Single mom so overwhelmed.

[vicky2007]

Im a single mom to two children. 8 years old with autism and 1 year old. We live in a single studio room flat. Today I snapped and hit my 8 year in the arm for waking his baby brother up. It is definitely the most shameful thing I have ever ever done in my life and I feel terrible.

My 8 years old is such a sweet boy however with his autism it is very difficult. He get tantrums, doesn’t understand to play quietly, refused to sleep in his bed (even thou it is just across the room from us) so all 3 of us sleeps in one bed.

My baby on the other hand is a very needy and clingy baby. Cries all the time, he is a terrible sleeper, always have been.

Yesterday all 3 of us were awake until 4am because my baby kept walking up and crying every 30 minutes and waking up his brother in the process.

I feel so alone, isolated, overwhelmed, sad and extremely stuck with my situation. I have no family close by. I don’t even know what im going to get by writing this post but I need someone to tell how I feel

Parenting is really hard sometimes.
Do you have any support from anyone?
If you have been where the heatwave is that isn't going to help either.
What can do as a family of 3 that works for all of you? Anywhere you all like going? Even if it just a local park.
This too shall pass. I said that a lot while sleep deprived.

My heart goes out to you. Is there anyone that can help you? Can you get a sitter/nanny for a night so you can get some rest?

Thank you for the replies. I really don’t have any support group. No family close by. I did try babysitting twice before but I felt judged to both of them with out living arrangement i.e all of us living in this tiny studio apartment with all of us essentially in one room but this is all I have for now while others whenever you tell them your situation they backed off.

I had 3 babysitters who never replied back after telling them about my 8 years old with his autism and how my 1 year old is. The website I have used was childcare