Choice Mom Expo

I received this email from my SMC group:

"The first-ever Choice Mom Expo will be held on April 28 at the Berkeley Faculty Club in California. Registration is now in process at www.ChoosingSingleMotherhood.com. Please pass the word to anyone you know in the area. We have an amazing group of speakers, and expect close to 200 women to attend.Registration will include the cost of: lunch, childcare, refreshments, gift bag, intimate Q&A opportunities with more than 14 speakers, and a valuable 75-page Choice Mom Handbook of informaton and advice. We are able to offer the Expo at an early-registration price of $42 (it goes up after April 9).Speakers and topics are still developing, but include:

Anne Bernstein, "Answering the Daddy Question"
Alice Ruby, "Trends in Donor Conception"
Dr. Susan Willman, "What to Expect When You're Trying to Expect"
Lynne Jacobs, "The Adoption Option for Single Women"
Ellen Resneck, "Financial Planning Tips for the Choice Mom"
Linda Scarparotti, "What You Should Know About Estate Planning"
Rachel Sarah, "Dating as a Single Mom"
Christy Jones, "The Egg Freezing Option"
Ami Jaeger, "Negotiating with a Known Donor"
Leah Klungness, "Parenting Advice for the Choice Mom"
Diane Ehrensaft, "Acknowledging the 'Birth Other'"
Ameriprise Luncheon Speaker: Karen Miller, "Momma Zen"

Gift bags for all participants will include the Choice Mom Handbook, giveaways, and discounts. Registrants thus far include women coming from Albuquerque to Tacoma, and a majority from the Bay Area.

Any questions, feel free to ask. Mikki Morrissette, author, "Choosing Single Motherhood"612-202-9022-- www.ChoosingSingleMotherhood.com
www.VoicesofDonorConception.com "

What I Love Best About Being a Single Mom

I get to choose where we go on weekends.

If I don't feel like cooking, I just pick up Tory at day care and off we got o Sweet Tomatos.

I don't have to clean the house unless someone is coming over.

If the cat is snoring, I can just pick her up and throw her out of bed.

When Tory says "I love you" it's always followed by "mommy."

I don't have to be a short order cook if everyone doesn't want the same thing.

I can spend my evenings on the floor with Tory playing with toys.

I don't have to listen to anyone rehashing their work day, day after day after day.

I am head of household on my taxes.

I don't have to worry about anyone else messing up the bank account (I do well enough messing it up on my own!).

NO MOTHER-IN-LAW to give me parenting advice!

No haggling about what religion to raise the child under.

I could name her whatever I wanted.

I can make decisions inside my head rather than out loud, ending with "is that okay with you?"

I can discipline however I want!

Such great support from the single mom community.

Being a single mom forces me to get out of the house and make friends. It forces me to find funa nd interesting things for me and Tory to do. It forces me to learn more about my own creativity in order to encourage hers. It forces to me think about math as a useful tool so I can help her some day with ehr homework. I reminds me of my ABCs and 123s. It teaches me more about child developement. I have found all of the child friendly establishments in Portland.

We are on a first name basis with the Wiggles.

But the number one, most important, best thing that I love about being a single mom....


(Drum Roll Please....)


TORY!!!!

(What did you think I was going to say?)

What do you love best about being a single mom?