Wondering what to do

[Onepea]

I know it sounds spoilt, but my children are now at an age where i have a lot of time on my hands but not so much that i could work full time. It's strange not to be needed in the way i used to be and i feel it's important that i find something to fill my life as the time i will have on my hands will slowly increase. But i just don't know what to do with myself. I was a secretary before i had the children and didn't enjoy it. I overeat and lack self discipline in how i spend my days. In effect, the children are all at school, but in belgium, where we live, they finish school at 12.30 two days a week, have a 10 week summer holiday, plus 2 weeks at xmas and easter and tHree half terms. I feel unable (and don't want to) work full time, (my salary xouldn't even cover school holiday childcare) but feel unstimulated being home alone. In what is probably a case of "the grass being greener", i imagine i'd find getting a job in the uk would be easier than here. Does anyone have any ideas what i could do? Thank you

Some of the things I have done in the same situation:
charity work
chaired the pta for 2 years
have a tefl qualification and taught part time for 5 years
OU course
help with reading at school
studied for a qualification with Institiute of Legal Executives - took me 4 years
courses at adult education centre
I now run the school library.

I agree with yummybunny. Start small. Can you rejoin an expat group as if you were making a fresh start? Find a new group, a new set of interests? I understand what you mean about self-discipline. I suffer from that problem too!

Where I am, one or two people have said that after a while they need to re-set themselves, often because so many of their original friends have moved on to new postings, but sometimes just because of a change in circumstances. When that happens they throw themselves back at the newcomers meetings to find new groups, new volunteering outlets, new educational opportunities, and so on.

I think, to answer your question about the UK, that job opportunities there are very very thin on the ground right now, particularly if one is looking for a "little job" to fit around school (for instance 300 applicants for a Teaching Assistant post )

Hi Onepea
Whereabouts in Belgium are you?
Are you a member of the BCT? Volunteering for organisations like that has saved many expat women from going crazy while their kids are at school and their husbands are at work.
Are you aware of the Belgian mumsnetters group? There are quite a lot of us and we try to keep in contact with each other to a certain degree. We have a group on facebook and organise events and get-togethers sometimes.
If you're interested in any of this, PM me and I'll sort out making you a member of the FB group.

Hey ONEPEA, BCT would love you to volunteer, there are loads of unfilled positions, from web design to running parents and tots groups - it's fine to do that without your own children in tow. If you're in Antwerp, there's Antwerp Parent and Child (APC).

Belgians (Benelux) mumsnetters are growing, their next outing appears to be a wine evening. There's a French language class group too.

IF your children are at international school, there must be some social events and volunteering opportunities there too. Even some local schools have parent volunteers.

There are free language classes you could do too, you get 60 hours of free French or Dutch, if you sign up to say you are seeking work. Otherwise adult edcation centres charge typically 1 euro per hour for French and other languages, 50 cent per hour for Dutch. I wish I could study Dutch, but so far work has made it impossible.

Here's a part time job in English, school hours. Not far from Brussels. At Ecole le Verseau in Wavre.
www.xpats.com/en/jobs/experienced-english-teacher-english-administrative-support-assistant

School holiday child care in Belgium can cost as little as 40 euro for the week, don't let that put you off, plus you get tax relief on your salary on child care for under 12s and also you get money refunded from your mutuelle for child care, meaning you could be looking at a few euro per day for child care..

Thank you all for your support and suggestions some of which were very useful. I was fearful I'd be told to stop whingeing! How do I get included in the wine evening? I also don't know how to send a private message to get onto the FB list.

Send me an email on [email protected] and I will add you to the group. Or click on "message poster" at the end of the blue bar with my name in.....

Also - I agree with natation that holiday clubs are relatively cheap here. Are your dcs in local, or international school?