Parenting, Party of One

Soccer has been part of Sara's life for as long as she can remember, thanks to a dad who grew up playing in the streets of Egypt and passed his love of the game down to the next generation. This World Cup, that story continues as her four-year-old son begins to truly discover the sport that has connected their family for decades. In this episode, Sara reflects on building traditions as a solo pare...

We've all heard the phrase: It takes a village to raise a child. But after four years of motherhood, Sara’s come to believe something else is true: It takes a village to raise a mom, too. In this episode, Sara reflects on the people who helped shape her long before she became a parent, the friends and family who support her through solo motherhood, and the village that continues to lift her up and...

Today Sara discusses something she never realized she'd miss quite so much: going to the bathroom by herself. As a solo parent, there isn't another adult waiting in the wings when Sara needs a few minutes alone. And while she loves the close bond she shares with her son, she's also come to appreciate how much the bathroom represents more than just a functional space. Sometimes it's privacy. Someti...

Before Sara became a human mom, she was a dog mom. In this deeply personal episode, Sara reflects on the 15 years she spent with Jasmine — the Havanese who quietly helped prepare her for solo motherhood long before her son arrived. What began as companionship slowly became something much bigger: practice in nurturing, responsibility, consistency, and building a life around caring for another being...

Before becoming a solo mom by choice, a social worker encouraged Sara to think about the “family story” she would someday tell her child — how their family came to be and what it all means. Four years later, she still hasn’t written the perfect storybook, script, or polished explanation she imagined she’d need. But somewhere along the way, her son quietly showed her something important: maybe chil...

Today’s episode is another installment of Tiny Tales — three small stories from regular life that somehow reveal something much bigger. First: a passionate household debate over how toilet paper should be stacked and the humbling realization that sometimes “the right way” is just … your way. Then: the promise of adorable cooking subscription boxes meets the reality of impatient preschoolers, surpr...

Mother’s Day is supposed to be flowers, brunch, gratitude, and celebration. But for many moms — especially solo parents — it can feel a lot more complicated. In this honest and reflective episode, Sara shares what Mother’s Day looked like last year after an exhausting night of solo parenting, why “celebration” can still feel like labor, and how motherhood often means making magic while disappearin...

In Part 2 of this special conversation, Sara and her mom discuss the decision that changed everything: Sara choosing solo parenthood. They reflect on the years leading up to it — what her mom saw, what she didn’t question, and why Sara’s path ultimately made sense. From early signs of Sara’s desire to nurture, to honest conversations about support, boundaries, and finances, this episode pulls back...

She’s here! In this special first-ever guest episode, Sara is joined by someone who has shaped her life in more ways than one — her mom, aka “Noona.” What starts as a simple introduction quickly turns into a deeper exploration of childhood, identity, and the unexpected paths that lead us into parenthood. Her mom shares what it was like growing up in a very different era of family life, how those e...

What starts as a full closet … turns into a much bigger conversation. In this episode, Sara shares how running out of physical space in her apartment led to a deeper realization about mental load, future plans, and what it really means to let go — especially as a solo parent. From finances and logistics to sentimentality and identity, Sara walks through why she held onto so much of her son’s baby...

Sara always thought birthday parties were an easy yes — a chance for her son to play, connect, and make memories. But during a particularly heavy season, even something that “checked all the boxes” felt impossible to show up for. So she did something that felt both wrong and right at the same time: she said no. In this episode, Sara opens up about the mental load behind that decision, the invisibl...

Sara dives into the reality of those everyday moments that can quickly spiral, even with the best routines in place. After a particularly chaotic morning, she reflects on how her child’s difficulty with transitions first showed up, what it felt like to seek support, and how working with an occupational therapist shifted her perspective from “behavior” to “needs.” Sara shares the tools that have he...

Sara used to think co-sleeping was one of those things you just … don’t do. You know the warnings: they’ll never leave your bed, you’ll lose your space, it’s a bad habit. And then one tired, casual “whatever” night turned into nine months (so far). From early hesitations to the unexpected gifts, this episode isn’t just about co-sleeping. It’s about questioning the “rules” of parenting, trusting yo...

For Sara, a solo parent who can’t simply say “Watch the kids, I’ll be right back,” grocery shopping is a family affair that frequently involves donuts, Hot Wheels, deli orders, self-checkout “teamwork,” and her four-year-old saying hello to literally every person in the store. In this episode, Sara breaks down why she believes her son is obsessed with the grocery store. Hint: it’s what he gets to...

After six straight days stuck at home (weekend, holidays, and strep throat included), Sara is reminded of a hard truth of solo parenting: when you’re the only adult in the house, your battery is the household battery. In this episode, Sara unpacks why reset days aren’t indulgent — they’re infrastructure. From productivity marathons to lunches with friends to extended-edition movie binges, she expl...

It’s the very first installment of Tiny Tales — three small stories from regular life that somehow feel enormous in the moment. First: the whiplash of watching your child greet their daycare bestie like a tiny executive … when you wiped their butt 14 minutes earlier. Then: a confession about Sara’s true job title — Chauffeur — and her very reasonable belief that parents deserve a luxury car partit...

Every weekday at 8:10am, a timer goes off in Sara’s house. Some mornings, her son pops up and gets dressed. Other mornings? Not even close. In this episode, Sara unpacks the phrase she hears herself saying — in that dreaded tone — when the clock is ticking and the bus is coming: “When Momi says it’s time, you say OK.” What starts as a practical boundary turns into a much bigger reflection on obedi...

Sara once believed solo parenting was all about mastering one-on-one defense — one mom, one kid, fully focused. But after losing her son twice in four hours at a children’s museum (he's fine!), she realized something important: even when you’re parenting solo, you still need a zone. In this episode, Sara shares the story that shifted her perspective — from sprinting through a crowded museum in ful...

It’s mom and son’s birthday week(!) and Sara’s celebrating by sharing 4 hard-won lessons from her first 4 years of parenting. From the never-ending cycle of planning and preparation (yes, even Friday nights require a mental checklist) to learning she can handle way more than she ever thought possible, Sara gets real about what it's like to navigate parenthood — especially solo. She talks about tak...

In Part 2 of The Journey Begins , Sara picks up where she left off — making plans with her doctor, having conversations with family and friends, connecting with a social worker and therapist, selecting her sperm donor (dun dun dun), getting inseminated, and finally hearing the words “you’re pregnant.” In this deep dive, Sara gets real about the pressure of crafting your child’s origin story, what...

This is the origin story. In the first-ever episode of Parenting, Party of One , Sara takes us through the winding path that led her to solo parenthood by choice.  From telling her middle school counselor she wanted to be a mom, to navigating three long-term relationships in her 20s and 30s, to watching friends get married and have babies while wondering when her turn would come — Sara gets honest...

In 2021, Sara made the biggest decision of her life - she chose to have a child on her own. Now, as a full-time working mom, she is comfortable, confident, and crushing it. Well, sort of … it depends on the day. If you're currently solo parenting, curious about the journey, know someone who is, or just need some laughs and oh my goshes ... cozy up for an honest, unfiltered chat. Let’s challenge wh...