LOS ANGELES – Whether it’s due to a breakup or the passing of a husband or partner, single motherhood is oftentimes something that a woman falls into. But it can also be a conscious decision that we may make, a new article from Cafemom.com says.
According to statistics cited on SingleMotherGuide.com, an estimated one in six children (or more than 12 million) are being raised by a single mom today. And of all single-parent families in the United States, single mothers make up the vast majority of these households.
Given those numbers, it’s fairly unsurprising that there are plenty of celebrity moms who also happen to be single parents themselves. Some have certainly experienced heartbreak over the years, finding news of their very public splits all over the covers of tabloids.
Others have been in off-and-on relationships — or found themselves expecting while their partner opted out of being involved. There are those who ended up confronting a partner who wasn’t on the same page with them when it came to having kids. And many famous women have enjoyed the single life for years, only to have epiphanies that motivated them to adopt.
Here are some truly inspiring celebrity moms who decided to fly solo as they embarked on the journey of motherhood. They’re undoubtedly examples of strong, independent women who have chosen single motherhood — and who, judging from many of their candid interviews, wouldn’t change it for the world.
Since news first broke that Mad Men star January Jones was expecting her first child, the actress has remained quiet about the identity of her now 10-year-old son Xander’s father. But she has been very outspoken — especially lately! — about not needing a partner to raise her son.
“It’s good to have strong women around a man,” the 44-year-old actress told Red magazine. “To teach him to respect women. He doesn’t have a male person in his life saying ‘don’t cry’ or ‘you throw like a girl.’ All those s-—-y things dads accidentally do.”
Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock, who is also a single mom with two adopted children, daughter Laila and son Louis. She feels like her family of three was always meant to be.
“When I look at Laila, there’s no doubt in my mind that she was supposed to be here,” she told People Magazine. “I can tell you absolutely, the exact right children came to me at the exact right time.”
Actress Charlize Theron also chose single motherhood by adopting, telling Australian magazine Madison in 2012, “My mother found [a letter I wrote]. It said, ‘Would you please take me to an orphanage so that I can go and adopt a baby?'” I always knew I would adopt. Always.”
Now the mom to adopted daughters Jackson and August, Theron said, “You know, I don’t think any mother aims to be a single mom. I didn’t wish for that, but it happened.”
To read the full story, click here.
Pictured: Actress January Jones
