Single parents are heroes - it should go without saying. Parenting is hard enough when you've got a whole host of support around you. But when you're the sole care provider the challenge is something else entirely.
So you would hope on the behalf of any single parent that everyone around them is firmly in their corner. Unfortunately, one mum has been left upset after her pal bashed her plans to go to university to study economics. The hardworking mum earned herself a spot on a course at a prestigious university. Yet, when she told one of her close friends about the plan, which she hopes will improve her young family's life, the friend did not offer her support.
Now, she's been left wondering if she should end the friendship.
"I have just got an offer to study an Economics degree at a Russel uni. For context, I am a single mum working on minimum wage. So this degree means the world to me because it will give me opportunities to provide a better life for me and my child," she explained in a post on Mumsnet.
"I recently told one of my closest friends about my offer, she didn’t know I had applied as I hadn’t seen her for a few weeks. Her reaction was disappointing to say the least."
The mum added: "She didn't congratulate me. Instead, she went on a rant about how uni is a waste of time and money and that Economics is really hard. I felt really deflated after the conversation, and still do tbh. She messaged me like everything's normal but I don't view our friendship in the same way since because I don't understand how she can not support me??
"I've only known her for a year but we are super close and she has done a lot to support me with other things in my life. I guess I'm just confused as to why she can't see that this is a blessing for me and to be happy."
Fortunately, comments shared their support instead.
"I had a similar reaction from my best friend when I went away to uni. She stopped speaking to me after I left. Later she admitted she felt left behind and that is was taking me away from her/was jealous as she never went to uni. It didn't end our friendship completely but it was never the same after that," wrote one person.
A second advised: "I would be honest and tell her it hurt. She may have been jealous, she may have been being honest, who knows. But don’t expect her to read your mind and see how she responds after."
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