I have been raising two awesome daughters for 12 years as a single parent.

During this time I have dated, worked in various jobs, gained a BA and an MA in English Literature and Cultural studies, had surgery on one of my discs, created a garden, had a total meltdown, moved house twice, survived toddler tantrums and terrifying teenage rebellion ... but I have laughed a lot and learned a lot and I don't regret a minute.

The lovely Ann Marie Dwyer has asked me to be the Single Parenting Steward here on Helium, so *please* let me know if I can help you in any way, or if you have any suggestions, ideas or worries about anything at all related to Single Parenting or to Helium. I will do my very best to help you ... or to find someone who can!

Being a single parent is different to being a parent in a two-parent family, in lots of ways. It's not simply that one person must do the job of two people, must carry alone the responsibility that is usually shared; there are many extra challenges for a single parent.

Helium is a great place to share our experiences, to support and encourage each other, something that can make all the difference when struggling as a single parent ... I am so excited about this new channel and all the positive possibilities!

Thank you for this amazing opportunity, Ann Marie!

Dianne :o)

My passion is ...

words!

I know too much about ...

how confusing the opposite sex is!

My parents always told me ...

You're a pain in the bum! (Or, they should have!)

My childhood ambition ...

to be a vet/pilot/lawyer ...

My favorite memory ...

the births of my daughters and my graduation.

Why I write ...

because I love it! And I hope it might be useful to someone.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. Shameless. Snow Patrol.

My first job ...

a waitress in a coffee shop in Edinburgh.

My best moment ...

too many to say ...

My inspiration ...

my phenomenal friends and family :o)

Politics, News & Issues > Environmental Awareness Easy ways your family can "go green"

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There are lots of easy ways your family can go green. Going green is not about huge sacrifices or expensive products and technology. It's about conservation (of energy, natural resources, water, paper, the environment, the flora and fauna we share it with) and small changes will often make a big difference, benefiting your family as well as the planet.

Regardless of all the controversy and debate about global warming, it makes sense to treat our home (the planet we live on, the only inhabitable planet in the Universe as far as we know) with respect and consideration.

It's a good idea ...

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