Oops! I've fallen off the OS wagon.....

morganb

I would second the internet shop idea. It saves me at least two hours a week and, if I do need to buy something, then it is only ever one or two things that I need to go shopping for.

SomersetPrincess

Oh Lillibet I was hoping you were still around - I still have the lovely snow suit you sent us and that Heather wore and think of you every now and then when I see it in the wardrobe - really must sort out her old clothes into size vatches hehe!

1_step_closer

I don't have any advice as I don't have children but the list idea is a good one.

As for insomnia............I've had that and it's truly awful so what i do sometimes when it is really bad is have a tiny sip of night nurse. Knocks me out within 20 mins.....................it was either night nurse or sleeping tablets! Obviously you don't want to do that all the time but when you are deperate it does help.

Nancy888

Hi Lillibet - I can only echo what the others have said on here and pass on one little sentence that I read on a calendar once (I really do need to get to the library !)

Your children, when looking back at their childhood, will not remember if their clothes were ironed or creased - they will only remember that there was time for plenty of hugs...

This is what I live by (single parent working full time with 2 boys) and it really helps me...

HTH x x

cha97michelle

I know exactly how you are feeling lillibet particularly now charlie is all over the place. He can wreck the living room in the time that it takes me to jump over the baby gate to flick the kettle on. :rotfl: And i am starting to really worry about how we will cope when i go back to work as the house is far from spotless now, and DH has got really used to me doing everything apart from one batch of dishes a day. I won't be able to do the 18 hour days i did before pregnancy and illness at any rate.


Something we are trying to work on is the 'do it now' principle which comes from a time management book by David Hall, which basically means that most things only take a small amount of time, so if you just do it, then it makes you feel better than the thought keep popping into your head time and time again until you actually do it.


I would also suggest a fly-lady tip of only put white/delicate washing in your linen basket. Any darks put straight in the machine, and then as soon as it is full, you can press go, so hopefully less time doing sorting.

Plus, although it may go against everything that you think, if anyone offers any help then take it.


Hope you feel better real soon as you have always motivated me

Michelle, x

Lillibet_2

Thank you again everyone :T I've had a semi-successful weekend in that I had visitors both Friday & Saturday and therefore, by my own standards, had to make the house presentable for them, although it is horrific in all the less-than-immediately-obvious places. I also took Nytol which has enabled me to get slightly better sleep, 2 nights of 5 hours each.....bliss! But inbetween manic tidying/cleaning moments & after the guests had gone I have felt totally down & miserable, although I am crying less. Someone has suggested PND, well to be honest that had crossed my mind but I thought it would be too late for it to kick in now? Anyway, I have made a doctors appointment for Wednesday morning, just in case it is this or anemina or something. I am not used to not coping and I think anxitiy about why is making it a million times worse.
I think I am going to try & focus a bit on the positives to see if this will give me a bit of a lift :
I planned 3 nights meals, then we had a takeaway with neighbours last night, so can carry over the extra meal to Wednesday.
The house is cleaner now than a week ago.
Spud doesn't seem to be aware that I am unhappy & is fine himself.
I have almost cleared the washing mountain....if only it would stop raining long enough for it to dry!
We got a free bike with stablisers for Spud on Saturday.
I get paid today/tomorrow so should be able to look at clearing this months defecits & trying again for a clean balance sheet next month.

On the downside, hubby is currently off work & in bed with man-flu:eek:

weegie_2

Please don't beat yourself up over falling off the wagon etc - I think by the sounds of it you're doing a marvellous job. Every mum struggles.

I work fulltime and have two wee ones as well and constantly struggle with housework etc. I'd give up work in a shot if I could - but I'm the main earner at the mo. I've fallen off the os bandwagon for a while now but after some serious money problems last week I've vowed to get back on it. (Slowcooker was used twice yesterday so there ya go!)

Hubby works from 0600-1200 every day and then is home for the kids in the afternoon but doesn't do a tremendous amount of housework which doesn't help either. I've tried talking to him countless times but I've kinda just accepted now that it's not gonna happen and I'm gonna have to do most of it. To be honest he is a great father and the kids are well looked after - and that's all I ask. He also does all the diy etc in the house without moaning. :-)

I'd appreciate any tips from full time working mums with kids but a couple of my tips are as follows (for me a lot of my issues are making sure I spend time with the kids):

Washing - have two baskets on the go. One for whites, other for coloured/darks. Darks/coloured get flung in the machine as they come off. Try to put a washing on during the night so that when you get up it's ready to come out of the machine.

Set everything out for breakfast the night before. I also lay clothes out for the next day for my kids.

De clutter! I'm a freecycling fan and declutter constanly. If there is less things in the house, there is less mess!

Go shopping when kids are in bed. I head up to ASDA about 7ish, get the yellow stickered goods and get peace and quiet to do it.

Go to sleep with a tidy living room. Doesn't have to be clean, but as long as everything is put away and you're not waking up to everything lying out it helps.

Defintely make your bedroom your own space. I try and keep mine tiday and clutter free - hate sleeping in a messy room! (mind you once you open the wardrobes up everything is jammed in!)

Rachel021967

I looked on Google and found double socket covers selling for £7.99 + postage? The site is https://www.safetots.co.uk and look under Electrical Safety.

I'm afraid I didn't find out the postage costs or whether they sold single socket covers.

My toddlers specialities are decorating the walls and posting things in the video recorder.

Good Luck.

Rachel.

Lillibet_2

Just wanted to post and say thank you again to everyone who has been so supportive, you have all helped me through quite a difficult few days:A I have received some fab PM's which I didn't expect and I think I have replied to eveyone now but if I have missed you then I am really sorry & it isn't anything personal!

I went to the Dr this morning and it turns out I have PND, it has been undiagonised for at least a year & seems to have got a lot worse in the last 3 months. As much as I don't want to have PND at least now I know why I cannot cope & it's not because I'm a OS failure!

I think the OS way forward for me is have a couple of easy weeks as much as I can as I have Spuds birthday party this weekend and my Mums birthday weeknd away next week, by which time hopefully the happy pills will start to kick in & maybe I can make a concerted effort to do some OS basics. Plan A is to do a freezer inventory as soon as I can & meal plan from that!

Thank you my dear darling Old Style friends, you are all fantastic:A:T

Pooky

Glad you got to see the Dr. It's amazing how late these things can flare up, take some time to get used to the medication and jump back on the OS wagon when you're up to it.

In the meantime, enjoy Spuds party and enjoy the time you can spend with him.