Am I the only one??

[Amandella]

I feel bad writing this....I adore my children and gave up a good job many moons ago to look after them. One of them is in Junior school and my youngest is 4 and due to start in school in September. She is SO ready for school - probably bored out of her brains being with me...I feel bad but I am REALLY looking forward to her starting!! I know it's only a few weeks away but I feel like i've come to the end of my patience with it all - I am an active mum - I have lots of local friends and we meet every week, there's always trips to play centres, play groups, the park, picnics, cooking - you name it, I do it... but I'm struggling now to really enjoy all these activities. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore her and will miss her terribly when she does go to school but I just feel that each day is now so loooongg.. I feel exhausted by constantly running around after her and her sister and I also have two part time jobs that I do on the 2 days that the youngest goes to nursery... I have no "me" time and my dh and I have very little "us" time... I just can't wait to have at least part of my days back, even though I'll increase my work hours but I guess I'm getting a bit bored with constantly having to entertain her... Does this make me a bad parent?? I HAVE to find some inspiration to get through the next few weeks as the poor mite is spending more time in front of the telly than she usually does because I just can't be bothered any more!!!

Sorry for the rant...needed to get that off my chest. Anyone relate to this??

[suzywong]

Nope
front row seat in Hell waiting just for you









NOT REALLY
it's perfectly normal to feel like this. Mark the days off on a calendar if it works for you and give yourself a break. All relationships, even mother daughter ones come to a point where change is inevitable and healthy.
I think it's healthy to air how you feel

Give her another cheese string and free reign of the remote control and plan how you will spend you first 5 day week sans enfants.

[SmugColditz]

Intelligent four year olds are bloody hard work! I have sympathy.

Spend time with her doing long and messy things, teach her the alphabet or how to add up if she's interested, or fill the paddling pool and invite other mothers of 4 year of girl's round.

[SmugColditz]

Oh! Oh! Apostrophe abuse perpetrated in MY POST!!!!!!

Sorry!

[suzywong]

titter
I noticed it and immediately marked you down in my special "nice but dim" book.
you have redeemed yourself, colditz.

[Amandella]

Thanks so much for responding. I'm feeling so guilty. Here I am writing on Mumsnet whilst she's watching LazyTown (which I HATE)... and I know I should just switch the thing off but already today, I've taken her to play at a friend's house (lovely but I'm even running out of the things to talk about to the mum as we always end up talking kids!!).. then took her to the library to get new books - read new books with her - I taught her to read about 3 months ago and she's quite good really. Anyway, did a bit of art, bit of playdough, walked to local shop to get milk, stopped off in park for 10 mins... walked home. TV on.... and it's only 4.50.....

[Tinkjon]

"Does this make me a bad parent??"

Nope, it makes you a normal one. It is bliss when they are at school, really I do wish the days weren't so long for them and I'm very sad that we can't do the clubs that we used to do together, but you still can't beat it Do you have a computer? The CBeebies website is brilliant and DD can happily amuse herself on there for some time...

[Twelvelegs]

That's brilliant, what an outcome!! That's the right time for both of you and you're worried....... don't increase your hours until you've had a couple of indulgent weeks!!!

[Twelvelegs]

Get the local kids directory out and do all the things you said you would do but haven't done. Go and sit in a coffee shop with a paper for you and a comic for her, she can have a milkaccino!!
Start with the free stuff.
Go to the cinema, theatre, gosh there's loads!!

[partaria]

My 4th will start reception in September and i'm ready for it as much as he is believe me. Of course i adore him and he is great company and funny and popular etc but WE BOTH NEED HIM TO GO TO SCHOOL.