‘saturday night on your own is awfully lonely’

‘it isn’t easy finding friends in your 30s’

Megan Thomas, 30, is a business owner. She lives in Kent and is a single mum to two children aged five and three. monday through to Friday is full-on. Running my business, after-school clubs and play dates mean I never get a moment to myself. I go to the gym four times a week and put in a few hours on my business when the kids are in bed. Life passes by in a blur until the kids’ dad comes to pick them up on Saturday lunchtime. Then the chaos of family life stops until Sunday evening.

while I try to busy myself with housework and washing, there are only so many hours you can spend on such chores. I combat the loneliness by trying to go out with my friends. It doesn’t happen often.

most of them are married and their weekends revolve around their family. as crazy as it sounds, sometimes it can take up to four months for them to find a spare window in their diary.

I’m trying to find other friends but it isn’t easy when you are in your 30s. Sometimes I’m my own worst enemy. I can be sat at home on a Saturday evening kicking myself for not having arranged something to do. Everyone else is living their life while at times mine can feel like it is passing me by. It doesn’t seem as bad in the week, but a Saturday night on your own is awfully lonely.

I am guilty of spending hours on social media and looking at what friends are up to. I know I’m not the only single parent who feels this way. I wouldn’t want my kids to know how I feel. It’s important they enjoy their time with their dad without feeling guilty.