Support Groups for Single Parents in Tulsa
When I divorced, most of my friends were still happily married. Although some friends were uncomfortable with my new marital status, most of my friends stayed loyal and continued to be my friend despite the disparity in our situations. My friends were wonderful and we still had many things in common but there were issues of being a single parent were something only another person in that situation could really relate to.
Several years later, I worked with three other women who were single mothers and fortunately, they each had two daughters that were very close in age to my daughters! The four of us decided we would form a Friday night informal support group. We took turns meeting at one another’s house and bringing food, drinks and kids. We started off very organized, following a Bible study specifically designed for single mothers. Despite our best intentions, it didn’t take many weeks before our “Bible study” digressed into talk sessions. We shared our feelings, fears, worries and joys. All the parenting issues normally discussed with a spouse, we discussed with one another. As time went on, we helped each other out with occasional child care and even took a few vacations together with our kids.
While we vented, talked and bonded, our eight elementary age daughters hung out in the den watching movies and having their own conversations. Besides being a support for the moms, it became a support system for our daughters as well. They understood each other’s situations like their other friends didn’t. They knew what it was like to miss a friend’s birthday party because they were at their Dad’s house, they understood the desire to have their parents back together and the hurt feelings when stepsiblings had more access to their Dads than they did. Probably more than anything, it helped them to know they weren’t the only kids that had divorced parents.
Our support group was fairly short lived as within a few years, two or the women got remarried and one moved to a new city. But despite its brevity the group served a valuable purpose at a vulnerable time in our lives. Everyone needs a few friends they can confide in and vent with. Being a single parent is an experience that only others in that situation can relate to.
I was very fortunate to find others in my situation that I could connect with but if you don’t have divorced friends, there are formal support groups that may be a good fit for you. I was surprised at how few groups I found in Tulsa, if you know of other groups, please share that information in the comments section below!
Support Groups for Single Parents in Tulsa
Abiding Harvest Church
4407 S. Olive Ave. Broken Arrow, OK
Abiding Harvest sponsors a group for single mothers called Emerge. They meet the first and third Sundays of every month at 5 p.m. at the church. Not only is free childcare provided but also a meal for parents and children! For more information contact Terri Dietrich at 918-449-1970
Asbury Methodist Church
6767 S Mingo Road, Tulsa 918-492-1771
Asbury offers a divorce support group called DivorceCare. From the website: “This support group uses the book, Rebuilding When Your Relationship Ends, along with video media and print sources to guide interactive discussion in a circle of care setting to help participants rebuild their lives. Topics covered include denial, grief, guilt, rejection, anger, trust and others. The group meets each Wednesday for 90 minutes beginning at 6:30 pm in Room 1502, with male and female co-facilitators. New participants are welcome at any time. For more information, contact Jim Small at asburydivorce@outlook.com.”
