I’m trying to post every other day in October. The goal has been to hit publish at some point during the “odd” days. I published Friday’s post on Saturday and then didn’t put anything up Sunday. Now it’s 10:30pm on Tuesday evening and I’m trying to get work done, but the fact that I’ve fallen off my posting wagon is nagging at me…
I have to admit, the week of solo parenting eventually caught up with me. The 11yo’s birthday party was pretty hard to host by myself, especially the hour in the “party” room where the boys were supposed to be eating pizza and drinking soda, but were instead playing with their food and drink. I would have just left early and taken them to a playground, but one kid was being picked up 15 minutes early from the trampoline park and another was being picked up from there at the original end time, so I couldn’t pack them all in the SUV and just leave. The last half hour of the party was interminable (they were not allowed to go back out and jump).
But I survived, and the 11yo was happy, and I’m so relieved it’s over. This weekend the grandparents are coming over, which means the house needs to be cleaned up. I don’t love the grandparent birthday parties at our house, but they have to happen so I will suck it up. This is the third weekend in a row I’ve not looked forward to, and I REALLY need Halloween weekend to break this spell. I need the weekends to be reprieves from the stresses of life, not their own little stress bombs waiting to detonate!
In happier news, the 15yo was invited to the group interview next weekend. She is thrilled. And so are we!
Tomorrow my youngest turns 12 and I have big feelings about it, but I promised him I wouldn’t make the day all about me. 😉
I managed to run today, which was a nice consolation prize since I couldn’t make it to the dojo (the husband had a late night commitment which made it hard for me to be at my late night class). Here is a photo from that run. Some trademark Bay Area fog for your viewing pleasure.
It all sounds desperate but so far also like you are still breathing and getting through. I am impressed. Hope with husband back things begin easing and the coming weekend is way easier than you anticipate.
Loved your photo and appreciate the effort involved in getting these posts out. THANK YOU so much! Best wishes for what the older one faces in group interview. Send many support and good luck wishes.
He hasn’t been that helpful but I think he will be soon. He’s been jet lagged and busy, but things calm down for him tomorrow. 😉
Solo parenting can be hard, especially with two kids who have a lot of activities. Nice job on surviving the birthday party! That would be hard on your own.
Sorry your weekends are little stress bombs waiting to detonate (ha, I love that description). We’ll look ahead to Halloween weekend- I love how Halloween is on a Friday this year. Good luck with the grandparent birthday party.
What I have seen over many decades is parenting TEMPORARILY single is REALLY HARD WORK. And not acknowledged as such. Because it is temporary and patterns have been established for the always single or the always partnered to a person who is either ‘usually helping’ or ‘usually not available’ and the temporary situation disrupts the normal pattern.
This isn’t acknowledged as much as it needs to be. It adds in making for chaos and self-doubt. Single parenting isn’t easy, but when it is the norm people develop systems around the issues. I am saying this because I think people are unkind to themselves during such times and we all need to see and acknowledge the truth: disrupted patterns causes stress and simply is hard.
Good wishes to all.