If you are a single parent what do you do in the evenings?

[Stealthynamechange]

hi all

Im recently single, im also a mum to ds (3years) im starting to get used to being on my own but evenings are hard. DS goes to bed by 1830. What do other people do in an evening? I miss my ex's company 🤦‍♀️ my friends all have their families. Need some inspiration for new routines/habits to stop me going insane.

Thanks all

Is there a learning course or training that you could do, either for a hobby or for your job? Plenty are quite affordable via things like Udemy or even free. Many kids start going to bed quite a bit later soon, these free nights won't be forever and could be a good chance to either rediscover a passion or give yourself a leg-up on the employment market..

I'm a single parent but with 3 small dcs and work, I tend to have the opposite problem and it's 10.30pm by the time I've finished even just the most pressing bits on my to do list, i think everyone's challenges can be so different

Invite girl friends over or virtual girls night for drinkie poos,nibbles and chat.

Netflix. Run or sleep.

I used to get a babysitter once a week so I could continue with choir rehearsals.

Wrote short stories.

Watched TV.

Did way too much mumsnetting just to have adults to talk to. (That habit's proving hard to kick.)

Phoned friends.

Went to bed stupidly early because at that age DS got up stupidly early too!

You could take up yoga? Lots of you tube videos. Or a learning course.

Not to worry though. You will soon have no evening at all once child gets a bit older !

Dc11 and 8. Single, I am lucky to be done for 10.30 like the other poster 😃

@Doughnutdiva

I just go to bed when the DC go to bed and go on my phone. I'm in bed now.

Good call.

I became a single parent when ds was 3 , I agree it can be quite lonely / boring
He's always been a very active kid and what with work I'd more often than not appreciate the rest.
Sometimes had a mate over for a takeaway when he was in bed but usually caught up on housework or tv
Hes 6 now and goes to bed at 7.45 ish but on weekends we will watch a movie upstairs in my bed. Hes great company now

Mine go to bed a bit later now but I make the house nice, light some candles or a fire, read, watch box sets, or jigsaw etc with radio 4 on. I video chat with friends now and then. I don't mind it, but it would be nice to do a, regular exercise class or something

Single with 3 and a FT job for 5 years generally collapse into bed exhausted at 13. If I am feeling energetic I’ll watch TV until 11!

But when they used to go to fucking sleep pre lockdown I used to ignore the cleaning and have a couple of hours of box sets, reading, a bath, texting far too many inappropriate men from online dating. I sometimes get a babysitter to be able to go to the pub with friends for a couple of hours. Best was work travel when I could go to a hotel bar, or for a city wander then starfish in sheets someone else had washed.

Actually don’t use me as an exemplar!!

No idea what happened there 13 isn’t even a time, I’m so tired

Sounds boring but I tend to tidy, watch tv, or have a bath. But my little one goes to bed not long before I do. Once I've got back a bit more time I'll be starting knitting and cross stitch again as I loved that before I became single and it really helped me zone out for a little while, knitting was for when I'd had a particularly stressful day as I can do that without really thinking and cross stitch was for when I needed to escape and concentrate on something other than boring life stuff.

Housework or watch TV. Uninspiring I know!

Watch the things I can't when she's awake, read, colour. Very very dull but I'm usually too tired to do anything that requires actual thought.

Mine are much older so pre covid days the evening were pretty much fetching and carrying aka mums taxi.

Otherwise watch some series, catch up on all messages from through the day, tidy up, do washing etc.

I can't say I get all that bored tbh.

Thanks everyone 😊 its good to know im not alone.

@DrizzleandDamp im trying to avoid online dating or that would definitely be me 😂

Please keep the ideas coming

Haha happy to be a cautionary tale

Don't bother with dating. I've always been a single parent -it gets easier when they are older. 2 are with me 24/7 and one has contact with my ex. I am used to company now though as the eldest is old enough to do stuff with. Rather have my kids that be alone!

courses online
housework/crafting/watching shite on netflix