Support

[lavent]

Looking for advice / support on having 4 young DC.

I'm in a difficult situation, alone, no family/friends as recently moved to escape DV.

Money is tight as I'm not currently working but I would like to start thinking about part-time work at Easter if I can find a suitable childcare solution. Easier said than done though!

You're right about the time thing!

I usually sleep 11.30pm-1.30am then 2am-4.30/5am then a little until 6/6.30am (DS2 still waking early )
I am getting used to it now though but am staying awake during the day with copious amounts of caffeine!
I can't sleep in the day no but I can chill a bit when DS3 naps around lunchtime.
I still have a nanny for 5 hours a day 4/5 days a week at the moment so that's a huge help and she mainly takes the older two out to activities.

sounds tough, hopefully once the others are back at nursery / school you can sleep a bit in the day some days?

sleep deprivation is the worst. can you get to bed any earlier or is the little one still up then?

also did you manage to get blackout blinds for DS2's room?

I've got blackout blinds yes so there's no excuse he doesn't like them though he says he's scared of them so I often find them up of a morning. I think he's got himself used to waking up at 6 now and it's hard as he needs that extra hour and his behaviour is suffering.
I let them watch Nemo until 8pm and they're "camping" in DS1s room tonight to try and break the cycle.

Yes I will be able to rest a whole lot more once school starts as 2 in school full time and 3rd in nursery 2.5 days a week.

I sometimes go upstairs at about 9 but I find it hard to sleep until about 10.30 and that's when baby wakes up

could you leave the blinds half way across maybe?

oh dear I know what you mean about the behaviour issues if they get up too early - my DS is like that. We're also transitioning from naps to no naps, which means on days of naps (which tend to be in buggy), bedtimes are screwed or we get early wakings.

I have him in with me, but he's at an age now where I can tell him to go back to sleep (sometimes) so it's getting a bit easier...phew! I thought i would die of sleep deprivation at times and I only had the one. I do sometimes make him breakfast and he watches cbeebies while I doze (with one ear open!).

The trouble is he wakes up all the others
He only has one volume

oh god yes i bet it's ridiculously difficult with several DCs. you deserve a medal - or ten!!

maybe when school / nursery starts he'll be a bit more tired out and sleep better.

Can you bribe him to sit quietly and watch tv until yiu wake up

I've tried bribing him but he's just so flipping loud!

Anyway my plan worked and he didn't wake up until 7.30 today so I'll do the same tonight I think.
I find during term time they're so tired 6.30 bed is needed but they've recently started to watch Arthur on CBBC and it's the one programme they really "watch" so I've put bedtime back to 7.

That's great you all had a bit of a lie in! I think if you drink coffee after 2pm it can stop you falling asleep at night, even if your tired. I've suffered with insomnia and was told to only drink coffee in the morning

Oh no megaphone boy. You might need to be quite stern, hes a big boy now.

Hi how's everything? Is the coleif helping?

Hmm I'm not too sure on the colief but it has turned his poos back from green(ish) to yellow (sorry TMI!)
I've got a doctors appt for him later on today anyway.....

We've been out to soft play this morning as no nanny today. Now very overdrawn but hopefully I'll get a small back payment from HMRC soon come on you bastards!

Well that's something at least. Hopefully the doctor will be able to prescribe something else. I know it costs a fortune to take them to those places and keep the entertained all summer. Roll on September

How did it go at the doctors?

Got some gaviscon for him x

Let's hope it helps. It can make them constipated though

Hmm tax credits have been updated today to the rate I calculated for 4 children but no random extra payment (the used to do this every time you updated something?) and no backdated payment (assumed they would backdate to day baby was born) budget well and truly off course now!
Off to Lidl today!

Not a bad night - will give the Gaviscon a go today...

Chase that up Lavent.

Just been lidl too! How's the car? Did you find out what's wrong with it? If you get chance give tax credits a call. Glad you had a better night with baby. I hope the gaviscon works for him x

The car is ok the brakes work fine just think the pads are nearly on the way out (it's not long been MOTd so can't be that bad).
I am going to take it to a garage that checks them for free but I'm not keen on taking all the DC and SS have gone quiet again
I'm broke again so not sure how I can fix it anyway. Annoying!

Maybe I'll try and get them to bed early tonight and call tax credits....

When is the nanny coming next?

No idea....... I text on Friday asking the plan for this week and was told they'd let me know on Monday. But noone has been in touch.

Can you text them again? That's not on

Who provides the nanny social services? If so did they give you tell how long they would offer support?
Re the tax credits , they don't seem to back pay anymore they add iron your award. Eg say they owed you £200 and there was 50 weeks left until April you would revive an extra £4 a week. Once you renew you would then probably receive an extra payment if they calculate things on estimates rather than actual amounts.