Been on my own for 5 days

[Lookatthesizeofthatpizza]

With Dd, 5, and I’m exhausted.
Dh is away with work for a week. I live abroad so no family around, lots of friends but they have their own families etc, I’d only reach out in an emergency. Dd is wonderful, but very intense and energetic, v wilful (going through assessment for adhd)
She’s not fallen asleep until 9.30 ish and up at 6.30. I think it’s doing every bedtime that’s been harder (Dh and I normally alternate)
Ive just found it such hard work and take my hat off to single mums 💪
Is this normal? Feels a bit pathetic, but to only have a couple of hours to myself once she’s asleep, then falling asleep myself makes me feel so trapped

Yanbu. I've done 14 years as a single mum and it can be very tiring. We, who have to do it all the time, learn strategies to cope. Things like going to bed when my dc did and hopefully waking a bit earlier than them so I could have a coffee in peace..

I agree with @AngelusBell Cherish these days while giving your child as much exercise as possible. 🙂

I had 5 boys under 10 and DH worked away - yes it's tiring! I'd make sure you do as much as you can to wear her out in the day - long bike rides/walks/park/soft play etc! Then have a winding down period - tea at six, quiet play or favourite tv show, bath, stories, bed. Having a bedtime routine saved me and the little ones were in bed by 7.30 so I at least had a bit of an evening to myself. I didn't mind early mornings up at 6.30 but I was really strict about bedtime!

I was out of sorts as a toddler when my dad went away to work.
The teacher at my primary school said - she's being very naughty
That was the cause

LOL all the single moms reactions to this…i am one of them. But its hard when your not used to it. Trust me when its permanent and ur sat on ur own eve after eve spending them two hrs on ur own…its lonely! Not just tiring! be thankful its not permanent because its hardwork. My son is 18 months old the toddler stage is the worse. These young years wont last we must remember that. One day they will be adults and not want to know us :) relish in the hard days and the good we are all they want

I guess we all aren't used to it until we are.

Single parents just get on with it because we have to. It's so lonely like you say. 😥