A Diary of Reinventing Ourselves

Debt_Denier

greensalad wrote: »

Ten minutes in the car. So about 30-40 minutes walking then? Why not walk? I presume your older ones can walk themselves. Get the younger kids some of those scooters. I see a lot of parents on the morning school run with them.

my thoughts exactly I can walk faster than parents in cars on the school run around here. The children get used to it quite quickly and it is good exercise and nice family time in fact.

Forward_thinking

I would so love that and it's a great idea but it's not possible around here - we would have to cross over a dual carriage way and that would be interesting with four kids and scooters!!! Realistically, even if we could walk it wouldn't be possible as I will soon have four schools to drop off at and they are all at least a mile from one another and all in completely opposite directions. So even once I arrived on the other side of town I would have a four mile walk. And then back home again. I would absolutely love to be able to walk to school - I am always saying that to OH.

greensalad

Why are your kids in four different schools? Two I can understand (secondary + primary) but it sounds like you've made life difficult by putting them in four different schools. Unless it's a case of gender? But even so, I would only expect gender-specific schools to come into play for secondary and in that case they can make their own way.

Maybe it's time to "consolidate" and move your younger ones into the same primary. You have a little-one too. Can they go to nursey near the primary school? I know that a lot of primary schools have local nurserys attached and usually give priority to children with siblings int he "big school".

Gettingtherequickly

I know it it not possible at the moment, but once you are ensconced in your new home, try & see if it will be possible to child share school runs. If there is another parent in the same situation, maybe you could do one run & the other parent do another, then swap on a weekly or fortnightly basis. It could possibly work and take off some of the pressure.

I know are feeling guilty about telling hub that you wanted to separate, but his response shows that he knows you didn't mean it, so I don't think you have anything to fear about telling him you are sorry. You may not think it, but he is slowly (ok, very slowly!) accepting the positive changes you have made on your finances, but at least you know that the seedlings are in place and from little acorns.........

I said previously that you need to look after yourself, your post last night shows that you are putting yourself last. Accept the little kindnesses of running the bath, making a tea etc. They are done for your wellbeing, both physical & emotional. You are in this together, you just need the prop to be a little more reinforced and a few cups of tea will help, but what would help a lot more is for the two of you to have a bit of quality time as husband & wife. Go out for a meal, (MSE style of course!) get the elephant in the room out of the way at the beginning, focus on the positive achievements so & then have a date night, enjoying being with each other.

getmore4less

It does not have to drive or walk there is probably a compromise with drive and walk as long as the walks are school end.

Pooling both school and club runs could help time management.

Doobop

Glad to see you are keeping going. Sounds so tricky with getting to the schools. Hope things work out. Well done on the ironing!

JforGEM

FT, if you were to move to the other part of town is there a school bus service available to any of the schools?

Forward_thinking

Evening!! Just spent another two hours ironing!!!! And I've done the worst thing possible - I've left all OH's shirts so now have 12 really creased shirts to do tomorrow. Serves me right.

Today's been a good one. Haven't achieved much but am feeling more positive. Convinced myself everything is going to somehow come together. I really wanted to spend the night on YNAB but ran out of time. Will do it tomorrow morning.

Bought my Mothers' Day gifts today - one is lovely but free and the other cost me £15 from M&S. That is a huge improvement for me. I also have multiple birthday parties coming up and bought a few things off Amazon today. Bought some lovely gifts which price at £8 max each. I still felt bad spending on gifts but it's a lot less than usual.

Feeling fired up - going to get to bed now so I can get progressing things in the morning.

Sorry this entry is boring.

Forward_thinking

Forgot to address questions about the school run. Not sure I could lift share with anyone because I will have four to collect. Won't go into detail about schools but yes primary and secondary and a separate nursery which is the only one around here without a waiting list - and it's really lovely there. No school bus unfortunately - might be for seniors but wouldn't make sense as I have to go there anyway.

pelirocco

Forward_thinking wrote: »

Forgot to address questions about the school run. Not sure I could lift share with anyone because I will have four to collect. Won't go into detail about schools but yes primary and secondary and a separate nursery which is the only one around here without a waiting list - and it's really lovely there. No school bus unfortunately - might be for seniors but wouldn't make sense as I have to go there anyway.

That's 3 schools