Today we’d like to introduce you to LaToya Taylor.
Hi LaToya, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m a firm believer that we all have a story. We’ve all experienced and survived things that could be the catalyst to inspire someone going through the exact same thing. My story did not begin with the birth of my son Karson, it was one of many life defining moments that shaped me into who I am now. My first time becoming a mother was my senior year of high school at the age of 18, I was afraid and devastated. I had high expectations to go off to college and here I was pregnant. However, I made the brave decision to continue with my pregnancy and half way through I experienced heart shattering loss. At only 20 weeks of pregnancy, I went into premature labor and delivered a son who sadly did not survive. His name was Samuel. Fast forward 13 years later feeling as though I’d never get the opportunity at motherhood again, but surprise I find out I was pregnant at the age of 31. Single, pregnant and the father wanted no parts of any of it. Although I was thrilled to be pregnant, all sorts of questions flooded my mind. How would I do this alone? I did pray for this, right? Doing this alone was not what I had envisioned for my life or the life of my unborn child. I wanted the family and for the father of my child to be there however, that’s not how things worked out. On February 13, 2018 I welcomed another son Karson (I call him my Valentine baby lol). The reality that I was going to be doing this alone without the help of his father was a difficult pill to swallow in the beginning. I was angry and truly hurt to say the least. I also knew that my son needed me to be my absolute best. I eventually sought the help of a therapist to help me navigate through what I was experiencing and feeling. I choose to walk in my truth by accepting this new normal along with loving this beautiful baby boy God blessed me with. He was chosen for me to be his mommy for a reason. He’s given me so much love and brought so much joy to my life. He truly has helped to change my life for the better. As time went on and my son grew older I started to think about how many other single mothers were going through what I was going through. How many of them have struggled to find balance after giving birth? How many of them have struggled with postpartum depression? How many of them have struggled with “mommy guilt” ? How many of them were struggling financially? I wanted to shed light on these issues and be a voice for others like myself. I wanted to speak to the struggle of other single mothers doing this beautiful, yet challenging work. Who better than myself? Someone who absolutely gets it because I’m living it daily. Thus, in 2021 I created my Single Moms Living on Purpose facebook group. I created this group for other single mother’s like myself in a way to build and foster a community of inspiration and hope. From the creation of the group came my book Hey Moma You Got This! My message to single mothers and truthfully all mothers: we are brilliant, fearless, innovative, selfless, badass women who get it done by any means necessary. We often carry the weight of the world on our shoulders while trying to be everything for everybody. It can be downright overwhelming. We put ourselves last in my cases, but in my book I’m asking mothers to put themselves first. Their mental health, first. Their physical health, first. Their emotional health, first. My hope is that my story and my words will help empower and inspire women from all walks of life.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road at all. I’ve had to endure the criticism of people I know, feelings of “mommy guilt” feeling like I’ve failed my son and feelings of being overwhelmed with motherhood. Struggling with the reality that my son’s father isn’t an active parent. It crushes my heart to know that one day my son is going to want answers about his dad.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Outside of my passion for single mothers, I have my first love which is education. I am a middle school ELA (English Language Arts) teacher. This is my 6th year as an educator and I do not take it lightly. I love the art of teaching and the ability to touch young lives in the process. It truly takes a village to raise a child, as cliche-ish as it may sound- it’s true. The work is hard, but the rewards outweigh the challenges. If I impact one child, I feel I’ve made a contribution in making a difference.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is attending elementary school with my cousins. This elementary school was very special almost magical. We had amazing teachers who showed up daily and gave us their absolute best. We had some of the most amazing cooks in the cafeteria on this side of the Mississippi lol! We are good daily. Real meals are made from scratch and made with love. This school was called Wedlock. I have so many wonderful memories of this school.
Pricing:
- $15 for my book and ebook
Contact Info:
- Website:www.smlop.org
- Instagram: @Smlop4us
- Facebook: Follow Facebook group-single moms living on purpose
- Amazon: Hey Moma, you Got This: 5 Steps to Living a fulfilling Life as a Single Mother By: LaToya Taylor
Image Credits
LaTesa Douglas
Bridget Warren
