WHY am I so useless???

[Chipbutty67]

I really need to know if I need to be worried about my level of absolute uselessness or if I need to go get my head checked!

No matter how hard I try, I am so forgetful and can’t seem to concentrate enough to keep the most basic parts of my life together. I also have 2 small DC who I care for 100% of the time (DH either travelling or completely disinterested) and I am genuinely terrified of hurting one of them through my incompetence.

I try every method of organisation going. I write every last bloody thing in a bullet journal, make daily to do lists and review weekly. I follow TOMM. I diarise everything in my calendar. I have tile trackers on my keys and wallet. I’m trying desperately but I just can seem to function. In the last month alone I have:

• accidentally left my front keys in the door, causing someone to open the door and steal cash. I also had to pay to have the locks changed, in case.
• started paying for parking on my phone and forgot before the final step, got a ticket
• forgot my bag containing my bloody bullet journal and ID at a restaurant. Had to cancel and replace ID at my own cost.
• lost 2 pairs of headphones. I now have a headphone pouch, also with a tile on it.
• misunderstood the charging system at DC2’s nursery, chose the wrong nursery and am now paying through the nose for it.

Even the most basic tasks like doing the DC’s homework with them need to be written down or I’ll forget. I feel like I’m working my butt off but in reality I’m just doing the bare minimum to keep life going.

Has anyone experienced this? I spoke to my GP and asked for anti- depressants as I can’t focus on anything and have a history in my family but she just said I was functioning really well and don’t need medication. I feel like a walking time bomb in my own life.

Get your vitamin B12 checked. Trust me. Demand it done.

I was like this when I had small children . Sometimes there is literally too much for one person to remember. Are you able to outsource ANYTHING ?

I was also like this, went out twice & left the front door wide open, would regularly forget where I had parked my car. Had my purse stolen off the buggy twice. I think it's just baby brains, it lasts for years. Just do your best & stop beating yourself up about it.

I have young kids and also feel my brain is almost too full to cope but you do sound like your struggling more than "normal", whatever that is.
Might be worth seeing your GP about just in case there actually is something they can do for you.
You could be suffering from exhaustion, maybe? If you're doing 100% of the childcare. It's a damn hard job. Any way you can steal a day or evening or weekend to yourself? Any family who can help you get some downtime?

Get some spare keys cut and hide them somewhere

See your GP and get some blood tests, but I was in the normal range and in the post baby brain fog would do things like throw food away and put the wrapper in the fridge

I am like this OP have the brain of a sieve and constantly make costly mistakes

I have to double/ triple check that things are locked/ turned off before I leave the house

Yes. I am the same.

I recently heard the phrase, 'the absent-minded professor type' used to describe someone and didn't realise it was a thing. Turns out it's a thing! Nothing is wrong with me medically. I just have to work so hard to remember normal life things like keys, phone, schedule, being tidy. Yet remember & understand stuff in my area of academic interest so easily.