Organisation help needed!!

[unorganisedmumoftwo]

Hi

I'm new on here and having a 'slight' breakdown over my partners new job!!

A bit of background....we've got 2 littlest ones, dd 4 who starts school in sept and ds 18months. Both go to nursery 3 days a week, I have them the other two days at home. Dp drops them off on nursery days on his way to work and either of us pick them up, whoever finishes work in time. We both get them ready, watch the children whilst one another gets ready etc.

His new job involves start times of between 4am-8am and 15hr days, we won't know his start time until the night before. I'm now panicking that I'll not be able to cope, I know this sounds stupid but I've really bad anxiety and the thought of all the 'responsibility' on me is tipping me over the edge....I don't know how I'm going to cope come September. Dropping ds at nursery at 7.30 then back home until 8.45 when I will need to drop dd off at school then head to work.

Do any of you do something similar?

Sorry for long winded post.

Thanks xx

Why don’t you drop the youngest to nursery a bit later then straight to school to drop the older one and then on to work??

I did think that but paying for all day I didn't want to waste the money but definitely an option. Do you all get outfits out the night before etc? Im just worried I won't cope with it all. I'm only working school hours from September though so hopefully I'll have a few extra hours at home to organise myself x

The thought of it is likely to be much worse than the reality.

I always aim to be out of the house earlier than we need to be so that there is time for things to go wrong. I'd aim to drop DS at 7.30 and then you've got time spare.

Mine are old enough to get themselves sorted but I had 3 under 5s at one point and organisation is definitely the key.

So, all school/nursery bags packed and in the hallway, packed lunches made and in the fridge, clothes ironed and laid out in piles, breakfast pots laid on the table and check that there is enough milk/bread etc all done before going to bed.

Have some breakfast biscuits/raisins/packaged brioche handy in the cupboard for the DC to eat on the run.

Mental pat on the back for you as you drop DD at school each morning - you can do it

What time do you leave for School - 08.45?

Somebody on here once suggested a set of 5 coloured plastic tubs in a stacking unit/ drawers thing, labelled Monday to Friday for each child. Then you put clean clothes including socks, underwear, etc in each day's tub on Sunday so clothes all sorted for the week.

Thank you ballstoit....some great advice there. And I agree that it's the thought of it that's worse....I'm winding myself up about it and it's hindering my sleep which is making me worse.

I'll be leaving the house about 8.35 to be at school for 8.45 that's if I don't drop the little one off at the same time. If that's the case I'd have to leave about 8.20 and it's the thought of getting them in and out the car (my pet hate lol) that's putting me off doing that in a rush x

Just do one trip, leaving at 8:20 is doable. Just prep everything the night before, and get some cereal bars in just in case you run late occasionally.

Definitely just limit it to one trip as otherwise youre spending too much time getting the toddler in and out of the car

Have your breakfast at work if you can

It will be more of a rush if you’ve got to get the both ready and out by 7.30 then back home then back out.

I don’t fully understand your login for that. It’s not wasting money

There's absolutely no logic in my thoughts ha, that's why I'm driving myself mad with panic over what's doable and what's not. I've very much got myself into the mind set that I'm not going to be able to cope without some support, which unfortunately I don't have apart from my partner as he kind of understands my anxieties and helps out. At the moment, I'm very much like 'I can't do this' which isn't helping . Thank you all for the advise, any other tips very welcome. Xx

You could drop younger child off first and then drive straight to school and wait outside in the car . I know some mums that do that: they sit in the car and do makeup, eat breakfast or do emails etc whilst child reads book

Just add, make sure you get yourself and the stuff ready first, so that when you start getting the dc ready, you dont have to stop to ‘do’ yourself, you just wake dc then dress breakfast, teeth and out the door - all in one flow.

You can definitely do this. The thought of it is often worse than the reality. DP started working away 5 days a week when DS was a year old, he's now almost 4 & I'm about to go back to work after mat leave for DD & DP is still away 4 nights a week most weeks. It's not ideal but you get used to it & now rather than it being helpful to have him at home he disrupts our routine & we always end up late when he's home!

Definitely get as much ready as you can the night before. I always get up and get myself ready before DCs get up. I don't put my work clothes on until just before leaving the house though in case I end up with toddler mess all down them.

I take my breakfast with me to eat at work, definitely no time to do that at home. DS likes porridge so I make that before I get in the shower & then it's cool enough for him to eat. DCs get dressed before their breakfast that way if we're running really late we can all get in the car & they can have a cereal bar etc on the move rather than trying to get them dressed in a rush post breakfast.

I would take them both at 8.20. It's not a waste of money, it gives you flexibility if you need it if DH can drop at 7.30 but don't make it harder on yourself by doing two trips when you don't need to.