How do I become interesting again?

[NeedALemonPie]

This year I've become a single parent. I'm reconciled to this now but I increasingly feel my world is very small and I don't have much going on in my life.

The children are 2 and 7, so in bed by 7.30pm. In the evenings, I watch a bit of TV, read the paper, do the puzzles in the Times, flick on my phone. I work full time but my job involves sitting at a desk writing (I can't change my job - I don't want to and it's really good money - I'd never get anything like it starting again at something else!)

The children spend one night a fortnight with their Dad (his choice that it's so limited). No other relatives to babysit. I could afford to get a babysitter occasionally if needed but my friends are all in the young children / family life stage so no one really does evening things.

I feel very very boring! And I have nothing to talk about.

Any ideas as to what I can / should do?! I thought of joining the PTA or school governing body but it's a very active one here and no vacancies. Volunteer type roles seem to want to very big time commitment.

Would any friends do early evening stuff like come to yours for a meal and a natter rather than a "night out"?

Book club that meets fortnightly?

@RandomMess Early evenings are tricky as I'm getting the children fed, bathed and in bed - and my friends are doing the same.

There is a weekly book group through the school Mums but the books they read are AWFUL. I don't think I could manage it!

Free course on coursera?

I do coursera, just finished one on microbiology and did one on Chinese imperial history last year. Also play sax. Also do an english lit course. Cross training in front of the telly. My husband's never here and I'm terrified that my brain will either with all the drudgery... Of. Oitdd it depends how much mental energy you have after work. When I worked FT I was too knackered after a day to do much.

Well after the DC go to bed? Presumably they have partners to put DC to bed...

Look further afield or start a new book club?

I am in a similar position OP. Recently divorced, haven’t lived here for long enough to have established a proper friendship group.

I have a teenager though, but surprisingly I feel that I need to be around just as much as I did in younger years. I don’t want to leave an only child alone too much following H leaving even if it should be a bit easier logistically than a younger child.

Like you I love my job which is positive, I work late once a week, study p/t as well.

My teenager spends a lot of time in her bedroom!

My plans include joining a local charitable organisation with a once a month evening commitment (probably something like the Lions) and aim to go to yoga once a week most weeks. We both play a sport another night. Not together but in the same place.

I think it’s tough.

Why don’t you set up a club yourself? It can be at your house 8-10PM. It doesn’t have to be a book club, could be media so you can choose a film, a series from Netflix, a podcast, a twitter account, a blog anything at all. You all immerse yourselves in the chosen field for 2 -4 weeks, meet up and discuss. Could be on any topic like gardening, crime, politics, modern slavery, beauty, wine etc. Choose a topic for a few months and change the source of information for each meeting.

I am considering joining the local WI only meets once per month!

There are also craft club that so you get together and bring along your own knitting/sewing/card making.