{"id":185423,"date":"2021-11-02T09:00:38","date_gmt":"2021-11-02T01:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/?p=185423"},"modified":"2021-11-02T12:39:14","modified_gmt":"2021-11-02T04:39:14","slug":"single-parent-sarah-keates-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/single-parent-sarah-keates-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"Sarah Keates breaks down stereotypes about being a single parent in Hong Kong"},"content":{"rendered":"

Being a parent\u2014in any circumstance\u2014is never easy, but being a single parent can be particularly challenging. Nevertheless, single parent Sarah Keates is not a fan of the well-intentioned pity some feel for solo parents\u2014particularly the (usually incorrect) assumption that single mums have been \u2018abandoned\u2019 by their partners, left helpless after following a spouse to Hong Kong. As she points out, there are many valid reasons for parenting solo. \u201cFor most people, they\u2019ve made an informed and well-considered choice to parent their children on their own, recognising that their children will have a better upbringing separately rather than together,\u201d says Sarah.<\/p>\n

So why is there still stigma around this? Why do we make assumptions about single parents when, in reality, each single mum<\/a> or dad<\/a> has their own unique story?<\/p>\n

Sarah\u2019s story<\/h3>\n

Sarah\u2014whose friends joke that she\u2019s \u2018the unofficial poster girl for solo parenting\u2019\u2014is challenging single-parent stereotypes while smashing through glass ceilings as a successful owner of White Orchid Insights<\/a> in Hong Kong. Her life is a balance between a fulfilling career managing her own marketing and PR agency, spending quality time with her son, and prioritising her own physical and mental wellness.<\/p>\n

Desperate to understand how she does it all, I am eager to learn her secret. As a new mum, I have days where my greatest achievement is simply brushing my teeth. I am heavily dependent on help to survive from week to week. I simply can\u2019t imagine how Sarah has the energy to fit it all in.<\/p>\n

\"Single
Spending quality time with your kids as a single parent allows you to develop a unique bond<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An audible groan escapes my lips when she shares how a 5am run every morning keeps her head clear. But that\u2019s not the point, she assures me. \u201cIt\u2019s the act of putting yourself first as a mum. You can\u2019t look after anyone else if you don\u2019t look after yourself first,\u201d shares Sarah. \u201cAs mothers we need to unlearn the guilt we have for looking after ourselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether it\u2019s a 5am run, a weekly facial or a much-needed Saturday morning lie-in, we need to stop feeling guilty that we\u2019re not putting our children first, and prioritise our own physical and mental wellness. It\u2019s not rocket science, and it\u2019s not a new concept, but it\u2019s one that not many people prioritise for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

At home in Hong Kong<\/h3>\n

Hong Kong may not seem like an ideal place to nurture and support solo parents. Unmarried women are unable, by law, to undergo IVF and there\u2019s a significant lack of resources available for single parent families. Non-traditional couples or singles can end up at the bottom of adoption waiting lists for years.<\/p>\n

Despite this, Sarah explains that as a mum in Hong Kong, she\u2019s been able to maintain an alpha role\u2014 build a business, a personal brand, a social life, and active fitness regime\u2014while still enjoying a hands-on role as mum to her son.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Sarah Keates (@sarah_keates_)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n