To wonder how the buggering hell

[karmacoma1]

Working parents cope with work after a really bad night with DC?

Teething 8 month old means I’ve had barely an hours sleep. I have a job interview at 11.

I have to drop her off at my dads 40 mins away, then drive another 30 mins to interview, somehow perform, drive back, collect DD and come home.

Parents do this everyday - any tips? Seriously feel like I could just fuck it all off and melt into the sofa.

long term? Coffee, routine and going to bed early

I read this as ‘coffee, routine and aging badly’
Which is also true
generally if I feel that coming on I try to get up, drink cold water & go for a walk/run up & down the stairs or do some stretching.
. I have been known to fall asleep at my desk 😳
Once I swear my eyes shut for 20seconds & someone had come & put something on my desk. No idea who it was and no one ever mentioned it 😳

Cold shower, coffee and carbs, adrenaline.

power naps.
10-15 min, dark quiet space.
eyes closed, concentrate on breathing.
even if you don't sleep you will feel much better after that.

Sympathy. Been there.
My trick is literally to never think about how tired you are. Make yourself forget it, get showered, dressed and put your make up on and just pretend it never happened. You'll make it through the day and you can go to bed early.
I still employ this technique now if my kids get up for any reason (not so often now they're older but when they were little it was grim!)

I used to take a little flask of coffee to work made with strong instant, hot chocolate powder and condensed milk. If I had an extra five minutes I would make it as a hot chocolate with milk plus coffee. Drank it at my desk. There is a Starbucks next to dds nursery that I could sometimes time right for the bus I caught. Basically, caffiene and sugar are your friends. Then when you've woken up do try and use the oportinity at work to eat a good lunch.

And pack everything the night before! Everything you need must be out because trying to find keys or a pair of pants in the morning is literally impossible. It can bring you to tears.

And drink some more coffee.

I agree with the make up (and the caffeine is a no brainier). I can convince myself I’m not tired as long as I don’t look tired. Mascara your way through the day.

And good look with your interview

Fake it til you make it.

My son is 3. We got through the sleepless nights. Then I was diagnosed with ME.

Just keep it up.

DD was a horrific sleeper. Woke every 2 hours till she was 1. I had to go back to work 3 days a week when she was 12 weeks old. Weirdly I actually felt better on my work days. I think it was caffeine and bodily autonomy that gave me a boost........plus the fact that my colleagues dont whine and tantrum

Coffee + optimism that it can only get better.

Plus (wo)maning up! Life isn't fair but suck it up, do your best and don't stop trying.

Maggie T. survived on 4 hours sleep per night. I'm on about 6. People nowadays sleep more than they need. You're winning!

All I can do is sympathise, and say - it does get easier. I "faked it" (smile on my face but no sleep and shattered) for months/years. I started giving in to power naps on a weekend when I could and stopped putting so much pressure on myself with the housework and cooking. Now my two are teens and I remember (not so fondly) the day I went into work with unwashed hair looking dog rough after being awake all night with a teething toddler and realising I had a client coming in to visit me and begging my boss to let me take my lunch break at 9am so I could get the hairdressers up the road to fit in a wash a blow and borrowing make up off colleagues to paint on an awake look. I also didn't drive when my two were small so just getting to and from work involved buses, taxis, Metrolinks. None of this waffle helps you now but trust me it will get easier.

Sugar is not your friend! You will get a quick high and then crash afterwards, and feel even worse. You do get through the early years, I don’t know how but you do. Look after yourself, eat well, sleep when you can and don’t worry about housework. Good luck with the job interview!