Playing in the cat litter is fine...... unattended one year old crawling or walking everywhere when no one is watching is not. You don't want to find him drinking the bottle of cleaner under the kitchen sink, or any other many possibilities where they can harm themselves so easily. I would say that's what you need to think about.

No you are not !!! It's tough, hard, but will be ok at the other end of the tunnel. Sorry, not a Single Mom

It's not hard. Keep in mind that your needs outweigh their wants. You matter too. Don't feel guilty. Guilty parents raise unpleasant children.

Aw... I can relate! I made it all the way... It took years but I took it day by day and tried to live in "present" mode. Thinking about the past didn't help and worrying about the future was scary. The best thing I learned was that even though it was hard with work and school and all the other things that kept us on a tight schedule, I slowed it down any chance I got. Sometimes with reading a book before bed or stopping the car on the way to school to check out something interesting to look at on our way home from the doctor's office. All these moment's added up and made some good memories that we referred to when times got overwhelming. Hang in there. It really does go by fast and to me, is the best thing I ever did in my life. Us single mother's see that after the fact!

Trust your instincts and be guided by love. Sometimes a support group of other parents helps also.

Wishing you the very best... Many men been raised by women. Including me.

The most powerful line I ever heard in a commercial was: Want to know how much the world weighs? Ask a single mom.

Lots of wisdom in all the comments that came before mine. I was incredibly insecure myself when my son was born, with terrible postpartum depression that was undiagnosed and untreated. I was married and soon divorced. His father eventually became my best friend but essentially I was a single mom. Thoughts come to mind: 1. you care deeply about him, that is evident and that is everything. 2. I went through my son's childhood always worried about my capacity as a parent until he finally looked at me as an older teen and said: 'mom, when you worry about how you raised me, you're actually saying something is wrong with me. Is that what you really want to say? Because I think I turned out pretty good.' 3. Maya Angelou was a single mother. 4. you have community here, laura: take advantage of us all and know that you have a village here to help you through as you raise your child. Lovely pic of you two, btw.

Take it one day at a time as cliche as it sounds. Kids do all sorts of crazy things but as long as they are loved and looked after that's all that matters.

I was widowed when my kids were ages 6 and 9. The youngest just graduated from high school. It's been a rollercoaster ride for sure, but they never doubted that I love them or have their backs. We made it! (:

My solo parenthood did not start as early as yours, perhaps, but I got to set the tone of our household, just as you get to. There will be frustrating moments and rewarding happenings. Strap in and enjoy the ride! It'll pass by faster than you can imagine!