I did good paying for mine. But, they understood and was always proud of what I could give them. I think that these boys will be great men.