Loneliness is something many single parents experience, but far fewer feel comfortable admitting. There’s often an unspoken belief that by a certain point, you should be coping. That once routines are in place and life looks settled from the outside, feelings of loneliness should have faded away.

But that isn’t how it works for many people.

Loneliness doesn’t always mean being on your own. It can show up even when life is full, when days are busy, and when you’re doing everything you’re supposed to be doing. And yet, many single parents carry it quietly, worried that saying it out loud somehow reflects badly on them.

“I felt like I should be past this by now”

One of the reasons loneliness feels so hard to talk about is the stigma attached to it. Single parents are often praised for being strong, resilient, and independent. While those qualities are real, they can also make it harder to admit when something feels missing.

As one Frolo member shared:

“People kept telling me how well I was doing, so I felt guilty for feeling lonely. It was like I wasn’t allowed to find it hard anymore.”

There’s a common assumption that loneliness only belongs to the early days after separation. But for many single parents, it appears later on, once the noise of change has quietened and the reality of doing everything solo settles in.

Another parent told us:

“I didn’t feel lonely straight away. It crept in months later, when everyone else seemed to have moved on and I was still adjusting.”

Loneliness isn’t a failure to move on

Feeling lonely doesn’t mean you regret your choices, miss your ex, or want your old life back. Often, it’s about missing connection, shared understanding, and having someone who really gets your day-to-day experience.

Many single parents describe feeling lonely even when surrounded by people. Friends may be supportive, but if they haven’t lived solo parenting life, there can still be a gap.

“I had people to talk to, but I still felt like no one really understood the mental load I was carrying,” one Frolo parent explained.

Loneliness is often less about the number of people around you, and more about feeling seen.

Why single parents don’t always say it out loud

For some, admitting loneliness feels like admitting weakness. For others, it feels uncomfortable because life is objectively “fine”. The kids are OK. Work is ticking along. Things are manageable.

So why complain?

But loneliness doesn’t need a crisis to exist. It doesn’t mean someone is ungrateful or unhappy with their life. It simply means a human need for connection isn’t being met in the way it once was.

“I kept telling myself I had no right to feel lonely,” one member said. “But knowing that other single parents felt the same way helped me realise it wasn’t something to be ashamed of.”

Normalising the conversation

At Frolo, we hear this again and again. Loneliness is one of the most common feelings shared within the community, and also one of the least talked about openly.

That’s why normalising it matters.

Talking about loneliness doesn’t make it worse. In fact, for many people, it’s the first step towards feeling better. Reading a post that resonates, seeing someone else describe exactly how you feel, or joining a group chat where you don’t have to explain yourself can make a real difference.

As one Frolo parent put it:

“Just knowing I wasn’t the only one feeling this way made it easier to breathe.”

Connection doesn’t have to be big

Connection doesn’t have to mean filling your diary or suddenly becoming more social than you want to be. For some, it starts with reading and listening. For others, it’s commenting on a post, joining a Group Chat, or slowly building the confidence to meet someone locally for a coffee or a walk.

There’s no right pace, and no right way to do it.

“I didn’t rush into anything,” one member shared. “I just stayed connected in small ways, and over time, that really helped.”

You’re not doing anything wrong

If loneliness is something you’re experiencing as a single parent, you’re not failing, and you’re not behind. You’re navigating a life that changed shape, and some feelings take longer to settle than others.

Loneliness doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means connection matters.

And you deserve support while you find it.

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