25th September is World Frolo Day – two years since the launch of the Frolo app. To celebrate, we spoke to Cat, one of the Frolo community’s favourite members.

I have the absolute honour to share a little about myself to you all.

My name is Cat and despite my vocal tendencies for putting people straight or sticking up for other Frolos if I feel the need I am rather shy and introverted in real life believe it or not! I just really hate unjust behaviour and relatively recently found my voice, so apologies to anyone who’s met *Bouncer Cat* – I’m an easy going person really!

I am also a solo parent to an adventurous four year old and we’ve been this way for two and a half years now. So far it’s certainly been a journey!

The best thing about being a single parent for me is just being able to calmly be a parent. To be able to do all the everyday, mundane things like housekeeping, keeping track of finances, loud early mornings, preparing and eating dinner together and doing nice early bedtime routines with ease and with no real stress. But most importantly it’s being able to fully embrace all that parenting is with a boisterous four year old in tow.  

Being a single parent has taught me that honouring yourself and your morals is the bedrock to creating a secure and stable home life for you and your family. It has taught me that regardless of what is potentially thrown at you, that lion or lioness within you will always keep you strong and resilient in the darkest of times, because we know that our cubs need us to withstand the world until they’re willing and able to stand with us as a united front.

The best thing about Frolo is everyone that’s part of it! The whole lot of you make the community what it is. A whole bunch of single parents from all walks of life, parenting styles and backgrounds with that one thing in common – we’re all single parents trying our best to navigate this crazy world. And with such an eclectic and diverse range, there is always at least one other frolo able to give advice and reassurance from their own experiences when someone needs it, and that can be life changing or even life saving at times. So thank you all for being you and allowing this site to do its thing.

Being a single parent has taught me that honouring yourself and your morals is the bedrock to creating a secure and stable home life for you and your family.

My top single parenting tip is that you must learn to compartmentalise your life. For instance, if like me you have been or are currently going through a rather tough time of it, you must try and focus your mind and deal with very stressful adult stuff while child free, so you can be the best version of you for when you’re with your child. I’ve found simple meditative tricks while on the school run works a treat. Time, patience and self care is key to get to this mindset.

I haven’t been to a real life Frolo Meetup as of yet – *driving lessons pending* – but can not wait to get involved with all these epic looking camping trips that so many of you are going on!!! I keep meaning too to join the Friday night Zooms but chicken out and go to bed at my usual time! I will one day. I really appreciate all the more serious Zooms that are available. Absolutely worth checking them out.

Frolo is beyond just a good thing for me, its core values ring true and it has given me the ability to navigate what was an extraordinarily turbulent time when I first joined. So thank you you Frolo lot, and to Zoe and her amazing team for doing what you do day in and out. You’re changing lives for the better.

‍