Its my first day at work tomorrow as a single parent, any tips on how to make my life run smoothly?

[mummytowillow]

I've been a single parent for 7 weeks now, moved 300 miles, got myself a job and have spent a lovely summer with my daughter (2), but the time has come to start work!!

So I'm wondering how all the LP get organised in the morning to be out for 7.45am, I have to take DD to nursery for 8am, then drive 30 miles to work, pick her up for 5.30pm and then get everything done, ready for her bedtime!! How do you do it?? Or am I flapping about nothing!!

I've laid both of our clothes out ready, I've made my lunch, do any of you have to give breakfast to your LO before nursery, it seems awfully early to be giving her breakfast at 7.15 she doesn't usually have it til 8.30?? Or will she just go with the flow!!

I'm bloody shattered now without doing a days work, tell me it will get easier!

It's tough, that's for sure. There was a thread recently about this. We are out at 6:40am - tbh it takes dd (2.8) forever to get ready, whatever the time. We go by public transport so we can have breakfast, read and sing on the bus, then on the way home we do more reading, eating, drinking and chattering. Is that an option for you? But yes it's tough. And it's the fatigue elemenet that has me in tears. I start on wednesday and I wish you lots of luck.

Hi mummytowillow,

Congratulations on the new job.
I wont lie to you, you have to be bloody organised!
Invest in a slow cooker, bung in some meat and veg first thing in the morning and tea is sorted for the minute you walk in the door.
Lay out clothes the night before, pack bag, make lunch, wash hair!
I always try and wake Ds up at the very last minute, meaning I can get ready properly.
Nursery will sort breakie so dont worry about that, perhaps just a cup of milk on the way?
You will soon get into a routine. Early nights help too!
Good luck for tomorrow

The gutting thing is my nursery don't do breakfast, so will have to give it before she goes! They do a snack at 9.30, so if I gave her milk at 7.30 its still too long until the snack, or is it??

I started a similar thread the other day, I'll see if I can link to it....

here it is

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/lone_parents/812469-Anyone-else-commute-to-work-and-have-to-drop-off

Oh, thats a shame.
What about if you send something in for her to have there? would they allow that?
You will soon get used to the (very) early starts and so will dd.
Weekend slow starts are really enjoyed in our house.

hi

congratulations on the job and move.

i am a single parent who is back to work tomorrow !!!!

what i do is try and eat the same meal as my kids - cuts down on washing up and cooking.

we have quick things like boiled eggs and toast, pasta and sauce, wraps and stir fried chicken. etc... omelettes, (the slow cooker sounds like a good idea though)

quite often my kids have a banana for breakfast as it is portable an they can eat in the car and those squeezy yoghurts and a beaker of milk.

I also buy smart clothes that dont require ironing for work and none of my kids clothes require ironing.

I also do everything the night before - no matter how tired i am. i only do basic housework in the week and save up jobs for the weekend.

I do a foodshop on line on in the week evening - as this saves some time at the weekend.

Not sure where you work i keep a packet of cereal at work as this makes a standbye lunch - if i run out of time to make my lunch..or we have run out of bread.

Also can you make some dinners at the weekend and freeze them?

i go to bed early in the week as it helps me cope better.

i have 2 kids to get ready and i leave at 7.30 and am usually ok.

good luck.

mummytowillow let us know how you got on . Hope your first day went smoothly.

I have been lone parent working full-time for 2 years now and mainly finding it easier than when with feckless ex-partner. My main tips are:

always have a quick meal backup that you can use quickly if caught out
shop online - saves time
try and do housework during week so you can enjoy your weekends and have a duvet morning in front of tv with dd
bulk cook and then freeze in portions
eat same as dd or dd eats same as you
don't iron
never leave things until the morning to organise - always prepare night before
save annual leave (5 days per year) for illness cover for dd
have found giving dd probiotic yoghurt has cut down on amount of time off sick from nursery and time off work - great tip from ex-colleague
have emergency vino in fridge always
don't stress too much

hope this helps (grin)

Hi Everyone

Well this morning was a breeze, DD had me awake at 5am, I dozed while she watched TV til 6am, I showered first, got her ready and we were both eating breakfast by 7.15 am, she wolfed her down so it appears its not too early!

Left the house at 8am, dropped off at nursery and she didn't even notice I had left, I phoned the nursery at lunchtime and apparently she had been crying but I know by then she would have been very tired, she slept for an hour and half, but when I picked her up she was crying but that was because she wanted her dummy?

I don't work Wednesday's so get to relax this evening!

Work was a completely different story though, tell me if you think this is a bit weird, the woman who is my manager went on and on that they wanted me to start on the 1st Sept, so I rushed the nursery settling in etc to please them, even though I felt it was a bit too soon. I presumed she would be there for me to start today but she had taken a weeks annual leave and phoned the admin lady last minute on Friday and told her to sort my 'induction' out, this poor woman hasn't a clue what I'm supposed to be doing so I'm just going to be sat around for a week, how unprofessional is that!

Meandmygirl - Excellent tip about the probiotic drink, will try that, she has had a tummy bug already and she has only been there three times!

Thanks for the tips!

Cereal bar and banana in the car?