Rumer Willis Shares Tearful Video About Reality of Being a Single Mom: ‘Some Days Doing Everything Alone is Hard’

Rumer Willis is speaking honestly about the emotional weight that can come with raising a child on her own.

On Wednesday, Nov. 19, the 37-year-old actress shared a vulnerable Instagram Stories post about life as a single mom to her 2-year-old daughter, Louetta “Lou,” whom she shares with ex-boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas. Willis confirmed that the couple split in August 2024.

In the video, filmed while she walked outdoors wiping away tears, Willis wrote, “Just had a good cry in the woods… some days being a single mom is hard. She is not hard (ever) but some days doing everything alone can be.” She followed it with a self-deprecating note in the caption: “Wow, and I just realized I have food in my teeth…really winning today.”

Even through the tears, Willis kept things light, smiling into the camera and giving a thumbs-up. She later reposted a quote that read, “I will succeed because I am insane.”

Last month, Willis also addressed online criticism after sharing a photo of herself breastfeeding Lou on the couch. “For the haters who come at me about breastfeeding my 2-year-old,” she wrote across the image. “I hope you have a blessed day 😘.”

Earlier this year, Willis said she’s been trying to rethink the way people talk about the “terrible twos.” Rather than labeling the stage as purely difficult, she wants her daughter to feel safe expressing big emotions. “Get angry, [and] get frustrated,” she said, explaining that she wants Lou to know those feelings are okay and that she has healthy ways to let them out.

Willis has also spoken about how close Lou is with her grandfather, Bruce Willis. Despite his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis in 2022, she has shared that he lights up around his granddaughter and remains deeply present during family visits. She’s described those moments as especially meaningful, saying her family’s love for Lou makes her feel grateful and supported.

Becoming a mother, she added, has also deepened her bond with her own mom, Demi Moore. Willis said that parenting has given her a new perspective on how strong a mother’s love is — and helped bring them even closer.