Last week I had a pretty harsh glimpse in to what the life of a single working mother must feel like. My husband was gone all week for work, right when I started teaching. Which meant the kids were in after-care at school, going all day from 8-6pm. Which also meant that, because she has an aversion to sleeping anywhere but the comfort of a bed, Miss P didn’t take a nap for five straight days. Let me say this again…
FIVE. STRAIGHT. DAYS.
Ya feel me? Miss P is a girl who is happiest when she’s had enough sleep. When she’s missed the occasional nap for something like a big outing, she’s actually okay during the time she should be sleeping. And for a moment it has me fooled in to thinking “Wow, maybe she’s ready to drop this nap!” And then…BOOM! 6 o’clock rolls around and the next thing you know you’re ducking from the debris of sleep-deprived shrapnel – over-dramatic responses to small problems, defiant behavior that makes you doubt you have any power in the house, tears the size of golf balls and tantrums that make the Tasmanian Devil seem tame.
The week was a bit of a blur. I’d drop the kids off at school, and the rest of the day was spent planning and teaching. I’d pick them up at school, race home to get dinner started, and by the time we finished eating, it was time for bath and bedtime routines. Then once the kids were asleep, I’d run around trying to get things done, and prepare for the next day, falling in to bed around midnight. Just to get up a mere 5.5 hours later and start the whole process all over again. It was exhausting.
Throughout it all, I just kept wondering how single working mothers do this All The Time. Day in and day out. Where do they find the time to take care of themselves? By the time the kids are taken care of, fights are broken up, the house is put back in place, bills are paid, meals are cooked and the laundry is done, there isn’t a whole lot of time left over in the day. I was lucky if I remembered to brush my teeth last week or put on clean underpants, because it felt like once the alarm went off, it was time to start running. And this? This was only temporary. My husband is back and I have one extra set of hands to help out and play man-on-man defense.
However, there was something empowering to look back a the week and realize, “Why, YES. I CAN do this!” It surely wasn’t easy, and I wouldn’t opt for that kind of stress voluntarily. But I survived. Give me a big Gloria Gaynor “Oooooooohhhh”
My husband travels as well, and you’re so right…it gives us a sneak peak into the life of a single mom! Thankfully, it’s only temporary, and over the years I’ve learned to make really simple suppers when he travels!
Ah yes, the Spouses of Those Who Travel. There really should be a support group for us! There are certain things I’ve had to adjust and adapt to as we’ve been doing this traveling thing for about 5 years now. Some things get easier, some things remain just as hard!
I have a little one who is a bit cantankerous w/o the right sleep too, so I feel ya!
Congrats on making it through. 
Thanks, Rosey. Man, is that sleep thing a killer! While I will miss the days of having an hour in the afternoon to get a break and catch up on things, I look forward to the age when our day’s mood doesn’t depend heavily on whether someone has taken a nap or not.
My husband’s job takes him away from home, too, and I call it “solo parenting.” It’s not quite single parenting, but we certainly have a different rhythm when he’s away. Ironically, my kids are more obedient and compliant those days. Short spurts of cooperativeness are always welcome!
So it sounds like you know exactly where I’m coming from. Jon travels quite a bit as well, but never for this long and while I’m this busy. I do think the house remains a bit more organized in his absence and there’s less energy, but it’s also a lot less fun.
I am right there with you, my hubbie leaves on Friday and comes back Monday, so for those days, I sure enough feel what it is to be a single mom, its hard at times, but I always say to myself Monday will be here soon
Good luck this weekend! It helps to have some plans made – playdates are life savers! My husband travels quite a bit, but this was the first time he was gone when I had an insane amount of work to accomplish, coupled with school stuff. It was crazy.
Yay for you. And like you said those mamas that have to do this all the time are held in admiration and in my prayers. Families are so important and doing it alone is an awe inspiring task.
I TOTALLY look up to those single working mothers right now! It certainly feels like it takes a village at times…
Love your blog’s new design!! Anyway, has your kiddo napped already? And yes being a single parent is tough!
Anne, YES, she did finally nap! We’re ALL grateful for that.