I’m a single mum who works 40hrs. I feel like I’m going to collapse

[Daisydips]

I’m a single mum who works 40 hours a week. My LO is in nursery Monday to Friday and I genuinely can’t take it.

I have no idea what I’m doing wrong as I know single parents do this all the time but I’m starting to really struggle, it’s been over two years of doing It and it feels like I’m never going to get a break. I literally need the money I earn also, I have no financial support and my LO dad can’t afford to pay.

I have no clue on what to do. on the weekend I had a breakdown the whole weekend I couldn’t even move I was crying, exhausted and just done. Everyday I’m one bad sleep away from crashing again.

what do other single parents do ?

It's not you. It is very hard.
I'm a decade in and still only work 3 days a week, even then it's pretty miserable.

It feels hard because it IS hard (not because you are a wimp). Ask your parents for help this weekend and try to get some proper sleep.

What kind of meals do you do when you meal prep, always looking for ideas, thanks.

I haven't read the full thread as I need to rush out shortly.
If you can look up some threads on the lone parents board - there are loads on how to cut various corners with batch cooking for example. I think your issue is tiredness relentless and you can wear yourself out to the point of burnout if you feel you are doing everything, every decision, by yourself. For me the mental load was the biggest issue, even though I felt tired from working, it's the always having to be switched "on" in case you miss a message about odd sock day or making a Great Fire Of London house they want to burn at school.

My advice is to have one or two close single mum friends who you can rotate the odd childcare afternoon with, preferably at the same school. These are the ones who will support you the most and let you vent. We used to batch cook to freeze every month or two and divvy up between us so we were eating more interesting things than we would cook, so it felt like a treat. You need to find a couple of them in a similar boat and you have a much more coherent version of a family as you all know what you are going through. They will be there if you look for them, I think it's something like 12% of families are single parents. Good luck.

You won't drop down. You will get through this. When child starts school the financial piece will be easier and even next year when they get free hours. You may at that point be able to even drop down to part time?

Even if you can't ever drop to part time your child will get easier as they get older. At the moment you are so fried because you have to do all of the thinking and all of the doing for another human. You have to decide what they eat, when they eat, when they sleep, what they wear. As they get older they'll be able to get up on a Saturday morning and play with toys whilst you have a lie in. They'll be able to grab themselves a snack, and help with housework.

But for now, how you survive. Go to bed super early. One evening a week you stay up late, listen to music and blitz the house all in one go so it's not just constantly dragging. One weekend day stay home and do a pajama day. Invite friends over in the evenings if you can. Batch cook. Or eat easy stuff - remind yourself it's just for now not forever. Use paper plates you can just chuck away after. Pick flowers and have them round the house so when you get home it looks nice for you. Get a cat. YES it's one more thing to keep alive but they are super easy to care for and they are always happy to see you when you get home and make everything just feel a bit easier (maybe don't get a cat, but they are cute). Have phone free evenings because any time you are on your phone your brain is NOT RESTING. So you think you're 'doing nothing' but actually your brain is go go go. Try it - 2 nights a week zero phone or screens. Try a book or listen to music. Try it. You will feel more energized I promise because your poor tired brain will have had a rest.

good luck x

Because your kid will get older and will be at school rather than nursery and that will take financial pressure off you.
You will still need to work but your finances will be more stable.

If your ferritin is below 100 and/or transferrin saturation is under 20% then the exhaustion & overwhelm could well be due to iron deficiency. Heading towards burnout is how I can tell if I've slacked off my iron supplements.

The Iron Protocol for Iron Deficiency Woth or Without Anemia on Facebook is the beat place to look for advice on that.