Raising three children as a single mother is never easy. But the key to contentment is learning to live within your means. I never owned a new car, a house of my own, and worked in trade for most of my furniture. Yet that never really bothered me as I centered my life around being the best mother I could be and raising good well rounded children, my God-given responsibilities.
I worked a lot of part time jobs to avoid the cost of child care. By doing so, it also allowed me time to be a part of their activities in their school years. The boys played baseball and basketball and many times I sold the pictures and decorations right off my walls to a friend to pay for their ball fees or team photos. I had a neighbor remark to me that the children she was raising were told by no uncertain terms that they COULD NOT AFFORD to let them play sports. Mine were told that we'd find a way to pay for their activities. And with God's help and sacrifice on my part, we made it!
Fortunately, yard sales came into existence the year my first son was born. Play clothes were purchased at them and they all had clothes they knew were to play in and NEW clothes were used only for church and school. As my first son outgrew his nice clothes, I had a close friend with a son a little younger and I took care of them and sold them to her in order to re-invest in new ones. This was a policy that I used with all three and they never lacked for nice clothes. When my daughter was small, I cleaned for a friend in trade for many of her daughter's clothes. I cannot see why many young mothers refuse to dress their children from yard sales. Obviously, my daughter learned from example. She now has a 10 month old son and, other than the new clothes at birth, he also has been raised in yard sale clothes. And many can't believe it-by the way he is dressed. It isn't that they could't afford new. She chooses to do this so that she can stay at home with him, rather than work. Children learn by example and she followed my leading.
There were other things that helped see me through child-rearing days as well. I taught myself to decorate cakes for my oldest son's birthday. Baking and decorating cakes for others has seen us through many of my children's high maintenance years. Three high school graduations, two beautiful weddings, baby showers and many many birthday parties. I didn't call for professional help. I chose to do it myself! And a lot of money was saved. Cooking at home saved a lot of money as well. Eating out was done in moderacy. I feel that the money saved far exceeded the dread of cleaning up the messy kitchen.
Sometimes I wonder if the situation had been different, would I have chosen to live the same lifestyle? I honestly can't say. But I think that a lot was learned in those years and three great children were the reward for MY FRUGAL LIFE!
By Sharon Shearer from Ravenna, Ky
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