Can You Start a Hobby as a Single Mom?

Not every mom has the privilege of having a partner that contributes to raising their littles and navigating parenting AND being a person. There’s nothing wrong with it – no matter the why behind it! Still, when you’re parenting your kids alone, it might seem impossible to find time for yourself, let alone start a hobby. You might ask yourself, can you start a hobby as a single mom?

Here’s the deal, yes you can start a hobby as a single mom. In fact, every mom deserves to have a hobby of their own. You’re more than a mom, you’re a human being that has to take care of yourself too.

But, just saying you deserve to have a hobby is not quite the answer you’re looking for – or even enough information to get you there. For example, how are you going to find time for a hobby as a single mom? What hobbies are best for single moms to start? How do you manage a hobby as a busy mom?

All good – and fair – questions. Let’s break it down further and really answer the question “can you start a hobby as a single mom?”

How You Can Start a Hobby as a Single Mom

When you’re a single mom, it always feels like there are never enough hours in the day. So when someone suggests you take care of yourself or find something to spend your free time doing, you’re left wondering “what free time?” While hobbies are a great way to promote a little motherly self-care, it doesn’t always seem feasible in our busy schedules.

Don’t let that stop you! We’re going to walk through the few steps to starting a hobby as a single mom:

Step #1: Pick Your Hobby

Let’s be honest, there are tons of hobbies to start as a mom, but not all of them are going to work with a busy schedule. For example, you probably won’t have time to whip out a full paint-by-numbers kit or diamond painting – both of which require space, and time, and are not suitable for little hands (aka your kids).

You’ll need to pick a hobby that works for YOU and your schedule. Most importantly, your hobby needs to bring you joy. Otherwise, what’s the point of having a hobby? Here are a few of the best hobbies for single moms:

Reading
Knitting
Coloring
Photography
Blogging
Cooking
Writing
Walking/Running
Origami
Yoga

Of course, you’ll need to consider what age your kids are before starting a hobby. You wouldn’t want to start knitting if you don’t have a safe space out of a toddler’s reach to keep your supplies.

Step #2: Find Time For Your New Hobby

Finding time is one of the most difficult aspects of starting a hobby – and it always seems never-ending. Other moms might be able to rely on a partner to care for the kids while they spend time on hobbies for themselves, but unless you have close friends or family, that may not be an option for you.

As a single mom, finding time for a hobby is more like making time for a hobby. You’ll need to choose when and where you can do your hobby – which is why the hobby list for single moms is a bit limited. Many of the hobbies I recommend can be done anywhere and at any time.

You can take photos during your child’s dance class, wake up early for some early-morning yoga, or have a specific time dedicated during the day to coloring or reading – both of which are hobbies that your kids can participate in too! Sometimes in the quest to do something for yourself, you’ll end up including your kids (and that’s totally okay and sometimes unavoidable).

Step #3: Stick With It!

Now that you’ve picked your hobby and you’ve decided on a time to do it, you have to actually stick with it! Consistency is what’s going to bring joy to your hobbies and not a disappointment. There’s nothing worse than having a plan to do something amazing – like start a hobby – and the feeling of disappointment that comes with skipping over it.

Motherhood is going to get in the way sometimes. Don’t stress about the unavoidable moments! Instead, focus on reintroducing your “me time” and hobby into your routine or day.

If you’re skipping on your hobby because you simply don’t like it, try something else! You can try as many hobbies as you like. You can try a few at a time to see what you prefer or try them one at a time. Either way, you’re working towards finding a hobby that you can love.

Can You Start a Hobby as a Single Mom?

What’s the final verdict? Can you start a hobby as a single mom? I’m sticking to my initial answer and saying heck yes! Just because you’re doing this mom thing on your own doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do a little bit for yourself too!

While you might not be ready to tackle the most complicated or time-consuming hobbies in the world (like crocheting), you can definitely try the lighter, on-the-go hobbies! Did you know that coffee counts as a hobby too? It might even be the perfect hobby for moms, particularly busy moms if you know what I mean!

What I’m trying to say is that you don’t need to feel limited in what you can do to bring joy to your life outside of your children. There’s no specific way you have to do or start a hobby, it’s all suggestions!

What hobby do you think you could try as a single mom? Let me know in the comments below!