Sing Your own Song: A Guide for Single Moms by Cynthia Orange (Read 12.28.17 to 1/1/2018) - 3 Star

Well, I fell off the wagon last year, I published almost no blogs.  It was a year of recovery and change and finding my footing again.  I did read though, quite a bit actually.  I managed to read 66 books in 2017.  But I want to get back into the habit of blogging my reviews, so starting with the first book I read in 2018, lets do this.

I purchased as a "gift" to myself when I refinanced my house, most of my wish list from Thrift books, lots of them are considered self help, or self improvement books, there are also a ton of parenting books, so be prepared for a lot of non-fiction reviews this year.

The first book I choose from the pile was Sing Your Own Song: A Guide for Single Mothers by Cynthia Orange.  I finished it on the first so it barely made it into the 2018 year.    This is a book for single mothers about how to cope, finances, love etc.  It "brings equal parts information and inspiration to this pragmatic yet soulful guide for single moms. Managing time and money, juggling the demands of work and child care, balancing personal needs with parenting responsibilities-these are the everyday concerns Orange addresses with preach-free common sense and welcome candor. Interwoven with firsthand stories and experiences, Sing Your Own Song resonates with affirmation and support for single moms everywhere. "

Some things have changed in my life, and I'm not single but we haven't reached the point where I'm not a single-mother though either.  It's changing, and bit by bit my boyfriend is stepping into a parental role, but we aren't rushing it.  So reading this book gave me some mixed feelings, it was and it wasn't appropriate for my life stage.  At least that is how I felt until I read it.  There was a lot of great advice about how to parent.   That family isn't defined by anyone besides those who are in it.   That the relationship that I have with my best friend across the country, my best friend down the street, my boyfriend and my parents are all part of the definition that makes up "My Family" and that makes up the definition of family for my children.   That I have created a community, without realizing it, I have a strong support system for myself and my children.  That I take the time to take care of myself, that it isn't really taking away from my children as allowing me to be whole and that gives them more than running myself down ever could.

It wasn't until part 5, Raising Reslient Children, that I started to feel like the book was reaching out to me instating of just re-affirming my actions.   "It is not our job to protect our children from life.  It is our job to ready them to meet life's challenges with grace and confidence so they can discover how they might turn the challenges into opportunities."  I have always felt this way, but I hadn't been able to state in so cohesively before.  This section spoke to me, and gave some great tips about listening and how to really prepare my children in 10+ years to fly the nest.

I felt that this was a good book, I think that if I had read it a year ago I would have found it more helpful and probably have given it a 4 or a 5 star rating.  But it was more of a confirmation that I was on the right track, rather than assistance to get where I already am.