Finding Balance

[MndBdySoul]

For the single mothers who are either currently juggling work/school/kids, or who have been there before, how have you managed to find balance? This is only my 2nd week of classes and I'm already struggling to keep everything in order.

I already want to pull my hair out! I only end up spending a few hours a day with the kids. A few times last week they were still awake when I got home(usually around 11pm) and I can't spend any real quality time with them then since we have to be up by 6am. I cut my hours down at work and I STILL don't have time during the day. My schedule is this:

6:00a- Wake Up, Shower, Check E-Mail,
6:30a- Wake the kids up, get them dressed and fed
7:30a- Drop P off at school
7:45a- Take the girls to Grandma's
8:00a- Make the trek to work
9:00a-2pm- At Work
2:45p- Pick P up from school,
3:00p- To Grandmas, get the girls
3:15p-4:45- Help P with homework, fix a quick dinner for them, get them bathed early so grandma doesn't have to do it
4:45- Grandma comes over(or sometimes my Dad) and keeps them while I'm at school
4:50- I'm leaving for class which starts at 5:30
5:30-10:30- In class
11- Get home, take a shower, check email(sometimes Skipped) if they're not sleep, or someone's awake, get us all to bed to start the cycle over.

Whew.

I keep telling myself that it's a sacrafice that will pay off in the long run, and benefit not only me, but them also, and that's the only motivator. The light at the end of the tunnel doesn't even feel within my reach right now. My energy level is at -10 right now

I will maximize our time on weekends, but other than that, I don't know what else I can do.

Suggestions?

[jaila]

wow, i dont know what to tell u other than you'll get use to it. Took me a minute as well. I take all my classes online so that helps me some. Find ways to mobilize the things u need to do via computer. Can u get email from your phone? Saves a minute or two if u can?

[MndBdySoul]

wow, i dont know what to tell u other than you'll get use to it. Took me a minute as well. I take all my classes online so that helps me some. Find ways to mobilize the things u need to do via computer. Can u get email from your phone? Saves a minute or two if u can?


I can check my email while at school.. we get two breaks.

That usually eats 15 minutes of time in the morning. That could be time shifted to hoping on the elipitcal machine. That's the only way I'll fit exercise into this crazy schedule.

[Pamalicious]

Let me see how does my day go:

5:50am Crawl out of bed
6:00am Wake Ms. lady
6:05-7:00 get ready to leave the house
7:00am leave house
7:05am drop daughter off at before care - one of two children there
7:30am pull up at job
8:00am sit at desk looking crazy
8:30am - 3:30 actually work job
3:30pm leave job

**On Dance Team Practice and Swim Team Night**
4:00pm arrive home to make snack and do some chores around the house
5:00pm leave house to go pick up Ms. Lady
5:30pm Practice Over
5:30-6:00pm on the way to YMCA - have mother/daughter time in car
6:15-7:30pm Swim class for Ms. Lady - me reading, writing or socialzing
7:30-8:00pm Drive home, organizing in car aloud what needs to be done when we get in
8:00pm-9:30pm eat a Lean Cuisine (both of us) and homework, ironing, etc. Does Ms. lady's hair if necessary.
9:30-9:45pm Ms. lady takes bath or washes up if homework is heavy
9:45pm-10:00pm Wind down for Ms. Lady
10:00pm Lights out for Ms. Lady
10-11pm Computer time, phone time, bath time, for me
11pm LIGHTS OUT IN THE HOUSE
4:05pm pick up Ms. Lady

**On Regular Night**

4:00pm Arrive home
5:00-11pm Pretty fluid night, just not so rushed and hurried.


Hmmm - I'm busy but it's not crippling - have plenty of time to exhale. This is a good exercise - I now am going to work in working out as soon as I get home. I can't get up any earlier - that's not going to work.

[MndBdySoul]

Hmmm - I'm busy but it's not crippling - have plenty of time to exhale. This is a good exercise - I now am going to work in working out as soon as I get home. I can't get up any earlier - that's not going to work.


I'm just not used to not having ANY downtime at all during the day/evening. I have it right now but tomorrow I'll feel the effects of not having my a$$ in bed 2.5 hours ago when the kids went down.

This is going to take some serious getting used to. I keep telling myself it's only temporary. Yea.. that helps.


























NOT!



*yawn*

[que90nek]

i remember...

when i was a student...

SLEEP was like

GOLD....

[Brightness]

You never truly establish an equitable balance.

Honestly, you short-change some aspect of your life.

I'm realistic enough to know that as a single-parent, I had to "let slide" some things in lieu of others.

All our decisions have repercussions, consequences or outcomes.

While I feel you can cram all you can into 24 hr. period via expert time management. . .I don't believe for one second that everyone gives 100% of their abilities, talents, etc. to all they are engaging.

And that's a fact, Jack!

Good luck though, because I only have had to raise one child and it's an ass-kicker. I can't imagine trying to raise and cultivate multiple personalities and have as full a load as you have laid out there.

[que90nek]

u missed the part in your schedule about

DO your own HOMEWORK....and study


recommend that you somehow get the kids down SOONER....like 9:00-9:30......if u can.

try reducing any nap times that the kids have......

[Brightness]

I noticed that. . .I was just assuming it got done after 11pm. or weekends.

[MndBdySoul]

u missed the part in your schedule about

DO your own HOMEWORK....and study


recommend that you somehow get the kids down SOONER....like 9:00-9:30......if u can.

try reducing any nap times that the kids have......


Ha.. homework gets done about 15 mins before class when I can get there early. My instructor really doesn't give out homework unless it's on the weekend, and she allows for plenty of time during class to get worksheets done. I manage to study some on lunch during the day, go over notes, etc.

As far as getting the kids down, I'm pleading with my mom today, without sounding ungreatful to please, please get the kids to bed earlier. That would help out tremendously, because when I come home and one, or 2 or all of them are up, I wan't to scream.

[Brightness]

As far as getting the kids down, I'm pleading with my mom today, without sounding ungreatful to please, please get the kids to bed earlier. That would help out tremendously, because when I come home and one, or 2 or all of them are up, I wan't to scream.

I've been between this rock & hard place and all I can say is it's a toughie.

When my mother would watch my daughter I was constantly confronted with a child who had a disrupted sleep & eating schedule.

[TropicanaJuice]

I keep telling myself that it's a sacrafice that will pay off in the long run, and benefit not only me, but them also, and that's the only motivator. The light at the end of the tunnel doesn't even feel within my reach right now. My energy level is at -10 right now




stay focused..... i say instaed of focusing or trying to see the lite at end of tunnel, just look at it in the light of ONE DAY AT A TIME.....take it 1 day at a time, and just know that u will reach the end of that road and look back and SMILE :)


good luck!

[MndBdySoul]

stay focused..... i say instaed of focusing or trying to see the lite at end of tunnel, just look at it in the light of ONE DAY AT A TIME.....take it 1 day at a time, and just know that u will reach the end of that road and look back and SMILE :)


good luck!


Good advice.

Thanks :)