Hi, I felt super rubbish these days. I planned for a career change next year and wanted to do a qualification exam. I had decided to go for it in early January. I registered for the exams which would take place this week.
Honestly, in the beginning, I didn't try hard enough. So fair enough, I had no progress whatsoever until late March. From then, I did try to squeeze some time to self-study. But the daytime with my little one next to me, I felt like I had really barely any time to finish the housework. I often only have a chance to have my lunch after 3pm or dinner after 9pm... I can't understand where all the time has gone. But in the end of the day, I would be too tired (especially mentally tired) to do much study.
I did try a few weeks studying from 11pm (after finish cleaning the kitchen) until 3am (ish)with DS and DH both asleep.
There are only few days before the exams. I had long given up knowing that there's no chance I could pass any of them this time. I would still go to sit them, but only to get some experience...
Am I being unreasonable to fear that from now on until DS goes to school, I would never get a chance to self-study at home? I would be returning to work soon... Just feel rubbish that I was not capable to do much for myself in the entire maternity leave! So many months! Feeling so so ashamed!
If I was not able to do it while I stay at home 24 hours, is there any slight chance I could have it done when I go back to work???
AIBU?
AIBU to think I will never have a chance to self-study with a little one at home?
whosthis · 19/05/2013 22:36
How long does it take you to your housework? Are you doing too much and unnecessarily so? I know one family who washed their bedding every single day! Bonkers.
Our house is tidy and clean and doesn't require a great deal of work at all if people chip in (family of 3).
Just keep on top of it as you go along.
Daily tasks:
Do dishes after each meal
Wipe down kitchen surfaces after cooking
Make beds
Take rubbish out
Three times a week:
Hoover through the house
Once a week:
-Clean bathroom
-Washing/Ironing
...these last two are probably take up a whole day, to be fair. Saturday is wash day in our house 
I do sympathize with not being able to find time to study with a young baby.
Also, you never know your exam could still go well!
5 hours a day?
I have a biggish house, 3 children (2 with SN), cook well 80% of the time, my house is clean and tidy, I'm on top of the washing, everyone is clean and in clean clothes, dc's have homework done well every day, downstairs is tidied daily, dishes done 1/2 times a day, whole house hoovered as needed, clean beds, kids have friends round reasonably often, etc.
It takes me 1 or 2 hours max... slightly less atm as I'm due in an assignment and a project next week and have some part time contract work starting this week so want to get coursework out of the way as much as possible. But generally when not working and keeping on top of things I could deep clean the whole house daily with 5 hours a day given to housework!
There is no reason to be doing that much housekeeping a day. Get systems in place for maximum effectiveness; don't do jobs unless they need doing, it's just procrastination; get used to studying around the baby, they don't need 24/7 interaction just lots of interesting things to see and feel which is easily supplied whilst getting half an hour of reading done; use nap times and night time to study instead of doing household jobs, babies love being around you while you clean and cook so far easier to do that stuff when baby is awake than to waste that time sitting with them doing nothing productive and then waste precious hours when they're asleep tidying.
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