how do sahms & single mothers do it?

[SenoraPostrophe]

so 2 weeks in to our holiday without dh (he has to work) and I am absolutely exhausted.

I normally work about 2/3 of full time and this is also my first two weeks in a long time of being at home with them.

How do you lot who do this all the time manage? hats off to you all, I say.

(I'd type more on this - stuff about feeling inadequate, aching feet etc - but can't because I have to have a lie down before my head hits the keyboard)

Im a single mum and work 24hrs a week. Have not had a partner living with me properly since dd was born (dp stayed 2 or 3 nights a week, only coming over about 10pm)

TBH I dont see how I would have the time to spend "quality time" with a partner! At the moment, I do housework from the minute dd goes to bed til I go to bed myself! I have one night off a week! (I dont do any tidying during day at all, except one day a week when dd helps me clean-dusting, hoovering, mopping etc)

I am always tired, but try to plan at least one activity a day that burns off energy for dd, but where I can relax (even just a little bit) - the park, walk to shop (5 mins on my own/dd in pram, 30 if she walks too, cause she loves to investigate) or get her to draw with chalk in back yard.

We take at least one "adventure" a week - usually nearby town. Pack a picnic and just go and do whatever we want (park, library, museum, civic center, beach, etc) as long as its cheap or free

If your kids are older give a theme for the next week - for example, we did egyptians last week. I took her to local museum (free) to see the ancient egypt exhibition, to the library (free) to get books, we made a pharaohs mask (which incidently, now i put it on and play a game where I get her to tidy up - cause im the king and she has to do as i say - its great!), and made pyramids and attempted hieroglyphics (shes 2, so wasnt quite accurate )

Week before that we were American Indians and made a teepee and headdresses, printed pictures to colour in off net, looked up stuff in library..

We keep a scrapbook for each week- with pictures she coloured in, I write in titles books we read, and photos of places we went or things we made. The bulkier things are kept in a big plastic bin in a cupboard.

Basically, you can lead it if your kids are younger, but if they are older get them to lead - will take a lot of pride in learning all this new stuff and the role-playing games keep them occupied for hours.

Ooops..that was a long post! hope its helpful tho?!

I'm a SAHM and a 'virtual single mum' as DP is working all hours God sends and isn't being involved in childcare these holidays at all.

I'm just taking each week as it comes but have an overall plan for the six weeks.

Luckily, ex has taken ds away for two weeks and that has helped enourmously. There is an acute lack of money at the moment as dp is still trying to make a new business take off so I'm working on the basis of one day out one day in. Dd (who has SN) prefers it that way and I've learned from past experiences that she doesn't like it if I try and cram too much in.

Sky Gamestar pays for itself on wet days and it's something I can play along with too. Otherwise I'm involved in a few organisations who do out of school activities and they have helped with respite for dd. I think a good piece of advice is to 'chill' and slow the pace down. We went to Disneyland Paris last year and the pace was too much for everyone. We came back exhausted and I remember hearing 'you will go on the ride as we've come all this way' a few times in the park.

I bought a load of videos from another MNer a few weeks ago and they have been a good investment for dd. Currently we are stuck on Aladdin but that's when I 'switch off' mentally.

BTW thanks for the recognition of single mums. I was a single mum for four years and it's jolly hard work on a budget.