Amanda Calvin, at 27, never intended to be a single mom.

She met the father of her son, Elliott, at Coach's – a local bar on Gilbert Street in Danville. He played electric guitar in the band, and she liked his curly blond hair.

He moved in with her two weeks later. And two months after that, she took a pregnancy test.

"I didn't even know what I was going to do," Calvin said.

Her boyfriend seemed happy about the pregnancy at first. But she became increasingly aware of his drinking problem, a habit he had kept well-hidden. "I decided not to (marry him) because ... I was getting an idea of how he really was," she said.

He'd lost three jobs in seven months. She didn't want to raise her son while living on a minimum-wage waitress job with an alcohol-dependent boyfriend.

So, relying on previous accounting experience, Calvin applied for a job at Walgreen's. The day after she landed the job, she kicked him out of the small house they'd rented.

She was five months pregnant.

"At that point in time, I wasn't concerned. I knew that I would be OK," Calvin said.

She delivered Elliott three weeks early in January 2005, and life became tougher.

Calvin was on food stamps and cash assistance until she went back to work.

Day care cost $525 a month. State aid picked up nearly $300 of that, but when Calvin received a raise, she lost the aid and had to pay the full cost herself.

Coupled with expenses for rent, food and gas, Calvin moved in with her parents when Elliott was 11 months old. They've been there since.

"If I was living on my own, I would have to have a second job," the now-30-year-old said.

Up until six months ago, Calvin received food benefits under the government Women, Infants and Children program.

"I still qualify, but I felt that since I could afford to buy milk, I didn't need it," Calvin said. "I'd rather see it go to someone else who did."

Money is not Calvin's only challenge as a single mom.

While Calvin disciplines her son in one way, her parents discipline their grandson another, she said.

"We have a different way of doing things, but I try to abide by what her wishes are regarding Elliott," said Calvin's mom, Barbara. "Every now and then, I have to be a grandma, and that's the just the way it is."

But Calvin's expenses are now more manageable because she shares housing and food costs with her parents.

"It's just a nice feeling to come home every day and the first thing he says is 'Grandma' and he comes running to the door," Barbara Calvin said.

Elliott's curly blond hair is just like that of his father, who is in Texas. Plus, Elliott loves music and his toy guitar.

He was 2 weeks old the last time his father saw him.

Hanging out with Elliott is a favorite pastime of Calvin's. And by living with her parents, Calvin has more time to do so.

One day, though, she knows Elliott will ask about his dad.

"I'm dreading that day," Calvin said. "He knows that kids have mommies and daddies."