Hidden annoyances of being a single parent.

[OhioOhioOhio]

Taking stuff out of and putting stuff in the attic.

On the subject of Christmas trees, trying to get the bloody thing back in the box. That, and lugging out the recycling bins, are the only things I hate about being single.

Eh ?
What on earth has that got to do with being a single parent

No, I'm not Boris bloody Johnson. The point is there are things that are difficult being a single parent but none of them are anything to do with sodding christmas trees.

More like things to do with dealing on your own with teenagers who are stressed about exams, or toddler tantrums, children who are ill and any number of things not trivial crap like a christmas tree which is just as awkward to get in from the car on your own regardless of whether or not you have children.

By complaining about it being hard to get an xmas tree in on your own as an annoying part of being a single parent you are giving the impression that the really hard stuff is actually a piece of cake if all you have to moan about is getting a tree in from the car.

You’re being utterly ridiculous spacepyramid

I’m cringing for you that not only have you missed the point of the OP’s post but you continue to be utterly arrogant at length.

Mercedes. I saw something on Pinterest. I can't remember it properly but I think you had to wrap a rope around the length of it and lower it down.

I'm totally confused about why I'm being challenged for this being relative to being a single parent.

I genuinely don't get why my annoyance isn't reasonable?

Well it does say HIDDEN annoyances

I genuinely don't get why my annoyance isn't reasonable?

Because apparently there’s a set list of what one can reasonably be irritated by as a single parent and one mustn’t deviate

Sadly the memo on “acceptable annoyances” was missing from my single parent starter pack.

I’m cringing for you that not only have you missed the point of the OP’s post but you continue to be utterly arrogant at length.

Not arrogant at all, just realistic about what is difficult about being a single parent. If I am a single adult and I have a tree it's a pain to get it in from the car on my own if I have a tree that is too heavy for me. That's the same whether I have children or not.

Having children and being the only adult to deal with the difficult parts of parenting on your own is what is hard about being a single parent.

Yes, I get that is awkward, been there and done that. You find ways round it - like have an artificial tree or do it when they are in bed.

Yes, thats what we so. Still an annoyance.

Mine was always doing the supermarket shopping and unpacking on my own. Hate unpacking shopping.

Having children and being the only adult to deal with the difficult parts of parenting on your own is what is hard about being a single parent.

Yes, and christmas decorations are part of what most parents do. Far bigger job alone.

Oh and doing it whilst looking after children, makes it a bigger job.

Unfortunately not everyone has kids that just stay in bed.

Not arrogant at all, just realistic about what is difficult about being a single parent

It is arrogant to assume you know what’s difficult and that other people therefore must think the same as you.

It’s a baffling mindset quite frankly.

I find the hardest things are the emotional factors of not having someone else around. No one to share the happy and sad parts of parenting with. No one to sit down with at the end of the day and talk about kids that we love equally. No one to watch them open their presents with.

Trying to do DIY and so on with kids underfoot/ wanting to “help” is pretty annoying though!

Doing all the adulting tasks alone & being responsible for everyone of them.
This week I've gathered scrap from around back of shed, replaced handle of a shovel, got washing machine repair guy in, cleaned out boiler, went into wood pellet silo, brought 3 baskets of clothes to outdoor washing machine, made 15 lunches, grocery shopped, cleaned out open fire, brought in fuel alongside working full time & having two dc

That's aside from the mental load

Not having someone to organise DS to get me birthday and Christmas presents (minor).

Having to ring round friends at 3.00am to get someone to look after DS before being carted off to hospital in an ambulance (hoping that one makes the "serious enough to get approval from random judgy bastard who should just fuck the fuck off" list).

BUT there is light at the end of this tunnel as my DD is now 11 and was the one to show me, last week, how to put the Ikea flat pack shelves we’d bought into the tiny VW Up. Now I have to find a time to build them without 5 year old wanting to take over or alternatively robbing my employer blind.”!(I.e. when working from home)

She is also stronger than me so more than well able to take one end of the flat pack to carry it in!

I find the hardest things are the emotional factors of not having someone else around. No one to share the happy and sad parts of parenting with. No one to sit down with at the end of the day and talk about kids that we love equally. No one to watch them open their presents with.

Same here. That's by far and away the hardest kind of thing. On the flip side, you and they get all the credit when it goes well.

Parenting single handedly is the obvious annoying thing about being a single parent.
There are other ‘hidden’ annoyances - things that are just that bit harder or more annoying to do alone that people don’t often think of.
That’s what this thread is about.
Mine is having no one to share a glass of wine with on Christmas Eve once all the presents are wrapped and the kids are in bed. It’s the only time I really feel lonely.

When your kids have a vomiting bug and you are up most of the night with them and having to keep going the next day.

Groundhog Day doing breakfast, lunch, dinners, dishes, washing, sorting uniforms, homework...

I could go on 😁

Having no one to share their little successes with. Even more so now my parents are dead. My FB friends have to be tolerant of my proud mum posts, but it’s not the same.

When you realise the electric/milk/bread for packed lunches has ran out and the kids are already tucked up in bed so you just have to go without as you can’t leave them alone. X

No one around to just to share the mental load

A cup of tea would be nice

When I've put him to bed and realise theres no wine/chocolate and I cant just pop out to get some.

I had the 'I know how you feel, my DH works away' from someone right after my DH died

Getting things down from the top shelves in the kitchen cupboard, or putting them back always annoyed me. I had to use a step ladder Now DC are both young adults and taller than me I get them to do it, no step ladder required. Also taking rubbish out. Communal bins at this place and last place are taller than me, wrestling bags of rubbish up above your head is a pain in the arse. I can only conclude that a man designed the stupid bins.