Feeling Overwhelmed

Wow that is a lot. Get a cleaning person to come in 2x a month. I use K&B superior ###-###-####, I live in Grayslake too. Use Peapod if you shop their specials and plan a menu before you shop it costs about the same. Does your son help clean and get an allowance? We try and do all the house stuff on Saturday and keep Sunday as family day/sabath. It has really helped with our crazy life.

Hi,
This is what I do that you could try. I do my laundry during the week, I try to get it all done by friday. On Friday when I get home from work, I do my house work, my husband will pick up dinner or will order pizza. That leaves Saturday for family outings and things. On Sunday I do my grocery shopping in the morning for the week. Then I have the rest of Sunday to hang around the house, make dinner and relax. Hope this helps. Let me know how it goes if you give it a try.

Take care M.

Good morning J.,
I understand your frustration. I started working this past year and wow what a ride! It has been a huge learning experience. My kids are 13, 11, 8 and 3.
The biggest thing I've done is to let some of the house work go. I have furry light fixtures, dusty blinds and cobwebs in every corner. Who cares! I love my family and my job, as do you. In 15 years my kids aren't going to look back and say "wow, we lived in a spotless house". I hope they say
"my mom worked hard and she also played hard."
I don't want to spend my life exhausted and on edge from tying to get it all done. The only people I need to impress are my hubby and my kids. Are they impressed that I get the chores done? No.
Every morning I tell myself that I have more than enough time to accompish the things that are important for today. Our minds are incredible! Start tracking your thinking and you'll be amazed at what you find. I was stuck in such a negative mind set and when I keep it positive the same circumstances aren't so overwhelming.
Stay strong!

J.,

I am right where you are. I am absolutely in love with my 3.5 year old and 6 month old, but I am so tired and overwhelmed sometimes. This is what a friend recently told me: schedule two kinds of date nights. On the calendar, write a date night for you and your husband. Get a sitter or family member to stay with your son for a few hours while the two of you go see a movie and/or have a nice dinner out. Having it planned will give you something to look forward to. Also, schedule a date time FOR YOURSELF. Write on the calendar a break time of 3-4 hours where you will go out and do somthing for yourself. Maybe you can go to a movie, or read at Starbucks, or spend time with a friend. Anything is fine as long as you are only focusing on yourself. Again, knowing the time is on the calendar will help you get through those stressful times.

Last, get a good laugh. Go to www.pacifiersandprada.blogspot.com. It's all about the craziness and humor of working motherhood. You need a good laugh every once in awhile.

Good luck!

Who wouldn't feel overwhelmed in your situation? Planning your recreation may be the answer for you and make sure you make time for yourself. Moving closer to work also may help you have more time and sanity. My husband works in Northbrook and HATES the commute!!---J. T

Hi J.,

You are experiencing exactly what I fear I will experience next year! I think it's pretty common from what all of my working friends tell me. Some suggestions that I've gathered from them:

Use Peapod for grocery delivery.

Hire a cleaning lady so you don't spend your weekends cleaning. (Decide what you can afford...even once a month is helpful!)

Put as many of your bills on auto-pay (through your credit card/checking account) as you can

I know that doesn't solve everything, but I thought those 3 things were at least a start.

Hang in there...I think it's so hard because as moms and professionals we see so much that needs to be done...and we sitll need to remember to find something that we enjoy in addition to loving our children and our husbands.

On a positive note it sounds like you really love your job and that's a huge plus. Have you considered moving closer in to the city? It sounds like it might be time to at least give it a second thought.

Good luck! :)

I too am in the "overwhelmed" state because of trying to balance work/kids/home/freetime. It is not easy. My kids are 8 and almost 10. I work part time during the day while the kids are in school, watch my kids and 2-4 others after school, then work at night during the week. Saturdays I work during the day as well. I have found talking to my husband about helping out around the house has helped tremendously. I was doing everything around the house since I had that sense of being the "housewife" from when I was a full time stay at home mom but I just could not handle it all and keep my sanity! So he helps out with "chores" and my boys have started helping out with things they should do (ie cleaning their own room and helping sort their own laundry). I have had to also let go a bit and realize that things are not going to be perfect. We also switched to grocery shopping every two weeks so we don't have to waste every Sunday doing that.
I wish you the best of luck!