12 Single Parents Who Proved They Don’t Need a Partner to Bring Up Their Kids

Around 6.8% of children under the age of 18 around the world live in single-parent homes. And in European countries, about 11% of households have a mother as the primary carer, while the percentage for men is 3%. No matter how hard it is to support a child all by yourself, these people do it and try to be great at it. The same goes for celebrities who don’t have a partner or their child’s other parent to help out on a daily basis.

Now I’ve Seen Everything wants to show our admiration for those who bring up their kids all by themselves.

1. Norman Reedus

The star of The Walking Dead TV series, Norman Reedus, has been raising his son Mingus alone for many years. He had been dating supermodel Helena Christensen for about 5 years, but their relationship fell apart. The couple shares joint custody of their son, however, he has lived most of his life with his father in Los Angeles. Today Mingus is 20 years old. Several years ago, Norman Reedus started dating actress Diane Kruger and in 2018, they had a daughter.

2. Drew Barrymore

The American actress and TV host divorced her husband in 2016 when her daughters were 4 and 2. Drew Barrymore is very outspoken about raising her kids alone and admitted that it’s not always easy, however, she loves being a single mom, saying, ’’I get to wear a lot of different hats with my kids. So I feel really fulfilled." The 46-year-old even revealed that she had started going on dates again only recently, but one thing she knows for sure is that she will ’’never, ever, ever, ever get married again."

3. Charlize Theron and daughters Jackson and August

The Hollywood star revealed that she knew she wanted to adopt since she was 8-years-old. And she finally made her childhood dream come true in 2012 when she first welcomed her daughter, Jackson, into her life. 3 years later, another girl, August, joined the small family.

The actress is a proud single mom who thinks that ’’there is absolutely no shame in that game to be in a relationship with yourself." She went on saying that she’s “never been lonely” because her 2 daughters are “the great loves of her life.”

4. Ricky Martin

In 2008, without a partner, Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin fulfilled his desire to be a dad after the arrival of Matteo and Valentino, both conceived through surrogacy. They are very important in the singer’s life and, in December 2018, little Lucia was born, conceived in the same way as her brothers, thus fulfilling the artist’s dream of adding a little girl to his family unit.

5. Liam Neeson

The British actor, famous for his starring role in the film Schindler’s List, became a single father after a tragedy. In 2009, his wife, actress Natasha Richardson, had an accident that resulted in her death. This left him in charge of his 2 children, Micheál and Daniel. Later, he tried to rebuild his life with another woman but the relationship didn’t go well. Recently, the prestigious actor confessed that he still hasn’t managed to get over his wife’s death.

6. Irmelin Indenbirken — Leonardo DiCaprio’s mother

Leonardo DiCaprio is the only child of comic book author George DiCaprio and court clerk Irmelin Indenbirken. When the boy was only one year old, George and Irmelin broke up. Leonardo stayed with his mother. After the divorce, his mother had to work several jobs just to provide for her and her son.

Today, Leonardo is known around the world not only as a Hollywood star, but also as an active fighter for the protection of the environment. So, since 1998, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation has donated more than $30 million on the development of 70 innovative eco-projects in 40 countries.

7. Michelle Williams and daughter Matilda

When her ex-partner, Heath Ledger, passed away in 2008, Matilda, their daughter, wasn’t even 3 years old yet. And even though the Oscar-nominated actress admitted that being a single parent isn’t always easy and could be ’’alienating’’ at times, she went on to explain that she often finds a way of balancing motherhood and her career in a way so she doesn’t ’’worry about the stability of our unit when I have to go back to work.’’

8. Pattie Mallette — Justin Bieber’s mother

Elizabeth Patricia Mallette is a Canadian writer, producer, and the mother of popular singer Justin Bieber. When she was 15 years old, she started a relationship with Jeremy Bieber and 3 years later, she gave birth to the famous star of the pop-world. Soon after the child was born, the couple broke up and Mallette had to raise her son alone.

When he was a child, Justin Bieber learned to play the piano, the drums, the guitar, and the trumpet. And at the beginning of 2007, when he was only 12 years old, Patty Mallette, uploaded a video with her son’s song. This video made the boy famous. Throughout his entire career, Bieber has sold around 100 million records and he has become one of the best-selling musicians in Canada’s history.

9. Sofia Vergara and son Manolo

The Colombian-born actress had her son with her high school sweetheart when she was 19 years old. The couple divorced when Manolo was just 2, and Vergara explained that as a young single mom, she raised him trying to ’’set the best example and give him the best’’ she could. Now she is a very proud mama of her 30-year-old young man and went on to say that when people comment on ’’how well mannered, how charming, funny, and well-behaved he is, it makes all the sacrifices worthwhile.’’

10. George Lucas

The creator of the legendary Star Wars saga, George Lucas, has been raising 3 adopted children for many years on his own. Amanda was adopted together with his spouse and she stayed with her father after the divorce. Later he also adopted another daughter, Katie and son, Jett. By the way, they all were filmed in small parts of Star Wars. George Lucas didn’t get married again until 2013. His spouse is the chairwoman of DreamWorks Animation and the president of Ariel Investments, Mellody Hobson. After their marriage, the couple soon gave birth to a daughter.

11. Amanda Cornett — Selena Gomez’s mother

The life of Selena Gomez’s mother is a bit like the story of Justin Bieber’s parents. Amanda Cornett had her daughter at the age of 16 with a Mexican man, Ricardo Joel Gomez. When Selena was 5 years old, her parents got divorced. The mother of the future star was a theater actress. She raised her daughter alone and inspired her to be a singer.

Selena Gomez became popular after she did several TV series for Disney. And at the age of 17, she became world famous as a pop singer. In November 2012, she was named one of the women of the year by the Glamour magazine. Today, Selena is also known as a clothing designer.

12. Cristiano Ronaldo and son Cristian Jr.

Even though the football superstar now has 3 more kids with his girlfriend, for years he has been a single dad to his oldest son, whose mother’s identity wasn’t revealed to fans. When asked about raising his son alone, the Portuguese athlete said that little Cristiano ’’doesn’t need a mother, just me — having a father is enough."

Do you have a child and, if so, do you raise it by yourself or with your partner? How much more difficult do you think single parenthood is?