Single mom is caring for two and preparing to move

Marie-ève loved having her first child. When she accidentally became pregnant with her second late last year, right away she knew she wanted to have another, even though she knew the father wouldn't be in the picture.

She said it's not easy balancing being a single mother with whatever life throws her way, including having a child in the middle of a pandemic. On top of everything, she's in the midst of preparing for a move later this month, from co-op housing in Griffintown to a place large enough for two young children on the South Shore.

“Right now, my days are about taking care of my baby, dropping my daughter off at school and packing boxes,” she said.

Marie-ève grew up in a household with three siblings, and she wanted to offer a similar enriching experience for her five-and-a-half-year-old daughter. Fortunately for mom, she has raised a mature youngster who helps out around the home. She doesn't feel alone raising her two-month-old.

“She helps me get things when I need them,” she said. “She's so responsible.”

Right now, Marie-ève is on maternity leave. She's looking forward to returning to work later next year, when her youngest can go to daycare. But with a major move impending, it's hard for her to think about anything else at the moment.

“When you're a single mother, you don't have time to sit down,” she said. “I have a great support system and friends who help me out, but in the end it's me who tucks them in at night and wakes them up in the morning. But I have no regrets. I absolutely love my children.”

This year, Marie-ève will be one of the thousands of Montrealers in need to receive a $125 cheque from the Montreal Gazette Christmas Fund. The fund helps make the holidays a little easier for those in tough situations.