Regret..

[RegretRegrets]

People say you never regret having children but honestly I regret it so much, if I knew I was going to be a single parent that is. I’ve tried to enjoy Xmas with them but all they did was moan that they didn’t get enough presents despite spending a fortune on them. If being a single parent was so great more people would do it but it’s still pretty unheard of through choice, people tend to only use donors when it’s a last resort. I don’t know if I truly regret it or just completely burnt out but I don’t enjoy being a parent at all and think I would feel different if I wasn’t a single parent. Can anyone else relate to the struggle? Christmas wasn’t enjoyable all I did was cook and clean all day and felt completely stressed even though I prepped as much as I could the night before I was still overwhelmed with it all.

Shit, that sounds really hard OP. My DC are hard work at times, but I do at least have my DH who can sympathise with me and share the burden, even if it's just to let me moan about it all of an evening. Sometimes me and DH clash because my parenting style is 'softer' than his, but I would've struggled so much on my own. My DC are 18 and 16 now.

What I've found hard is the responsibility of it all and taking decisions on how to advise them. Making sure my kids are in good mental health hasn't been easy at all, and the worry is relentless. Mind you when they were young I found it all hard, the food planning, uniform buying and cleaning, getting them to school etc. Urgh it's all hard.

What consequences did you give them for their rudeness?

I know it is tough having to do it all, but you have to find the energy to discipline them, not let them walk all over you.

Yes they did, they haven’t been given them to use and haven’t built the toys if they are not good enough. Also they will be getting less next year.