The Bat Mitzvah Breakthrough: Leslie Stone on Becoming a Single Mother by Choice Artwork

This is My Silver Lining

You know that feeling when you see a break in the clouds? After the storm, a ray of sun shines through, and without even thinking about it, you relax and take in the moment of gratitude. This is My Silver Lining is what we like to call a “pozcast” that brings that feeling to your ears and your hearts. That’s right, a “pozcast”! Not just a good news story, but one that celebrates the gifts of connection and community that come through periods of challenge. Each week, This is My Silver Lining (a/k/a TIMSL) shines a light on ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Our guests share their stories of resilience, courage, optimism, and gratitude. Each episode proves that, no matter how tough the journey, there is always a silver lining.

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This is My Silver Lining

The Bat Mitzvah Breakthrough: Leslie Stone on Becoming a Single Mother by Choice

May 11, 2025

This Mother’s Day, we celebrate a form of motherhood grounded in boldness, agency, and unwavering love, the path of the single mother by choice. In this powerful episode of This is My Silver Lining, Leslie Stone shares how one emotional moment at her niece’s Bat Mitzvah triggered a life-changing decision: to stop waiting for the traditional path and choose motherhood on her own terms.

Leslie, a former C-suite advertising executive, opens up about what it meant to make peace with uncertainty and go all-in on a path few dare to walk alone. She speaks candidly about the emotional and physical toll of navigating fertility, the surreal process of choosing a sperm donor, and the serendipity of becoming pregnant at 40 against the odds.

Leslie reflects on the sacred, joyful, and affirming experience of parenting solo, how she intentionally built an extended community of support for her daughter, and the clarity that comes from living life on your own terms. Her story is a compelling reminder that motherhood is not defined by convention, but by intention, courage, and deep love..

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Leslie Stone

Single Mothers By Choice

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People on this episode

Ingrid Busson-Hall

Co-host

Kathleen Merrigan

Co-host