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Original poster

Methinks its time for another achievements as a single parent thread

54 replies

HerrenaHarridan · 05/08/2013 17:02

So I'll start

Recently I...

Travelled from Edinburgh to Portsmouth by train with baby in buggy and dog by bus train and tube (yes I failed my driving test again Grin)

Have been mowing my lawn

Conquered (or surrendered to) alopecia by shaving my head and leaving myself with nothing but a punky fringe and a few dreads at my nape. Then continued life as normal in a poor shocked wee village Shock

Got 2 piercings

Fixed washing machine

Fixed Hoover

So what are you proud of yourself for?

Did you conquer that spider? Smile

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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shanelle5 · 05/08/2013 17:35

Wow, first off well done you!! Impressed with so much of your list TBH as I fail miserably at anything like fixing hoover/washing machine Blush Im just proud that ive got through the hardest year of my life really and that my wonderful children are still sane and healthy/relatively happy! On the practical side, its just the small stuff for me, I have to look at each day and find something, ANYTHING to think what Ive acheived, often like yesterday its just the plain (very small) items like, cleaned out the fridge, made a roast dinner and ate as a family with the kids, played scrabble together Smile
I have taken them away for a weekend in a caravan though and are moving house soon too GULP!

IneedAyoniNickname · 05/08/2013 18:58

Overcame depression that was so bad I was suicidal.
Cleaned my house (it was so bad ss were involved) and have kept it largely clean and tidy ever since
Have been on numerous camping trips involving getting the train (although all the equip was at our destination)
Have built various things, an electric fan and exercise bike this week. Even though I knew I was capable before, ex would never have 'let' me
And passed an access course with frankly fab grades :)

Well done on all your achievements :)

girliefriend · 05/08/2013 19:42

My achievement is going to be next week when I am going to drive from Somerset to Cumbria with an eaisly bored on long car journeys 7 yo!!

Wish me luck Shock Grin

sandiy · 05/08/2013 19:50

I dismantled my sons high sleeper bed. Put in a nice new bed.Im just finishing a years post grad course.My kids and I are happy Oh and I went camping on my own it was freezing but great.

Lackedpunchesforever · 05/08/2013 20:21

I'll defer my post til next week when I finally get these bloody wardrobes built Grin

bunchamunchycrunchycarrots · 05/08/2013 21:51

Ooh I must post here! I've had ikea flat packs in my hallway for about 15 mths waiting for someone to take pity and give me a bloody hand with it. I flipped one week, and just went for it (label did say 2 person job) and I built it up. It's a teeny bit wonky but it makes DD's bedroom so much more organised, with a nice big desk for homework and storage unit for her crap toys/books etc. I've taken DD on a 800 mile round trip for our hols, visiting friends and travelling all over London as well. Bloody brilliant holiday it was even if I bankrupted myself in the process.

SnoopyLovesYou · 05/08/2013 23:07

Haha! This is great!

I took my 2 kids on a great 2 week holiday this summer where we barbecued, did trips and it was so nice and just what we needed.

I've taken them on lots of day trips also this summer.

I've managed to arrange some nights out, which have been great fun!

I'm in the process of massive cleaning and redecorating process which is going really well!

I've overcome a hell of a lot of emotional issues over the past couple of years.

I'm getting my career firmly back on track (I hope) after a long period of looking after my babies.

Kids are ok. I'm feeling pretty ok these days ;-)

Phew! The things we have to go through sometimes! We deserve a pat on the back!

OP well done. Your trip with dog in tow sounds just amazingly... impossible?! Lol. And I love your new hairstyle. Everyone else in the village secretly wants one too but they're too afraid ;-)

bbqsummer · 05/08/2013 23:20

apparently we're suspect, very very undesirable and to be avoided :

have a gander at this intelligent thread

rainbowfeet · 05/08/2013 23:27

I am moving at the weekend to a different county so far have done the majority of organizing & packing by myself while entertaining 2 dc's !!!

I am getting away from ds's wanky dad (never acknowledged ds) but will verbally abuse me given the chance & going from not a very nice busy suburb to a country village.. Mixture of nerves & excitement but here's to a new start & a better life for me & my babies!!! GrinWine

girliefriend · 06/08/2013 08:29

Shock at that thread bbq - seriously!!!

Overtheraenbow · 06/08/2013 08:52

Hmm been reading that thread and listening to the twaddle on TV about the new childcare stuff. Seems today is a bashing lone parents day!! Been shouting at the chancellor " i didnr choose to be a lone parent you twunt" and feel better now !!
I took kids camping tent up all calm no problem great teamwork. Ex took them this week when i asked bow it was DD said dad got a " bit stresssed" (as usual ) this time I missed out on that Grin
Did flat pack furniture
Got new job
Got car fixed
Went on first few dates post split
And all this from a woman who stbxh said " relied on him to do everything" and did it all whilst smiling !

kelly21 · 06/08/2013 14:08

Love this thread i am really struggling at the moment battling depression (trying to stay of medication because i am pregnant ) i am going to do this might even put them on my fridge to remind myself i can do things don't just want to be an empty shell any more x well done everyone

Travelledtheworld · 09/08/2013 13:28

Decorate my daughters bedroom, fixed new curtains rail, bought myself a small drill/ electric screwdriver and rebuilt the rabbit run ! Who needs a Man around the house ?!

farrowandbawl · 09/08/2013 16:35

Too many to list. He left the house in such a state I had to start again.

I'm getting there - slowly.

I can not recommend enough to all of you, and anyone else starting out as a lone parent, buy some decent tools - they will save you a fortune. Look on youtube for instructions and demo's on how to do something.

Buy a decent quality drill - these are worth spending some serious cash on and will last a lifetime. SDS drills will go through almost everything - buy one of these and a good set of ladders.

DIY courses, if you have access to one, are worth every single penny and will help you gain confidence in using the power tools.

ALWAYS have a go at a DIY job if you think you can do it - start small.
Find the stop cock - you will need to know where it is eventually and in a crisis.
Bleed radiators every 6 months (a small job that makes you feel as though you've discovered fire when the rads work properly again)
Laminate flooring is a doddle to lay - have a go at it, don't be scared.
Most DIY jobs looks hard and complicated - you just have to jump in and get in there.
Don't be afraid to ask for help with 2 men jobs ie, 6ft fences. Most people will be glad to help.

The sense of achievment and accomplishment is the best feeling in the world ever and a HUGE ego adn confidence builder.

SnoopyLovesYou · 09/08/2013 22:34

Travelled- wow!

Ferrell- sound advice! I do some things. Little steps!

I think everyone on here deserves a real pat on the back. The job we all do is the job of 3 people!

SnoopyLovesYou · 09/08/2013 22:35

Sorry Farrow not Ferrell :-D

chocolatespiders · 09/08/2013 22:39

girliefriend recently on a long journey I made DD a chart where she could mark off when she saw random things, bus, pink car, tractor, taxi, bike, bridge, Mcdonalds, petrol station, police , ambulance, caravan, cows, sheep, wind turbine, motorbike etc etc, she ticked everytime she saw one and then added up how many of each she had seen.

Foxy800 · 09/08/2013 22:52

My biggest ones are buying and putting together a lawnmower and using it regularly.

Also completely changing my daughters room round including furniture moving.

Ghirly · 16/08/2013 01:06

My ex husband left and never maintained contact when DCs were 6 and 1 respectively.

My achievements are getting DC1 through university and she is now a coach for the biggest football club in Scotland (always been a football loving tomboy!)

The split affected DC2 more as he is a boy but last week got his grades and is off to university in September!

I know technically they're THEIR achievements but I can't help but feeling so proud that I didn't crumble and kept focused in them and getting them a good education.

SnoopyLovesYou · 16/08/2013 09:52

Well done Girly!

Just realised actually how much I have achieved so far this summer. So many of my goals attained. Had started to ffeel a bit depressed but now realise how many things I've ticked off my 'to do' list and feeling quite proud. Which is better than feeling depressed/ negative thinking!

mumandboys123 · 16/08/2013 15:45

unblocked a drain...more times now than I care to remember. I guess it probably needs doing professionally but I keep hanging on in there (or putting my hand in there...!).....packed up a house and moved to a new one.....got rid of all the crap he left me with (like garage doors parked behind the shed at the bottom of the garden) using freecycle (do try that if you need anything removing, it's cheaper than a man with a van!).....decorated a bedroom (although I won't be doing that again, it was way too much for me, saving my pennies for the next one)...dealt with various domestic emergencies such as water pouring through the ceiling...found myself a small army of tradesmen I know will treat me respectfully in the absence of a man in the house and had various bits of work done on the house....and I recently qualified as a teacher.

SnoopyLovesYou · 16/08/2013 16:27

Well done Mum & Boys!!!!

Haha tradesmen who treat you with respect!!!! Would be nice!!!! I had to stop one bullying my son the other day!!!! He was upset about something personal and was lying on the sofa -bad timing- and the man came in and said agressively 'what's wrong with you??? Are you a lazy bones???' I said 'He's upset. Leave him alone.' That shut him up!

Ghirly · 16/08/2013 21:55

SnoopyLovesYou thankyou.

mammadiggingdeep · 21/08/2013 08:31

Great thread!!!!!!!
So.....I've survived my first 6 months on my own.
Found inner strength I never knew I had.
Maintained my dignity with an arse of an xp (most of the time)
Took them away on a caravan hol
Took them to the seaside
Revamped the garden
Returned to work after maternity, still managed to keep house running smoothly....chuffed with this :)
Arranged dd's nursery care, settled them in and felt proud about how well they settled
Bought (but not yet made) ikea furniture....
Done controlled crying with little DD...now through the night :)
Helped big DD get dry through the night....month before 3rd birthday
Whoop whoop!!!! Well done me!!!! Feeling quite proud. I can actually do this can't I!???

feelingdizzy · 21/08/2013 08:43

Really good thread , have been a single parent for a decade now !! I have learned to do so many things , literally couldn't change a light bulb before.

Have retrained ,have a great career ,have gone on holidays ,have moved ,have found strength and power I never knew I had.
Most off all I have 2 fantastic kids, who I have given a stable and secure childhood. I am so proud of this.

Years ago, a woman who I worked with who had raised her kids alone said to me when I had not long been a single parent." well done it's hard but worth it ,it's a life of quiet bravery". Thought I would share that with those beginning their journey and salute a life full of quiet bravery . Well done all of us