Argh! So stressed, worried I am going to damage my DD emotionally :(

Are there any holiday clubs you can send her to? Will give you the time you need to get things done and your daughter will have a great time with people her own age doing organised activities. If your on universal credit you will get 85% back towards the cost as long as they are ofsted registered. Good luck, once you are in your new home and settled it will all be ok.

Just to add that you're doing an amazing, heroic job! You'll get past this and then look back and wonder how you did it - sounds like you're good at digging deep and your daughter won't remember your stress. I sometimes apologise to mine for being grumpy and overwrought and she usually hasn't noticed! Wishing you both all the best in your new life 💐

Is the school MSJ by any chance?

Congrats on finding a new job so soon.
It is very hard. But please remember your child is 6. So little. None of this is her fault. Walk out the room and take a deep breath before hollering at her.

You have tied yourself up into a bit of a tight knot OP but it sounds like you can actually loosen it now.
You have a new job, DD has a new school - you could be looking down a much worse lense than what you are.
And I get it, once I've got to that stage of fight or flight I can't let it go until I feel everything is actually okay. It makes me snappy and stressed too.
You won't feel like you can relax til your moved, in the new school and see your DD smile after her first day.
So remember there's no point stressing about what you can't control, you have done everything you can within your means and look at what you have achieved! A new house, job and school all in one go, that is something worth celebrating.
Your DD will be proud when you tell her when she's older, and right now she'd be happy with feeding the ducks, a trip to different parks maybe, do you live near a river or anything natural nearby?
Some of my best times as a child was when we had no money, but I did have my mum.

You are being proactive trying to source new job, new school, new house.

Be kind to yourself. Ask her father for help.

Ah, I just saw - you are still packing/need to pack.
In all honesty, I'd try and work round her sleep schedule whilst making sure you sleep yourself and rest.
So during the day, you rest while she plays or stick her in front of her favourite show - do a box here and there, then more boxing up when she is in bed.
Again, you are awesome x

Quite frankly you sound to be doing heroically well. In the next few months you and your DD will settle into a new routine and a new period of stability. Everyday that passes is a day closer to this. And your DD will be fine. Hang on in there (and during especially stressful busy times, I wouldn’t cope without lots of lists with tasks I can tick off).

Another one to say, all power to you. 💕💪🏻💐
Genuinely. I do understand. I am in a similar position. It will settle. At 6, she will be more than able to make new friends so please stop doing yourself down. As for snapping, just explain to her as you would the kids you teach. You are human, not a machine. 🦾
There should be some local groups especially for those on UC and do not forget, you have to claim FSM with the new school directly (if your claim continues beyond Sept, which it might pending new salary).
You got this. 🏅<hands out medal cos you have earnt one>
As for stress, podcasts/shows from BBC sounds ( e.g. meet David Sedaris, Colin Hoult stand up show, plays, Michelle Visage bangers - there are all sorts). A lavender bubble bath ( for you, then stick DD in it 😉.
Nice easy watches - Kim's convenience, Schitts creek etc Whether you are marking or not, put some time aside for you or you'll go under.
Finally, easy wins for DD - any church/local activities, teddy bear + sarnies for easy picnic wherever you have it, at six they will or should manage a play park and you sit and read/let them get on with it a bit, look online for any freebie sand/water table or just get her some cheap chalks, a paintbrush and she can do chalk painting.
You are awesome x 🍀🍀🍀🍀

You’re definitely not damaging her, you’re showing her that even when life shows you a bad hand you can work through it. Don’t try to be the instagram holiday mum.. have days you dedicate to your daughter and making memories mixed with other days you need to get things done.

and the memory making is simple cheap things..
. make a house out of boxes
. Cut a door in a big box and let her have a torch to crawl inside and get creative
. picnic at the park

honestly you’re doing great x

That sure worked out for him then.

I'm so sorry for your difficult situation, but a massive well done. You shouldn't have to manage this alone but you have, you are amazing. As a lone parent myself, I can only imagine how stressful it has all been. Give yourself some grace, you are recognising that you are being more shouty than usual, I would say thats a completely normal response to the stress you're under. Can you ask your dad to have her for 2 hours over the weekend (or even two hours every weekend for now?) and have a coffee, a chill for those two hours before you're back to packing etc? I know two hours will make no real difference in the grand scheme of things, but it is something to hold on for.

Does your council run any free clubs for people whose children are on universal credit. Ours does but it’s not really advertised you have to do a bit of googling to get to the page. That might help entertain her.
well done for finding a new job and school so quickly though. That’s a huge achievement.

You're doing your best for her, not like you planned it, so please stop blaming yourself. You could ask the dad to come here to help (ok, if he's a waster who abandoned you both, maybe he won't, but you never know, people grow up sometimes). Just keep being honest with her, letting her know she can talk to you whenever she needs.

How are you going to be starting a new job if this has been your summer?

I think you need to prioritise your and your daughter's mental health. Drop the tutoring for a start to free up some quality time to spend together.

I know it's hard losing your income (I supply teach so I get this every summer) but you must have saved some of the exam marking income (or at least have this coming to you so you can load up the credit card a bit). Take some day trips together. Explore your new area. Visit friends and give yourself time to chill.

Also, there is only so much prep you can do for next (academic) year, there may be lots of old planning you can adapt, and you'll make a better impression at your new school if you arrive relaxed and refreshed. It seems you have got yourself into a panic and you need to take a step back and stop trying to do too much.

I also work in education - although not private.

I can assure you that anyone who worries about their parenting is nowhere near as shit as the parents who don’t.

Your DD will be just fine. Good luck with your move and new job x

You are doing a brilliant job. We all get short tempered at times. Important thing is that you are there for her. Isn't it just a man's world? They can swan off to another country and send the odd bit of money to salve their conscience. Why isn't he spending time with her during the summer?

you’re not going to damage her emotionally, this is a short term issue and when everything settles down and you get back on an even keel, she probably won’t even remember much of this period in a year.

No, hon, it is not a problem - you are together, you are a team, she sees how organised and sorted you are - already found a job, a new school for her, and you will find a new place to live. You are a role model for your daughter - educated, resilient, high-functioning. This is no stress for your child, compared to other children, who have to put up with mums' new men, now that is a whole different crazy level of stress. You are a fighting unit, the two of you, you will be really fine from what you wrote. Children these days who are mollycoddled, often grow up useless adults. Children who faced difficulties and saw how their parents dealt with them, have a chance of growing resilient and thinking. There is a lot of hassle, but no tragedy or emotional damage in your situation.

Sounds to me like you are doing brilliantly in very difficult circumstances. Don’t be so hard on yourself. X