WINCHESTER, Va. — It's 6 a.m. and still dark outside. But Adrienne Rumley's two-bedroom apartment is alive with kinetic energy. A 4-month-old kitten darts around. A big dog patters back and forth. Another cat stealthily watches the morning unfold from behind a chair. A 2-year-old child is sleepily sucking on a pacifier and watching TV.

The scene may seem chaotic. But 37-year-old Rumley's morning routine is running in clockwork precision. It has to — she's the only parent.

An alarm beeps every few minutes, keeping her on schedule for her next morning task. Brush her kid's teeth. Put on her work clothes. Dab on a spot of makeup. Get her daughter, Lorelei, ready for day care.

Maansi Srivastava / NPR / NPR

"I leave at exactly 7:02," Rumley says. "I don't get stuck behind the school bus

See Full Page