Sandra Duru-Eluobi
Good morning my dear friends, I woke up this morning with a very heavy heart, and I decided to pray for all the single parents, widows and widowers out there.

You're a single parent, widow or widower for one reason or another, but I want to reassure you that you are not alone! You are not irresponsible and your efforts in raising your children will not be in vain.

Ignore the insults, embarrassments, and all the side talks people around you who don't even know how much you struggle to keep the kids going from the day you lost your partner to death/divorce/separation or family dispute.

Some will call you names like prostitute, fraudster, animal, irresponsible man/woman, weak man/woman, foolish man/woman, debtor. ....just because you are struggling to raise your children.

Some will mock you that you are the cause of your predicament, some will accuse you of killing your husband/wife, some will lie against you why your husband/wife abandoned the children for you. My dear, some will mock you when they hear that your children have been sent out of school or your landlord is threatening to eject you from the house.

Some will accuse you of having different children from different men/women, yet they have no child of their own to call them father or mother, and they have not been able to get to the level you have gotten to in life raising your beautiful children.

My dear, children are blessings from God, whether you have them for a Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, French, Indian, American. ....man or woman they are children from God to you, and God allowed you to bring them into the world. Please give them the best irrespective of whom their biological father or mother may be or where he/she comes from. At least you know their origin.

Some women go to the extent of buying sperm from "SPERM BANK" to make babies, some adopt babies, surrogate mothers nko? Abeg, be a proud father/mother of your children.

Do not let anything to weigh you down. Get up and start loving your lifestyle. You are far better than the people who are mocking you.

Single parenting is NOT a crime, rather a sign of love and respect for your children.

For the widows and widowers, you did not make yourselves widows and widowers, God is always with you and your children. Wipe away your tears. Do not jump into another relationship/marriage out of pressure.

God will see you through. ...you are God's special friends.

Remain strong for your children, and always do things that will make you happy.

I love you all.

Remain blessed.

Dr. Sandra Duru-Eluobi
Author of "OUR CHILDREN, OUR STRENGTH & PRIDE