Life Lessons - Xavy & Mom

having a dog as a solo parent philippines

Parenting

Having a Dog as a Solo Parent Philippines (2026)

I have had dogs through most of the chapters of my life, including the ones where I was raising a child on my own. There is something nobody tells you about having a dog as a solo parent – it is both harder and more worthwhile than you expect. Harder because you are the only one responsible for everything. More worthwhile because of what it adds to the household, especially for a child growing up with a single parent trying

Xavy's Mom 31.08.2026 No Comments

Life Lessons

Our Simala Pilgrimage (2026)

There is something about Simala that makes you go quiet before you even get there. The drive up already feels like a slow letting go of whatever was weighing on you that week. We went last weekend — kasama namin si cousin and her kids — and it felt heavier and more meaningful than any of our previous visits. This was her first time back since her husband passed away last year. Watching her walk that road again, navigating this

Xavy's Mom 24.03.2026 No Comments

Daily Ramblings

The Solo Parent’s ReadMe File

Essential Documentation for the “Triple Life” OS If you’ve ever downloaded a new piece of software or joined a project on GitHub, the first thing you look for is the README.md. It tells you what the project does, how to install it, and—most importantly—what to do when it inevitably breaks. As a solo parent juggling an IT career, freelance gigs, and a teenager in the province, I realized I’ve never actually published my own documentation. New people enter my life

Xavy's Mom 18.03.2026 No Comments

Parenting

How We Prepped for RTPM Science High (2025)

J and I are both RTPM Science High alumni. So when it came time to think about high school for Xavy, there wasn’t much deliberation. That was the school. That had always been the school. What I didn’t fully account for was how much work getting him there would actually take — or how little time we’d end up having to do it. We started reviewing less than a month before the exam. I know. Not ideal. But between school,

Xavy's Mom 27.05.2025 No Comments

Daily Ramblings

Finding Sunshine in the Shadows: A Single Mom’s Tale of Happy Pessimism

Ah, “happy pessimism.” It sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? Like sunshine on a rainy day, or maybe more accurately, knowing it will rain but still enjoying the warmth of the sun while it lasts. As an introvert, my mind often runs through all the possible scenarios, and let’s be honest, they aren’t always rainbows and unicorns. Combine that with the daily tightrope walk of being a single mom juggling a full-time job and squeezing in those IT gigs online

Xavy's Mom 01.05.2025 No Comments

Daily Ramblings

Flying Solo with Murphy’s Law

You know Murphy’s Law, right? That delightful little nugget of wisdom stating that “anything that can go wrong will go wrong”? In my world, straddling the exhilarating tightrope of solo-parenting Xavy, and the wonderfully predictable unpredictability of the IT world, it feels less like a joke and a fundamental operating principle. You’re spot on. In IT, approaching projects with a healthy dose of “what if” isn’t about being a Debbie Downer; it’s about being prepared. Deploying an update without anticipating

Xavy's Mom 30.04.2025 3 Comments

Daily Ramblings

The Uneven Farewell: Navigating Endings with a Touch of Happy Pessimism

The past few years, I’ve learned that the way we grapple with endings is as varied and complex as life itself. The question of how to come to terms with the fact that everything, even the good things, comes to an end… my own experience highlights the uneven terrain of acceptance. When Shepherd, our beloved 12-year-old Labrador Retriever, passed two years ago, there was a genuine sadness, but also a sense of peace. He’d lived a full life, and I

Xavy's Mom 29.04.2025 No Comments

Daily Ramblings

The Art of the Hilarious Hindsight (and Solo Parent Survival)

Being an introvert navigating the exhilarating (and exhausting) world of solo-parenting, while juggling a full-time job and my trusty IT side hustle, means my life is a carefully constructed series of logical steps… that occasionally trip over their own feet in the most spectacular fashion. Our two canine companions, a dignified Belgian Malinois and a perpetually nonchalant Shih Tzu, are steadfast witnesses to these moments. When asked about a time I failed so hard it was actually funny, my mind

Xavy's Mom 28.04.2025 No Comments

Daily Ramblings

Signs That You Have Hurt A Narcissist

Narcissists have a fragile sense of self-esteem masked by an often grandiose exterior. When they perceive they’ve been hurt, criticized, slighted, or their self-image is threatened, it’s known as a narcissistic injury or wound. This can trigger a variety of defensive reactions, often intense and seemingly disproportionate to the situation. Here are some signs that you may have hurt a narcissist: Intense Emotional Reactions (Narcissistic Rage): Explosive anger or rage: This can manifest as shouting, screaming, insults, threats, or

Xavy's Mom 17.04.2025 No Comments

Category: Life Lessons