Whilst a child fills a house and a life there is still time, particularly in the night when a child sleeps, that a single parent can be left wanting for company. There’s no debrief of the day, no ‘adult’ conversation. Eat dinner in silence – yes it has been done.
An odd sound in the night? The single mother must investigate. Home maintenance required? She’ll have to tend to it, if she calls in a repairman she’ll probably pretend her husbands not home so that he doesn’t know she lives alone. The bins need to go out, and back in the next day – the single mother has to do it – in my case with baby strapped to chest. A medical emergency? She must make and back her own decisions, sometimes in the dark of night.