How Do You Deal with Exhaustion?

curlgirl

Wed, Feb 26 2014, 5:43 am

amother wrote:

Like other amother's here, I've dropped proper dinners. Sure, they will get a few nice dinners a week, but there is also hot dogs on buns (yes, ketchup is a vegetable), macaroni and cheese, cereal and milk, eggs and cheese or oatmeal.

Like you said, it's all a matter of priorities.

Please don't let your childrens' and your own intake of fresh fruit and vegetables go so far down the list!

Get your kids to eat them raw, whole, whatever is easiest. It doesn't have to be more work.

It really should be a priority to have a fruit or veggie at every meal.

amother

Wed, Feb 26 2014, 1:25 pm

amother wrote:

I'll give you the perspective of someone who gives a lot of extra money to my kids' school on top of tuition. I have no idea specifically where my money goes but I'm assuming some of it is for scholarship. Saw, you are working yourself to the bone. It's obvious to everyone. Most women who work full time have cleaning help and more childcare help than you. You clearly are trying to the right thing, at the expense of your own well being. I would be 100% happy to learn that you were working part-time so that you could be a healthier mother, a more relaxed mother, a more rested mother, even if that meant you needed to apply for financial aid.

The mothers who put their kids in full time camp every minute they're not in school, dress their kids to the nines in pricey clothes and basically live at a standard more or less equal to that of a high six figure earner, yet complain about not being able to afford school....well those are the ones I wish didn't get our tzedekah. Because they're irresponsible. You, Saw, are not that, not at all.

Oh my goodness, the bolded. I actually feel a little uneasy, reading your schedule. I'm worried about you and wonder how much longer you can go on like this. I'm a full-time working mother, with a much easier schedule than you, and I'm often exhausted and just go to bed early when my kids do. I let a lot of things slide- the house is often messy, and some nights dinner is just eggs or cereal. I admire you for being such a great mom, but something's got to give. I can't think of one person I know who could keep your schedule for more than a week. You are working 2 exhausting jobs on very little sleep.

You've gotten some good advice here. Let some things slide for now, invest in some cleaning or laundry help for now. It's not a waste of money. It's an investment in you and your family.

saw50st8

Wed, Feb 26 2014, 7:45 pm

You guys are making me feel much better about myself :-) My house is not that clean, our clothing is all wrinkled but we are happy.

I don't spend long on dinner prep usually.

We do one really junky meal per week (chicken nuggets, hot dogs, basically anything in a box). The other meals I try to offer healthy food thats fast to make.

I think I have to come to terms with the fact that there are no shortcuts to missing sleep. I find one night a week I really crash early.

Amother who mentioned going to sleep early and then waking up later - I don't think I will wake up. Otherwise that sounds great.

Another thing I have to start cutting is shabbos guests. I think I need to say no company two weeks in a row (unless its good friends who are happy with cholent!).

mummiedearest

Wed, Feb 26 2014, 8:33 pm

saw50st8 wrote:

saw, you do all this and have shabbos guests? you are indeed superwoman.

hats off to you, and I hope you find a solution to your exhaustion.