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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think I can’t be expected to cope with this anymore and that this isn’t ‘just life’?

455 replies

Cantdoothis · 02/08/2024 14:59

I’m late 30s work full time in a demanding career. I do get to work from home half the week but I am solely responsible for our dd who is 2, ex sees her most weekends but never overnight. He lives two hours away and so will take her for a few hours on either a Saturday or Sunday and does bedtime on the day he’s with her. Before anyone says he should be doing more, yep I agree, but he won’t. He pays for nursery in full and 200 on top and says he is paying more proportionately (which he is) to reflect the fact it’s all on me. All sounds ok until I say that I CANNOT do this anymore.

I am run ragged. I do not have a moment. I wake up and get going on jobs for dd. I get in the car, drive 20 mins to nursery (that’s the closest). I either drive back home or to the office. I work, try and squeeze in a food shop. Rush to pick dd up. Do her dinner. Depending on the mood she is in I will have to try and do a bath, if she’s difficult I do it in the morning. I do bedtime routine, then I continue with work and hope she sleeps. I then cook for myself. I am just endlessly listing things now but I feel totally and utterly depleted with no way out.

It’s not that it’s all awful it’s just that it never stops. Someone always needs me. Something always needs doing. I was so unwell last week and honestly I wished I could have jumped ship and ran away from it all. I hate it. Life feels so bloody miserable and never ending jobs. I want to go part time or something but then that would cause other problems financially. Is this just life?

OP posts:
Whatinthedoopla · 06/08/2024 13:10

How about getting food ordered to your home or click and collect?

Dishwasher
Clothes dryer
Bath once every other day
Batch cooking
Do compressed hours at work, and if nursery allows to leave your DD in for extra

WindsurfingDreams · 06/08/2024 14:52

Cantdoothis · 03/08/2024 07:37

I think part of my misery is that I can’t understand how it will get better? In some ways I’m scared it will get worse when she can talk and wants to know why I’m not up yet or what’s happening etc. It sounds terrible but I just want to be left alone. I also feel horrendously guilty not working one day a week when she’s not at school as I feel I should spend that time with her. I’ve never felt so unhappy and guilty and mentally stressed in my life

Once they are older it gets heaps easier, they are able to do more for themselves, they can help out a bit and they become lovely company. And things like clubs at the weekend/ play dates with friends etc become a chance to get a break

FootieMama · 09/08/2024 10:17

Hang in there OP. It will get easier. Before you know she will be going to school.
Also as she grows she will be able to communicate better and easier to look after. 🌻

stripydungarees · 09/08/2024 11:57

It might have already been discussed up the thread but KID FREE WORK FREE TIME is essential! I am in a similar situation often but not permanent - with the children whilst my husband works abroad. Can you work 80% or condense your hours into working 9 days over 2 weeks, giving you a day off but keep the nursery time! And on that day doing something for yourself THEN jobs after that (not the other way as there’s always another chore to do).

JustBrowsingTheWeb · 20/08/2024 21:39

I promise it does get easier, they get older and able to do a few more things for themselves. I would go part time and find a way financially. We surprise ourselves the cutbacks we can make when we have to, and know it will likely just be for a couple of years and will get easier and you can up work again. You deserve to enjoy your time with little one and not feel burned out, good luck x

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