To be dreading the day ahead?

[hidinginthenightgarden]

DS is off school ill. DD (age 2) is home with us.
DH is out from 7.30am-6.30pm and we are going to be pretty much housebound!
Even if DS feels up to going out a bit later on, the weather is awful and so far not suitable for parks, at best a ten minute walk when it dries up a bit may be possible. We normally go to a support group on Wednesdays but whilst I am very tempted to go (it is not for illnesses) I don't want to make anyone ill.
So far I plan to cook a pie (should take up an hour or so on and off), a short walk if the weather is okay, some painting, a morning bath for them and hopefully they will both have a nap.
That is not going to keep us busy for 11 hours!
I am already resenting DH (he booked onto a course this week to have a change from the office with no thought as to how this would impact on me and the extra work I have to put in alone) and feel like I am going to be snapping by the time he gets home.
The only light is that DS is eating much more than he did yesterday so is hopefully getting better.
Feeling very sorry for myself..

Apologies op i just read a couple more of your posts. I assume nobody could come round and watch dc for an hour? I feel lonley from time to time at home i just try and busy myself and do that job ive been putting off it doesnt help feeling less lonely but it takes your mind off things. Before i had my dd i used to feel a strong pang of anxiety if i didnt leave the house all day as i felt id accomplished nothing but if i get loads done around the house i feel accomplished.. also make use of mumsnet and join in on some other threads i find it great for easing the lonely feeling.

Yes of course I have.
Just as I would expect them to say the same to me too!

It is a matter of expectations. To me this sounds very entitled because my DH like many was out of the house from 7 until 8 taking into account an hours commute all through my children's childhood. He was in bed by 10 as well. My family were 200 miles away and friends spread around the city with their own challenges. That is really not that unusual in many cities, and occupations.

A really bad day was when he was on an overseas business trip, my children, age 2 and 5 had chicken pox, the 2 year old with a massive viral load that meant she had spots everywhere, was very distressed and I needed to monitor for dangerous side effects. I had started a new job and needed to get myself up to speed and it was the third day of it and I had run out of food. We spent the day in front of videos with me tapping away at a laptop trying to master the system. DH managed to organise for a delivery of food, this was before ordering could be done online.

Life has taught me that there is always someone who has it worse and to count your blessings or at least just endure the bad times because this too will end.

Next week no doubt you will make it to your support group, so many good children's films for you to access.......

Oh, what a negative thread! Yes, it's hardly the worst day imaginable, we've probably all (op included) had several dozen days that are worse than what op is describing, but haven't we all at one time or another had a bit of a shit time and dreaded something far more than reasonable? I know I have!

Op, try to make it fun, for you as well as the dc

• film with homemade popcorn
• build a blanket fort and tell stories in it
• bake, even just rice Krispie buns
• get them involved in helping with housework - sorting laundry, cleaning mirrors etc - dd (3) loves this!
• make up silly songs or stories together
• get out for a walk and do a treasure hunt while out (spot a red car, a dog, some trees, whatever)

And breathe - it'll be fine!

It's not a career advancement course, it's a course he has already done before, so he is leaving a struggling wife on her own for longer, for no good reason. It would be different if he had to do this or these were his normal working hours.

Not everybody has kids who are happy to chill at home - some are a complete nightmare if cooped up. OP is clearly not happy - she is balancing work and childcare and a husband who thinks it's okay to go on a skive for a week (increasing OP's workload) without asking her first. People telling her to just suck it up and it's no big deal, are not helping her.

well then I hope you get a real slap from your loved ones when you go and expect a shoulder to cry on! Or hang on you probably have never had to do that as you are tough and as a mum(woman) human always have completely reasonable worrries/fears!!!

He's out of the house from 7.30 to 6.30.
This is pretty standard in most households I'd guess! Dh is home at 7.30-8 pm some nights.

Mumof3 you have no idea what's going on on my life right now. If you had you'd be keeping quiet.

The point is the OP doesn’t enjoy staying home. Some of us wouldn’t mind but some would and she does.

That’s ok.

Hope it goes better than planned op. Maybe catch up on some jobs

Why not decide you're going to have a nice day, give them long playtime type bath, buil forts, draw etc etc. They'll pick up on ur attitude, no ones mood is improved by one person acting the martyr cos you've to spend time with sick kids...

Well Greatduck why don’t you start your own thread and see if you can get some support then rather than pissing on others and make them feel worse than they already feel?! Good luck!

OP it totally sucks being lonely, especially in a new city! However this is just a short time in the grand scheme of things, normality will resume soon. It seems like a long day if you aren't used to it I guess (my working day is really long so I am out 0700-2100, albeit only twice a week, but always one at the weekend when DH is off. Thankfully he never complains about it).

If DS is better, get him back to school tomorrow and you can get out and about

Oh hiding I really feel for you, I had the entire week last week where ds1 was sick and no school- ds2 still wanted to play and was delighted his brother and playmate was home! Ds1 roared every time baby went near him or touched his toys or looked in his direction 🙄 it was hell on earth.
Friend messaged me saying god I can’t wait for the weekend for a break, I replied yeah?? I can’t wait til Monday for the kid to be in school and me to have a rest again!

I feel a little bit more sane for having done our usual school/playgroup routine yesterday! Made all the difference.

Hope yours is better soon

can you not just go for a drive with the kids, park up somewhere, little walk, back home. break the day up. i get the loneliness, i really do. chin up OP.

The reason that you are getting a hard time is that half seven until half six is a normal, or indeed short day for most people. Therefore people are surprised about that bit. If you hadn't of mentioned that it was a one week course I suspect that you wouldn't be getting a hard time. Being stuck in with one ill, and one not ill child is rubbish particularly if the not ill one is the youngest. Have you got any empty cardboard boxes, build and colour a boat

whatmomslove.com/kids/active-indoor-games-activities-for-kids-to-burn-energy/

www.facebook.com/TheImaginationTree/

Loads of great ideas on these websites to fill in the time. I also hate being stuck in the house. If you have balloons and any small toys lying around (from kinder eggs, party bags etc, small plastic dinosaurs work brilliantly), you can make ice eggs - DC can then 'hatch' them using tools/salt/warm water.

Hope the day isn't as bad as you're anticipating.

Oh, and mine both LOVE a kids version of beer pong - trying to bounce a ping pong ball into an array of paper cups/egg cups etc.

I think you are being a bit ott here. Many many parents cope alone, my dh works similar hours everyday and often works away too. I have 4 dcs and chrinic health issues.

Maybe there's more to it than just this? Bit extreme isn't it? Some of us cope with ill health, ill kids, no DH..not much perspective going on here for one day. I'd say you are BU....well you did ask!

If I had one ill child, one toddler and couldn't leave the house all day, I would also be dreading the day. Guess it's just as well I have only one child.

@hidinginthenightgarden , like @Whywonttheyletmeusemyusername I am also widowed. I have two kids (3 and 7). DH died before DD2 born. I work full time. DD2 got chicken pox at 11 months and we were housebound alone for four days.

Get a bloody grip. 11 hours of childcare is just that. DH will be home later. Seriously, I know it's dull but this is a total non problem.

Big shout out to @Whywonttheyletmeusemyusername . Four kids!

FGS OP is feeling lonely and missing a support group today, is it beyond some posters to understand that she might be struggling a bit? Since when does a thread in AIBU mean that people are obliged to be arseholes in response?

As I said earlier OP I am feeling similar at the moment, stuck indoors with young kids. My anxiety is through the roof and I am willing the day to hurry up and be over! I hope you manage ok today.

Glad your son is on the mend, hopefully the day will be better than you expect. I'm at home with a sick GS, his mum is in hospital, other GS not happy that I made him go to school so I do sympathise. I've even run out of chocolate.

Is there not stuff you can do at home? clean, read, play an instrument, bake a cake with kids, make the sitting room nice and snug and put on a film. Its only a few hours. Or could you go to a class or something when dh gets home or get out for a walk yourself to blow away the cobwebs. Personally I would love a day at home doing nothing. Dh had to take the last 2 days off cause the kids were sick and he was still in his pyjamas when I got home at 6.30pm both days. The kids are still sick today and had to be sent over to their minder as dh couldn't take another day and I had a meeting I had to attend. I would have much preferred to stay at home with them and not go out for the day.