Coping with the busyness?

[clothmama]

I'm feeling really drained and exhausted from the daily grind of all the kids activities and the attached running around and the general boring day to day stuff. Of course I have a list a mile long of renovation things that desperately need doing too which I get to the end of most days feeling worse as I've not managed to do any of them. Tomorrow is one of the worse days as I have to take Josh to tennis (16km away) and he is there 2 hours so that is my arvo gone. Added to that he now needs running in for the Saturday morning youth club (a bike for him would fix this issue). Wednesday is just as bad although have now organised to pick up another boy on the way to soccer and they do the drop off. On top of it all my maternity pay runs out very soon so I need to start looking at getting some work or at least making some stuff and doing the markets to help with finances but not sure how I can possibly fit in either!

How do you guys cope with it all? Any hints / ideas?

I'm trying to cut down, put less pressure on us. My children want to do clubs etc but I can't physically get them there and back and still do dinner/bed time, plus the cost when I'm not working, so they just don't do it! I prioritise being with them myself, not working, having less money but more time. I'm trying to come to terms with not getting things done, having to sometimes buy ready made biscuits or frozen pizza if the pressure to cook or to help with home work is the final straw.

It's flipping busy with three kids, but I figure there will be a time, in a couple of years when it's easier... Right?!

[clothmama]

No amazing ideas for me then and sounds like your life is similar I can’t cut any activities as it is so important to our kids to get their French going and to fit in and be happy here.

I think if I can get Louis onto the bus home in the afternoons (the morning one leaves earlier than he gets up so will continue to drive him to school) that will take some of the pressure off and if I get Josh a bike he can take himself into town for his Saturday morning club. Maybe need to start having some simpiler / quicker meals as I feel like I'm not finished for the evening until about 9.30 each evening!

Meal wise, why not try using the slow cooker, that way there is no rush to make tea in the evening as you can start in in the morning when you have more time (hopefully )
If you have people eating at different times (because of clubs etc) its also handy.
I need to make more use of our slow cooker, now it's getting colder we'll be having more stews and currys etc.

I am lucky that i live a stones throw from our primary school (you can see the school from our back window) and 40 mins walk away from the boys secondary school. My eldest have to make their own way to and from school with the occasional lift, i couldnt get the younger 2 to school on time if i had to drive them every day.

If there is a bus available to Louis i'd def make use of it and the bike is a great idea as it will free up your time and give Josh some more independence

We also lift share to footie practice, so some weeks i will take DS1 and his friend and others i get a break.

We tend to finish around 9 on the evening. There is just always so much to do!! Would your wage outpay a childminder? It might be worth it if so, you could even get an au pair or similar to help with domestic duties. My wage would leave nothing after childcare for two and travel, its just not worth the stress however much I'd like to be working.

Freezer meals are probably my biggest time saver

It's crazy isn't it?! As my dad said when I saw him in the Summer ' it's hard enough doing all the day to day stuff in one day, never mind anything extra!'

Last year was pretty full on for us as a family with the move and all of the work we've done on the house. It's not at all easy with a non sleeping baby and school and clubs for the older two. We were painting and doing decorators cauk till 10/ 11pm some nights and then isaac would wake up at 12 and be up til 2am or something
Now it's all eased off and isaac is sleeping ( most of the time) and I have some time in the evenings I m just too tired to do anything productive once the kitchen is sorted and school things ready for the next day.

I meal plan and do an online food shop so I m not hAving to nip to buy things but that might not be an option for you?
We luckily walk to school 5 mins up the road so that is a great help. I m also trying to get mine to help with a few chores ( I actually think that probably takes longer ). Dd2 likes to help me cook so I'm training her up to cook a meal in a few years
This was something my mum never did for me as it was quicker to do it herself.
Can you combine shopping or other errands whilst taking the kids back and forth?

I ve kind of accepted that we can't do everything though I suppose. Our garden maintenance didn't happen over the summer with the kids at home. The green house plants got a bit forgotten by DH when I went away and were in a sorry state.

I m not sure there is anything in here that helps you out, just empathy!
I m sure it will ease off at some point. Also prioritise what's important, you can't do everything and kids are unpredictable. Maybe the garden takes a back seat whilst you concentrate on the house. Meals aren't quite as healthy as you d like but they ll do and you ll live etc etc

[clothmama]

We also lift share to footie practice, so some weeks i will take DS1 and his friend and others i get a break.

I have that one sorted now, I pick up a neighbours son for footy and they bring Louis back, certainly helps. I think I've been stressing out trying to get us all fed between judo and football, I think next week I'll try just feeding Louis and worrying about the rest of us later.

Meal wise, why not try using the slow cooker, that way there is no rush to make tea in the evening as you can start in in the morning when you have more time (hopefully )

I was a bit hopeless using my slow cooker as I kept thinking about it too late so when we got here I bought a pressure cooker instead - spag bol cooked and yummy in 20 minutes or a soup in 12 so quite good, just need to learn to use it better!

Would your wage outpay a childminder?

They are really reasonable here and I have spoken to one who has space until she gets some new babies in April so I think I'll try to get Rémy in a couple of mornings a week so I can crack on with the house as we just have so much to do, will certainly make a different I think!

Freezer meals are probably my biggest time saver

Yep, I love when I have a freezer stacked with food, makes such a difference! I actually need to find a freezer, we only have the one over our fridge which is big but not big enough with all the frozen fruit I have in there!

[clothmama]

Thanks Nicola - of course you get the living in a renovation project @confusinglady !

Can you combine shopping or other errands whilst taking the kids back and forth?

I do try, for example this afternoon Josh is at tennis for 2 hours, it is a 17km each way trip so I have to stay in town so I do my shopping when I'm there (but don't always want too ).

I m also trying to get mine to help with a few chores ( I actually think that probably takes longer ). Dd2 likes to help me cook so I'm training her up to cook a meal in a few years

We do do this, Josh does the bins and Louis takes out the compost and I get them to help out with Rémy. In the holidays I get them to do the dishwasher but I feel they have such long school days that I am doing it more during the week. We actually started the boys cooking one night a week each back in Oz and that worked quite well, as you say though will take longer to start with! I should start doing it again.

I m not sure there is an answer it's just hard work trying to acheive much more than the everyday jobs with a young child sometimes!

I m not sure how we survived a walking & climbing 1 year old when we had no internal doors downstairs, no stair gates up or down, work men in plastering, us painting and glossing up and down stairs and tools spread everywhere - we did somehow! Although I did one day take a screwdriver out of Isaacs hand that he'd foubd somewhere, put it on the dining room table out of his reach, then put him at the table for his breakfast, turned round for a second and he was eating his cereal with the screwdriver!!!!! I m not sure how he survived!!!