We are pleased to have Suzanne of Crunchy Green Mom as September’s Mama Blogger of the Month!

1) You are an amazing single mom of six children. What are their ages and how do you balance it all?

I love to be called an amazing mom! Most of the time I don’t feel like it, however I think as a mom we all judge ourselves harshly. I can brag about my children all day, so I appreciate being given the chance.

Kara is my oldest and she will be 17 in less than a month. It still shocks me to say that.
Ashlyn is my second daughter, she is 14 and just started her first year in high school.
Joseph is my one and only son, he is 13. He is the sports freak in the family.
Faith is 7 and spends all of her time being a princess, it’s a hard job!
Jacqueline is 20 months and such a cutie, she has started to copy everything we say.
Suzanne is the baby and is 8 months old, she has now become a rollie-pollie.

I am a scheduling mom. Babies are in bed by 7:30 p.m., pre-teens are in bed by 9 p.m., and high schoolers are in bed by 10 p.m. Without these set things, my sanity would be gone. I do not stop running until 11 at night, however there is a fulfillment in those hours. I feel like I’m doing something wonderful for my family.

2) In a recent debate on Mile High Mamas about stay-at-home vs. working moms, you submitted to everyone: “Be happy where you are at, or your children will feel the hatred you have for it.” Have you always felt this way?

I have not always believed this, however the longer my children are with me, the more I learn from them.

I believe that children can feel everything, even if they can’t verbalize it. If they see us unhappy in our lives, married or single, working outside of the home or working in the home, they will associate our unhappiness with that. We are all products of our environment.

3) What are the greatest challenges of being a single mom?

Time. It does not stop for anyone. No matter how much we cry, it will keep ticking by. So on those days of track meets, teacher conferences, sickness and money issues, it will continue by. Make the best of it, your children will understand and love you for all of your sacrifices.

4) What advice would you have for other single moms?

Talk to them. Be honest about things that are hard to be honest about. They can handle our short comings, prove to them that you are human, and they will talk to you like you are one. Do not be scared of being the bad lady, we can’t always be their friends, but when they see us they must know that we are strong for them.

Stand up for them! In life, in school and call them out when they are being detrimental to themselves. We have to be everything, Mom, Dad, friend, disciplinarian, teacher, large shoulder to cry on, savior and psychologist.

5) Your blog is “Crunchy Green Mom.” Explain why you chose this name.

I have six kids, I have to make sure there is something of this earth left for them. I want to take my grand kids to the mountains, and the museums, I want to go snowboarding with them and show them the grandest of waterfalls. If I don’t show them how to help and be eco-friendly, there might not be things left for future generations. I am a baby carrying, healthy eating, eco-mom. This seemed fitting for my persona.

6) How has blogging helped you in your life?

Meeting other moms, I needed to get away from just having male friends and start meeting women like me. I needed to have a social network that I could count on and appreciate. Blogging kind of fell in my lap, and I believe it was a point in my life when I was supposed to meet other women and appreciate friendships. It has been such a blessing and I love all my new bloggy friends I’ve made!

Thank you so much for this chance to talk with you. I have loved meeting everyone from here and I can’t wait for a long friendship!

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