Feeling like a failure. Toddler related.

[newlife82]

My 2yo has been sick all week with sickness temperature, and cough etc, and I've done my back in. I've been up every hour every night since the weekend caring for her. My DH has been great helping more whilst wfh. We are broke and can't afford a holiday or any nice treats. We are working our butts off to afford nursery fees and we have had to keep DD off nursery all week and I've not been able to do any of my freelance work do we'll make even less this month.

Just feeling a bit down in the dumps. I love my DD to bits but she's a bolter and very very lively (when not sick) so it's a knackering job looking after her around her part-time nursery. I feel silly as I know it must be a trillion times harder with more DC. I do feel a bit if a failure but to be honest I'm just wishing my life away until next Tuesday when DD will hopefully be better and back in nursery and I can have a bit of headspace.

Not sure why I'm posting really except it's difficult saying all this to people in real life. Has anyone else ever wished their life away until their toddler is in nursery, or at full time school, or just older and a bit easier to manage?

It's not how I want things to be.

I expect 99% of people with a toddler have wished the time away at some point. It is so hard sometimes.

My toddler’s childminder is on holiday this week so I’m looking after her. I’m so exhausted that all I’m doing this afternoon is letting her binge watch Duggee. And hoping that her bed time comes soon!

Thank you

I was often count down to nap or bedtime when mine were toddlers. It's a lovely stage in some ways, but also very demanding and hard work. More so when they are unwell.

Thanks for understanding. I feel awful feeling this way. I do love my dd so much and she's adorable. But it's so tiring and mind numbing at the same time.

No one enjoys the twatty twos. We're all literally counting down until they are old enough to bribe reason with. Toddlers are way way harder than younger babies. God I miss the days when I could put her down, get out a nappy and she'd still be where I left her.

You can love someone with all your being but also not want them around for a bit as well.

I’ve just sent my 5 year old out the room for slobbering on a lolly pop as it was making me want to cave my head in.

Counting the days til they are back at nursery, or the hours until bedtime, is what every single parent I know does! And then because we’re total mugs we sit there looking at pictures of them when they’re gone. There are gorgeous moments and we love them to death, but toddlers are hard work!

Christ dont worry about it OP, the days are EPIC when they are little. It's my DS's last day of nursery tomorrow before he goes to reception. I have a bottle of champagne in the fridge 😂

Thanks everyone. I feel much better reading these. Less of a failure and seeing that it's normal! No-one tells you how shit the toddler years are - it's always about how hard having a newborn is, but I found that so bloody easy in comparison! Also my own mother and my MIL seem baffled if I ever mention it being hard. Their children were at home with them full time until they started school! The way they talk it sounds like it was easy, but it can't have been?!

I was a SAHM when mine were toddlers and I feel like I wished months of mine and their lives away at the time!

Having done a bit of freelance too I will say that having specific work you want to do and not being able to do it unexpectedly because of looking after a toddler is THE most frustrating type of this type of frustration, don't beat yourself up.

I feel like this often and wonder how people with 2/3/4/5 kids cope!
Toddlers are hard and sometimes you're so touched out/tired/unwell that bedtime is a lovely respite!

Your mum and mil probably have selective memories! You're definitely not on your own. There's no let up when they are small and sometimes all you want is a bit of time and space to yourself.