Some single mothers may believe that love can never come again after a bad relationship. Catherine Tyson-Sewell proves this theory untrue. The optimistic go-getter found love again at 50 years old with a younger husband. She also embraced motherhood again twenty-four years after her single mother journey.
“I was married first at 20 years of age and then became a single mother six years after the marriage failed,” said Tyson-Sewell, recounting her first parenting and marital story.
After experiencing “an unhappy marriage,” and completing one term at a vocational school, Tyson-Sewell remembered her interrupted college plans.
She recalled, “I figured I better go to college and obtain a degree in order to make a decent life for myself and my kids.”
Tyson-Sewell grew up in the Cayman Islands, New York and Miami, Florida. She created a support system that enabled her to attend college while parenting three children. After Tyson-Sewell became a single parent of three young children at 26 years old, she found herself on her own in the United States. Her mother had returned to the islands a few years earlier.
“Thankfully, when I moved into my apartment, it had a community of families, three of which were single mothers. We really helped each other out.”
A pediatrician and two-parent home families were included in the group of women of Tyson-Sewell’s network. Their community functioned as a close-knit village.
Despite supportive helpers, Tyson-Sewell still navigated through poverty and obstacles.
“Getting assistance from the state was also a problem because they don’t approve you if you have something they deem [that] makes you ineligible, like a car,” she recalled.
Tyson-Sewell stuck to her revised plan with a persistent attitude. She graduated from Miami Dade College with an associate degree in Psychology. She earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Florida Atlantic University and a Master’s of Social Work from Barry University.
Photo courtesy of Catherine Tyson-Sewell
“Education was my ticket to success to finally being able to take care of myself and my children and not have to depend on child support or be at risk of ending up in a bad situation just for the financial stability,” she added.
Tyson-Sewell penned “I’m Somebody’s Mama” and “Single Mama: Powerful Not Pitiful.” The books about single parenting evolved because she started to journal while raising her children and working as a social worker. Her “Prince Charming” had not found her three and a half years after she began dreaming about it. Tyson-Sewell decided to turn her journals into funny short stories where she could now laugh at her tough experiences.
She added, “I started to share them with some of my colleagues who thought they were hilarious and quite poignant and thought that I should do a book with these entries.”
“I’m Somebody’s Mama” is composed of short recollections of things ranging from dating to serious topics. “Single Mama; Powerful not Pitiful” includes Tyson-Sewell’s inspiring journey and celebration of being a single mother. She also encourages those who are walking the road alone, reminding them that they can do it well.
The kind of love Tyson-Sewell wanted arrived when she was on the cusp of turning 5O, after she successfully raised three adult children. Today, Tyson-Sewell is a radio personality, author, Director of Miss Global International Cayman Islands and Philippines, and a devoted mother and wife. Her next chapter included giving birth to a new 16-month-old baby who is being raised by Tyson-Sewell and her husband, Ramone Sewell.
“After fighting myself a bit because of the age difference [between my husband and me], I decided to relax and allow myself to be loved by this incredible man who wanted to be my partner and my friend. We got engaged two years after meeting,” she explained.
Tyson-Sewell’s journey reminds single mothers that it is possible to return to school to obtain a vocation, skill or degree. Additionally, it is also possible to find love at any age.
“Being somebody’s mama, you need a special person who respects that and who respects you as a mother to your children and who respects your children. Being in a relationship with someone who is not affected or concerned about your kids or you as a mom is not the right person or situation,” Tyson-Sewell warned.
She recommends that single mothers should find a supportive church and make a list of their necessities and desires.
“Fill yourself daily with affirmations and love and compassion for yourself throughout this journey. Just be kind and gentle to you,” she said.
Visit https://www.instagram.com/realcatherinetyson/?hl=en to find Tyson-Sewell on social media. Locate “Single Mama: Powerful Not Pitiful” via https://www.amazon.com/Single-Mama-Powerful-Not-Pitiful-ebook/dp/B0BN983KGB.
What an inspiration! I clicked on a whim and have a new respect for the plight of single mothers. Great read! I will buy to book and share with my friends n fam.