My son is 5 years old so I am not quite at that point yet, but even at his age, I see him developing his independence in the things he wants to do on his own.
I know it can be difficult adjusting from being, in a sense, your child's entire world to only being a part of it. But I think watching that sense of independence develop as he or she ventures out into the world on their own is a new "adventure" for the parent as well.
I think single parents can sometimes fall into the trap of depending on our children too much to define ourselves. We are all so engulf with caring for our children and dealing with struggles of everyday life that we sort of lose a sense of ourselves. And after awhile, we are so "comfortable" in our roles as single parents we can sometimes use that as an "excuse" to venture out on our own.
My suggestion would be to realize, as I'm sure you do, that we will always be part of our children's lives and to "force" yourself to seek activities just for yourself. Whether it's a sport, hobby, or even trying to get back into dating, I think it's important that you nurture that aspect of yourself that made you "you" before your child came along.
And by doing that, I think you will not only help yourself but also allow your child to see a part of you he or she probably didn't even know existed.
As your child develops independence, ENJOY your own independence!
If you ever need to just chat or rant, we look forward to hearing from you again!
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Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children. ~Charles R. Swindoll, The Strong Family
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