Single & Mighty: Inspiration and community for single moms and single dads Carmel Ecker and Lindsay Carlson

Today, we talk to Danusia Malina-Derben, a solo mum with a jaw-dropping list of accomplishments. She's also one of the most supportive women you could ever talk to... someone you'd just love to sit down with for a really long late-night chat. 
We just couldn't wait to share this one with you. 

Danusia became a single parent during a pregnancy with triplets. She made the bold decision to get out of a dangerous situation and lead life on her own terms -- and did she ever. 
After earning her PhD while parenting young children, Danusia is now a sought-after consultant, working with some of the world’s biggest brands. She’s an author, speaker, and inspiration to women worldwide. 

She’s a solo parent of 10 kids (seven of whom are now grown). And she knows what it is to raise neurodivergent, gifted children with additional needs. 

“I'm the kind of single parent that has 24/7 responsibility.”

Danusia tells us, “I want to stress the incredible opportunities that being a single parent brings. It's tough, of course, but being untethered to demands and constraints of someone else can be wonderful. I have been able to accomplish so much because I'm a solo parent.”

“I was able to do this NOT because I'm superwoman but because I've an army of staff. But how do we realise our own potential while holding space for our children as they grow into themselves?” It’s a tough road sometimes, but growing into our own potential is worth it. 

Danusia is host of the acclaimed School for Mothers Podcast that challenges old narratives and practices that limit the potential of individual mothers as their own people. Watch for her new podcast project, Parents Who Think. 
Danusia’s written two culture-changing books: 
NOISE: A Manifesto Modernising Motherhood and then, SPUNK: A Manifesto Modernising Fatherhood.We can’t wait to see what’s next for Danusia!
Get links to resources and background details at singleandmighty.com  Join the community: follow Single & Mighty on Instagram | LinkedInGet Single & Mighty by Email for behind-the-scenes content, community events, and episode highlights.

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Show Markers: 
(00:02:14 - 00:05:21): Danusia discusses her path to becoming a single parent, emphasizing the choice for her and her children's safety. "I got to being a single parent by making a choice...about the safety of my children."(00:05:21 - 00:07:38): She talks about the empowerment and autonomy found in being a single parent. "I've actively stayed single...it is an act of rebellion. As women, it's a revolutionary act to choose to be single."(00:07:50 - 00:09:58): Danusia values the autonomy of being single, enabling her to make decisions without needing approval from a partner. "Autonomy. I do not have to refer to anybody...I don’t have to explain myself."(00:17:00 - 00:19:31): She discusses societal pressures and expectations placed on women, particularly single mothers. "We are...seen as dangerous women when we are not tethered to a man."(00:31:00 - 00:32:45): Danusia encourages single parents to pursue their passions and create fulfilling lives regardless of their relationship status. "It's about choosing your own needs...settling isn’t worth it at any cost."(00:32:45 - 00:34:56): Danusia talks about her books, "Noise" and "Spunk," which explore modern motherhood and fatherhood, challenging traditional narratives. "Noise...is the underpinning myths about what it takes to be a mother and to be yourself still."

Can you be a “good mom” if your kids don’t live primarily with you? 
This story touches on one of the more vulnerable possibilities we can imagine as single parents. 
For Carina, that meant not having her kids live with her. 
As heartbreaking as that may sound, for Carina, it was a chance to grow and rediscover her sense of self. 
Today, Carina has a powerful sense of self, she's found joy and laughter in her home, and (with her partner) she coaches others through their relationships. She’s clear on what she wants, knows how to set boundaries, and she has a lot to teach us. 
She's also created a space and a life her kids enjoyed spending time in. 
Carina shows how important it is to be true to yourself, and make decisions that are best for your family's specific situation -- despite social pressures that may tell us otherwise. She truly supported her children’s choices and life paths, no matter what that looked like for her. 
We loved this conversation with Carina. It reminded us that every parenting situation is unique, and that we always need to remember the bigger picture for ourselves and our kids.
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To wind down the year, we're bringing it all back to the raw, real, and sometimes hilarious world of single parenting. Your hosts Lindsay Carlson and Carmel Ecker talk about  the challenges we face as single or solo parents during the holiday season, how we balance our own needs with those of our families, and how we can empower our kids to be a part of creating new holiday traditions.
With Single & Mighty, you're never parenting alone. Let's wrap up this year with strength, love, and a bit of holiday cheer!
Enjoying this show? Leave us a review so we can reach more single parents.Follow us on Instagram for more single parenting insights, laughs, and community support.For transcripts, shownotes, and resources, visit SingleandMighty.com.

In this episode, Samantha Isales delves into her life as a first-generation college graduate and single mom. Learn about her struggles, triumphs, and advocacy for marginalized communities.
Samantha became a single mom in high school, facing struggles due to lack of support from school advisors and teachers. She worked hard to balance supporting her family, caring for her son, and continuing her education. Despite these challenges, she graduated from an alternative high school within the same year and went on to college. 
From an early age, Samantha had to balance her goals and education with parenting and making a living. Her experience and now her advocacy work remind us how important community support is and the impact we can have when we understand each other's challenges. 
Join us as Samantha Isales shares her inspiring journey from a high school single mom to a college graduate and community advocate. 
1:49 - Listen for how educators reacted when Samantha became a parent in high school and how she managed to continue her education and believe in her own ability to succeed. We also talk about a more helpful approach educators could take when finding out about teenage pregnancy. 
5:28 - How she became the first in her family to graduate college despite the challenges. 
19:15 - Samantha’s heart for advocacy and how she’s building a career where she can give back to her community. 
Tune in for a genuine conversation about overcoming some of life’s toughest challenges and what can happen when we help each other out.

If you’ve ever felt thrown off balance by life’s changes, you’re not the only one! Divorce, co-parenting, single parenting, and then becoming an empty nester… the whole journey can make your head spin! 

Grab your fave hot drink and download our conversation with Adele Fraser -- an amazing coach and single parent who has been through a lot of change, handling it with a ton of grace and creativity . 

From the initial shock and adjustment of becoming a single parent, to more recently having her young adult kids leave home, Adele embraces the unexpected opportunities that come when everything changes. 

Listen for: 
How she found her sense of self after an unexpected divorce... and built up an amazing life as a single parent. The creative ways she found to help her kids through divorce and living in two homes. Dealing with change as her kids grew up and moved out -- something that can be super hard for many of us. What she does for fun these days. We loved Adele's creative and smart approach to problem solving... we hope you'll enjoy it too! 

Today's episode is a little different. We're having a conversation with Kelly Rose Lamb of the Bold podcast. 
She asked us about single parenting, and we asked her about her mission to help women give themselves permission to step off the expected and well-worn path, which of course is something single moms are very familiar with.
Throughout the conversation, we explore how difficult it can be to step away from convention and do what’s right for us, whether it’s choosing to be a single parent or saying no to all the expectations society has for women.
Kelly’s story reminds us that even people who are living a different path than us can have similar experiences that contain universal truths we can all relate to. 
In this double interview we discuss:
Being a single parent is better than being in a bad relationshipFeeling proud of being a single parent and telling your storyThe positive legacy of difficult experiencesHow small brave acts can add up to a bold lifeEmbracing the process of your unique experienceThis episode goes beyond the single parent experience and speaks to something bigger. We hope you enjoy it and get some insights to help you on your path forward.