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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think it never ends?

84 replies

chatenoire · 25/10/2023 07:14

My life never seems to slow down (in many aspects).

For example our house definitely needs money: new carpets, new TV, storage, etc...I work from home and as the main "breadwinner" I find it depressing that I have to move from the kitchen to one of the DCs rooms.

All the admin can be overwhelming, ordering stuff for the DC, being their taxi, etc... I even told my daughter that I wouldn't regularly take her to a club on Sunday because I don't have 3 hours to spare.

I feel like the weekends are either for doing all the house chores we couldn't do during the week, or the admin (like post office or banks), weekly shop... The day I'd like to do nothing, we have to do something "fun" with the DC and that eats a good chunk of the day.

I'd like to have the carrot of knowing that I'll have a nice holiday but as it stands, I don't know if we can afford one considering the expenses to make this house more of a home.

Financially I think we're doing OK but I get easily overwhelmed. My DM thinks it's just the way it is, but I think it's very rich of her considering she had a live in cleaner, a nanny, and a gardener. Plus, she never had to worry about a mortgage as she lived mortgage free!

OP posts:
ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 25/10/2023 14:05

Good advice there @TotalOverhaul

chatenoire · 25/10/2023 17:04

AguaMolePedraDura · 25/10/2023 13:50

When you add both at least I have to make the special trip to either the bank or post office once / twice a month.

Put the money in envelopes and deposit it every two months only.

Parcels - are you perhaps spending a bit of money on unnecessary purchases, could this be considered? Just a "Hold on, do I really need this now?" check before you hit "Order".

I agree with others about trying an Asda online shop at least some weeks, and looking at what you're eating to see whether there's scope for at least one veg soup + bread or egg and chips type meals a week.

All of the stuff I buy is for their kids from their pocket money. As we don't have any local "interesting" shops like H&M or Urban Outfitters they order most things online.

OP posts:
GoodToBeHome · 25/10/2023 17:29

chatenoire · 25/10/2023 12:25

Only if I have a printer! (Which I don't, the 13yo broke it).

But no, the one that babies the children is my DH not me

I think you are going to have to drop the rope so to speak. If your DH wants to baby his (16 year old?!) children let him.....it doesn't mean you have to.
If their rooms are a mess tell the kids/DH they need cleaning ASAP and then leave them to it. If they don't get done, the next time they want something tell them no...not until your room is clean/tidy. They will soon learn you mean business. If they don't then DH can sort out whatever it is they want, I bet he soon learns when he doesn't have you running around after everyone!
I get it, it's hard. I have worked full time since my children were tiny but you are sounding so defeatist and martyred at this point....find a bit of fire in your belly and sort them out once and for all and things will get easier!

chatenoire · 25/10/2023 17:38

GoodToBeHome · 25/10/2023 17:29

I think you are going to have to drop the rope so to speak. If your DH wants to baby his (16 year old?!) children let him.....it doesn't mean you have to.
If their rooms are a mess tell the kids/DH they need cleaning ASAP and then leave them to it. If they don't get done, the next time they want something tell them no...not until your room is clean/tidy. They will soon learn you mean business. If they don't then DH can sort out whatever it is they want, I bet he soon learns when he doesn't have you running around after everyone!
I get it, it's hard. I have worked full time since my children were tiny but you are sounding so defeatist and martyred at this point....find a bit of fire in your belly and sort them out once and for all and things will get easier!

Well I don't move a finger unless they do, the result is a messy house.

OP posts:
GoodToBeHome · 25/10/2023 17:52

chatenoire · 25/10/2023 17:38

Well I don't move a finger unless they do, the result is a messy house.

So the consequence is no fun day at the weekend. Put your foot down.
You sound so downtrodden.

aswarmofmidges · 25/10/2023 17:54

The kids will have to wait to buy stuff with their pocket money till the school holidays leads to a trip into town

You have got into bad habits and can't seem to see that it's possible to break them

Loonylooops · 25/10/2023 18:13

My advice would be:

Remove all of your help for the kids until they pick up the slack. Don't drive them anywhere, do anything for them until they clean up. They might not care about a dirty house but they will care when you aren't giving them anything.

Cash - just save the cash for yourself and transfer money into their accounts online.

Start doing online shopping with places that pick up from your house for returns, Next etc.

Get back into exercise! Prioritise it. The vital for your well-being, it's a hobby and you will be able to cope more.

Ignore anyone in here saying you are easily overwhelmed. You clearly are overwhelmed and that's what is making you feel like you can't cope. You are not alone. But life with kids is tough. It will get easier when they move out!

maddening · 25/10/2023 18:50

chatenoire · 25/10/2023 07:37

I do have a husband who does most of the cleaning, but I do a lot of the wraparound care and the driving around.

I go to the post office to return online shopping and oddly enough I do go to the bank every now and then because the kids get sent money in cash, so we deposit it! When you add both at least I have to make the special trip to either the bank or post office once / twice a month.

We buy most of our groceries from Lidl do no online shopping for us! We need those savings being a family of 6 (albeit part time, but we go through a lot of food / laundry)

You can pay cash in at the post office

wonkymonkey · 25/10/2023 19:24

Small thing but I found out you can do banking at the Post Office the other day. They do stuff on behalf of the high street banks including deposits. Which will save you two trips at least!

Humbugg · 25/10/2023 19:54

Loads and loads of good advice here OP. Take it!! Stop getting defensive to all the suggestions that will make your life easier quite quickly

Mew2 · 25/10/2023 20:16

I would agree itseems monotonous sometimes. I have a 3 year old- her jobs are setting the table for tea, loading/unloading the washing machine withhubby, and keeping her room tidy. She also takes things off the floor and sets off the robot hoover. Can you delegate some tasks to the dc. By 12 I was cooking one simple meal a week as well as doing all the kind of jobs my 3year old does...

chatenoire · 25/10/2023 20:25

Humbugg · 25/10/2023 19:54

Loads and loads of good advice here OP. Take it!! Stop getting defensive to all the suggestions that will make your life easier quite quickly

Some of them I already do! (Like the PO = bank).

I think I just need to tell the children that they either help cleaning or no more "treats".

Although the only one that demands those is the 13yo.

The other two might complain about the state of the house, but I always say they're old enough to clean the mess themselves if they're that bothered..

OP posts:
Sheselectric22 · 25/10/2023 21:01

It's easy to feel overwhelmed as a mum op. I have been there myself. It's nothing you are doing it's just life with dc can get that way sometimes and it's hard to get out of it. I think the reason it gets like this is mostly our own expectations and always aiming for a better time, eg..if I just get to Xmas things will slow down, if we just get new carpets and do more of the home improvements things will be better, when dc is in full time school life will be better. You get the picture. Thinking like this can make life feel very much like a chore in every way and make the present seem like something to get through and endure.

It's possible to make life easier and more enjoyable. I will never let myself forget to live and just get through the days like a drudge or let life be purely work again, because doing that led me to misery and mental health problems. I was just trying to make everything 'just right' that I forget to live and felt as you describe. Some things won't be doable or relevant to you but things that I do are

I have changed jobs a few times to find a good fit and I studied for a job/promotion that means I work incredibly flexibly and can work part time and still earn well. That's not always possible but could you condense your hours to give you a day off during the week? I have two days during school hours that I'm not working, I do work longer hours on other days but it means on the two weekdays I can get on top of chores and dc admin and take some time for myself. It frees up evenings and makes life more organised. Because it's every week eventually getting on top of stuff becomes less needed so more time to yourself. I sometimes go back to bed or il go walking or to meet friends. Sometimes I just sit and switch off. It's life changing. My colleague was on the verge of a breakdown and has reduced her hours so she has an extra day a week off and it's improved her life so much. She says due to tax it actually doesn't make her massively worse off. Work recognised it was this or she left and are pretty accommodating if it benefits everyone.

If that's not possible I'd look at doing short bursts of chores so weekends are fairly free so you can take a chunk of time for yourself.

I have hobbies that I can share with my dc so that time with them is enjoyable for all and feels like it's more for me too. This can help you feel less like you do everything for everyone else and nothing for yourself.

Who sends your dc money and what is it for? If it's regular from a relative for example can you use some of that money for family things such as days out or home improvement rather than them just buying stuff. This will help with decluttering and improve things for the whole family. One of my dc gets regular money, mostly it's used directly on her but sometimes I use it for days out or even for myself or something for the house because it's to benefit her life and these things do benefit her indirectly. If it's not regular money and just pocket money from you then id cut back and also only give it every so often and on the condition that they contribute to the chores and running of the home. This will stop them frittering it on crap every week, that you then have to send back, and give them incentive to do more taking the burden off you.

Can you cut back on anything at all to afford an occasional cleaner? I have one every two weeks but even every month would be fine. She is very through so it's less time consuming when I do top up cleans in between. If money is too tight fair enough. One thing that you have to do is massively lower your standards and then lower them again. I have the privilege to go in numerous homes and a very high number of them have blemishes and imperfections and are not as tidy or clean as many people seem to think houses need to be. It doesn't harm anyone unless it's squalid. Toys all over the place, full sink, bit of dust, a few bits on the carpet, unmade beds etc are all normal and fine. You will free up lots of time and feel less overwhelmed if you let your house be a bit more messy.

Reduce the dc clubs or look for similar on nights that are better or when your dh is available. I have tried various combinations of clubs so that we are all getting the most downtime and so most clubs fall on days when I'm not already busy. It means that a few nights a week we can come home and have an easy dinner and then chill.

The fun weekend thing can be at home and easier. Your dc are older than mine but even so they would probably enjoy movie afternoons or craft afternoons. Doesn't have to cost lots and means you can also get downtime and break off to either do something else or have a nap.

Make friends properly with parents in your area. We now have real friends who we met through dc who will likely be lifelong. Although it may seem like something else to do when you already feel overwhelmed, it means you can rely on them to help out, for eg take dc to a club. It also means you can have time to relax and enjoy something but your dc can be there. We go on holiday with another 4 families from school twice a year (camping if money is an issue), we regularly go for dinner and drinks with other families and we will go out with the adults separately. It makes life less about the mundane and means that even in the middle of the tough years we have something that is fun for us all and to look forward to. We have no childcare or family support so this way we get to do adult stuff but with the kids in tow. This is not about adding stuff to your already full plate but about breaking the cycle of work and chores and no fun because that in my experience leads to overwhelm and poor mental health. If you enjoy aspects of your week you feel more able to let stuff go.

Put more of the mental load on to your dh. I got a new phone and didn't re download the school apps so now dh is the only one that has them and so he deals with all that. We have a shared online calendar and we both update it and can send each other a notification if it's something the other needs to know about.

Mute all the group chats, work, schools and personal. Only check them when you can be bothered and just skim read them. Most of the stuff on there will be irrelevant to you but them pinging all day feels like there is so much you need to read and do. I bet you won't miss anything important. We coped without constant contact in the past and managed to live just fine.

If there are little errands to run I often send dh a message for him to do it on his way home from work. It's easier to nip somewhere when your already out than make a special trip. It shares the physical aspects of family life. I forgot my lunch today so nipped into Lidl on route to my next appointment and in the middle aisle was a few cheap toys and games. We have a few of dc friends birthday parties coming up so I grabbed a few and will wrap them later. It means I can forget about it and don't have to rush out the day before. I was just mooching about down the middle aisle so it doesn't have to be another chore as such. Plus the items were only £3 and look really good. Dh will do similar and manages all of dc dressing up days and club payments/outfits and all car and home insurance, repairs and payments so I can forget about them. We don't have to actively split the load now which can feel like another burden on you, we have played to each other's strengths, I'm better at the emotional stuff and direct care eg remembering to get dc to the dentist where as he is better at payments and organising returns etc.

Divide up practical stuff fairly. I was at one point doing all mornings and evenings due to different working hours and him walking the dog, but now he does mornings by getting the dc up, dressed and gives them breakfast and does pack lunches before he leaves. I then only have to take them to school. Dh also does all cooking, shopping and half the dc baths and bedtimes. It means we each have evenings where we can relax alone and means that I get to lie in a bit longer in the morning when I have a longer day ahead. Dh works full time but recognises my job is very stressful and I have the better earning potential so we try give each other a break and again work to our strengths. I'm a night person and him morning so we each run our dc and home when we are at our best.

Often accepting that you can't do everything in one day helps. I used to be of the mindset that if I got everything done today, tomorrow I could rest and life would be less full, but the list was endless and it just leads to burnout. You have to to rest when your mind and body tell you to. Acceptance is key, a lot of the time you are fighting against the overwhelm and mundane but accepting this is life sometimes does make it a bit easier to let go.

Sjh15 · 25/10/2023 21:38

Online food shopping - saves SO much time. Order in the evening when you’re sat in bed. get it delivered in an evening, do an easy dinner that day (ready meal). Morrisons and Asda are reasonable.

tell the DC to clean certain things or no treats on weekends

Money - keep and spend the cash and transfer it from your account into theirs, OR give it to the dc as cash, OR save it up and go in once a month or every other month. I’ve got my DS cash in an envelope on the side I’ve had it there 2 weeks now and don’t intend to do anything about it until after his birthday in 3 weeks time.

post office - order all the kids clothes at the same time once every few months so you’re going in less as you aren’t going in for individual returns. Do this in a lunch break or something? Can’t imagine spending an hour of my Saturday in a post office, they drive me mad at the best of times.

you seem overwhelmed, I don’t blame you, try break everything down x

Whatdotheyknow · 26/10/2023 00:18

OP I really feel for you and think I understand to a certain extent. I’ve been overwhelmed for the last 3 years I think and feel like I’m just starting to claw my way out of a fog.

I’ve been having regular counselling (every 2 weeks) which I’ve stuck to for over a year and I’m slowly starting to see some changes.

So I guess I’m just here to say it’s OK to say you’re overwhelmed and it can change. Hope things start feeling lighter for you soon.

draxdomax · 26/10/2023 11:59

We don't even have children yet and can't cope.
I work in tech, where we like to say that we are making things that save time - I've known this to be a lie for 10 years now.
All that tech does is find free time that people might have and weaponize it for work time.

When work from home started, I did enjoy a massive savings of time but now my work expect me to put that savings back into more work.
So, work from home means = "you never stop being at work".

The smartest thing you can do is figure out how to reach self-sufficiency, whatever form that may take (even a caravan in Romania) and strive to achieve that goal ASAP.

Now, every pound I spend, I see it as 10 minutes of my life that I give up.
Every 200 pounds I save are another day of my life I can have FOR MY SELF.

Jem123456789 · 26/10/2023 12:51

You should try to do more in the weekday evenings after work/dinner is sorted. Most of my life admin is done then, as well as online shopping. If no online shopping available then go on a Friday night. If you’re hubby is doing most of the cleaning then that should leave two afternoons of free time at weekends surely? Sure you’ll always have laundry (who doesn’t?) and other bits and bobs but that’s life.

Everythinghasgonetoshit · 26/10/2023 15:07

Some great advice on here. I think I need to take some of this on board.

One thing I have learnt is that if the kids are home in the day,it will be messy. I'm just going to try and tidy at the end of the day insteadof ending up in a cleaning death loop.

I've found listening to podcasts a godsend while cleaning as I can block out the kids with my ear phones and look like I'm doing some grunt work when I'm actually enjoying something else at the same time.

PictureFrameWindow · 26/10/2023 16:19

Fab advice this has given me a lot of food for thought.

Loobeylooooo · 26/10/2023 16:52

Okay I’m a single parent so I hear what you’re saying, I never seem to have any time for myself, always something to do. When your kids receive money transfer the amount from your account into theirs and then use the cash to part pay your groceries or for other transactions. No need to go to the bank at all. As long as you pay the kids the money received it really doesn’t matter whether it’s the exact notes! I do this with my daughter to save going into the bank.

SprinkleOfSunak · 26/10/2023 17:02

I feel it’s all relentless too, and find it really overwhelming that we can never end up on top of things.

There are so many things that need doing in our home too, that thanks to the cost of living crisis, we can’t afford to do, and so over half of the house looks dreary and depressing which really doesn’t help, as it always looks a mess, then untidy on top.

runningandjumping · 26/10/2023 17:28

Same here, 3 kids and a full on job, it's relentless! I manage to have a bit of time for myself though every week: a jog with a friend and a Fitness class with a group of friends.i also read a bit before going to bed. I sometimes go for a coffee or a drink with friends. You need to put yourself first sometimes to keep going!

pelargoniums · 26/10/2023 20:48

@Everythinghasgonetoshit Cleaning death loop! Thanks, I’m stealing that. Very guilty of doing this instead of an end-of-day tidy.

I absolutely live for the days when DP commutes to the office, DD is in school and the baby has a class in the morning so we go out – come home at lunchtime, fling him for a nap and the house is tidy! Because no one’s been in it! If I could just arrange for my whole family to be permanently somewhere else, it would be so serene, like an Inigo House shoot.

MumOfThreeChildren · 26/10/2023 20:49

Hello, I have sympathy. There never seems to be enough time in the day. One thing I’ve been doing recently is having my post collected by Royal Mail. It’s free of charge and the Postie can usually collect the following day. Saves the time going to the post office and the parking fees. Hope this helps…https://www.royalmail.com/parcel-sending-options

Seriously79 · 26/10/2023 21:06

I've tried to implement a system but it requires me to be really strict.

Monday mop (hoover/ sweep before hand)
Tuesday toilet (bathroom)
Wednesday wash - throw a load in mid week
Thursday throw - get rid of anything going out of date
Fridays are for a general tidy of anything I haven't already done.

It does free up time on the weekends

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