realsinglemom

Ava had little luck with men until she had her own. Ava is the mother of three sons, all of whom she has allowed, even encouraged, to take the path less traveled. She might look at life a little more philosophically than most but her commitment to raising three fulfilled children was never compromised. Would she do it all over again? "Absolutely. It is what most defined my life. I’ve learned so much from my kids and their perspectives. I know much more about punk rock and emo rock than I ever would have known, if at all."

Natalie Pace is a successful businesswoman, author, speaker and mom. She chose to become a single mom to "stop the cycle" of abuse and to take her son out of the unhealthy environment that their family had become. The first few years were rough but Natalie found help through an organization called CoAbode. CoAbode serves as a "matchmaker" to single moms in the same geographical area, which allows single moms to share more than just the rent; it helps them share a home. Natalie’s advice might serve us all, "Don’t whine or complain. Solve one problem at a time."

Araceli was already a mother of two children when she became pregnant with her third child. Her relationship with the father of her first two children had come to an end. Would she, in essence, start all over again as a mom but this time without the father’s help? For many of the moms who participated in this project, deciding to have a child of an unexpected pregnancy was usually part of their story. The hardest part of being a single mom for Araceli was, “Not having a dad around.” But she also believes that, "The love of a child is like no other. I would not trade it for the world."

Nece was already successful in corporate America when she found out that she was pregnant with her son. She never married her son’s father, however; he and his family are a large part of her son’s life. Nece found that corporate structure was not conducive to the time demands of a single mother so, she chose an alternative. Nece retooled her skills and became self-employed, which allowed her to spend the time with her child, as he was growing up, time that she would never have gotten back. "Be patient and take time out for yourself. The early years go by so quickly, so enjoy them."

At the time of this filming, Elizabeth’s daughter was twenty years old. Elizabeth was thirty-six. You do the math. Elizabeth gave birth to her child while living at St. Anne’s in Los Angeles, a social services agency that helps young women who are pregnant. As she was starting her family, her parents’ marriage was coming to an end. With a will that she maintains to this day, she moved out of her parents home taking her daughter and her younger brother (who, at the time, was still in high school) and made her own family. "The best part of me is my daughter.

Monica grew up in an upper-middle class home in the South. When she found out she was pregnant, she married and started a life that was similar to the lives of her parents and many of her friends. But Monica wanted something different. Armed with a can do determination, Monica came to California in pursuit of a new life. The life that she provides her sons might not be the life she experienced growing up but she remains a role model for them as she works to make it all happen. Monica’s motto: "Love hard, work hard."

Erin is relatively new to the whole single mom thing. Divorced for just over a year, at the time of her interview, the pain of breaking up her family was still very fresh in her memory. "I have two gorgeous girls and a very motivated attitude to keep them happy and healthy."

"Like, you know?" Close your eyes and Tracy sounds like any typical valley girl. It was “All about Tracy” before she had her son but with her mom’s help she embraced motherhood, prioritized her life, met the challenge and never lost that youthful enthusiasm for the future. Tracy’s advice (and she’s a life coach so you better listen up), "Learn how to balance your time. Your child ultimately comes first and you will make mistakes but it’s okay."

Diane never planned on being a single mom but when tragedy struck she was left with little choice so, with a twenty-two month-old child, she carried on, alone. Along the way, she became more confident, embraced the challenges and even came to enjoy the freedom and rewards of raising a child on her own. "I like having control over my children and the idea of not being forced to compare notes is wonderful and exciting."

Divorced from her first husband, Deanna came to Hollywood with two small children that she had cared for by herself virtually since the day they were born. She became a Hollywood starlet, landing leading rolls in films and television and staring in the series Land of the Giants. It was a different time in the sixties, celebrities seldom admitted to being married, much less being single moms, but Deanna made sure that her children were never hidden away and that they were always by her side. She had a third child while married to her second husband.