I have a new episode for Bluey, it is called “Early Dinner”.
Need an early dinner to allow me to go back to my hotel and relax
The episode would go like this.
Chilli has a work getaway organised. Bandit would look after the kids, Bluey and Bingo. Chilli kisses everyone goodbye and starts her journey to the city. Chilli then has to decide; does she meet up with her workmates or does she stay and relax in her hotel room?
She decides to stay in her hotel room and relaxes with a warm bath, then watch her own tv while eating dinner from room service. The episode ends with Bandit being super busy with kids wanting to constantly play and Chilli falling asleep in the star position on her bed in her hotel room.
Now cut to actual real life and not a Bluey episode…
A few weeks back I met some of my teammates in the city for dinner and an early morning start for a HUGE strategy day at work. While deciding where to meet and the time I explained if it is not good for the others, I would be perfectly happy to get dinner on my own and spend the time in my hotel room doing my own thing.
Image from https://mr-heeler.tumblr.com/
I know this sounds very antisocial but as a busy mum to three kids, finally being on my own was wonderful. I did want to meet up with my colleagues but also would be very happy not to as well. I was conflicted.
Once I divulged this to some of the ladies I work with, one told me she totally relates. She then told me, if I wanted to just stay in my hotel and not meet up that was fine too.
One suggestion was to have an “Early Dinner” so that I can socialise and still have me time at the hotel.
Before kids, I would have never entertained an early dinner and now that is fine and a good idea. And yes, perfectly acceptable.
What a dilemma! Socialise or be antisocial? Or finally, have some me time and relax!
Have you been in this situation before? Spoiler alert: I ended up socialising and did really enjoy it as well as finally being on my own in my hotel room.
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Lately, I have felt frazzled. On edge, tired, annoyed, exhausted, overworked, too much to do, waiting for something to happen and then nothing does, upset, worried about money, worried full stop about everything, unable to do things I had planned, sad that I had to cancel plans that I was looking forward to and a lot of other things that I find I cannot name.
I think all these feelings have stemmed from the COVID Pandemic. As well lockdowns making sure that we are all stuck in a small house and the outcome means that there is no time for anything that I wish to do, or the space to do it, or the money to do it and when I might finally have time I am looking after kids and that means I cannot do my thing at all anyway, so I don’t bother. Yes, no time for me at all!
Sometimes I feel rather sad, miserable, and downright depressed. Sometimes I am feeling happy and upbeat, and then most of the time I am feeling downtrodden and ordinary.
I am getting up and doing what feels like five million jobs. I do a week’s work, and then do more work at night, to then have children argue with me about just helping around the house.
Normally I keep myself busy but for the last two years, I feel like I have been running a marathon non-stop and not getting a break.
Oh, what would I give for an all-expenses trip to a beach somewhere? On this beach, I would have a cocktail in my hand, and I would just be lying on the beach resting. Oh, there is that word, resting….
I have not had much of that lately. The good old downtime to rest. God knows when I have really rested. When I am resting, I am worrying about all the things that are yet to be done.
My weekends consist of being with kids and attempting to get a very messy house for the week ahead, and of course that comes with a tonne of clothes to wash, fold and ask that people put away, but they get added to the bedroom floor and then tossed around, thrown, and of course stomped on to then need washing again.
Geez…. Why can’t someone just do as I ask the first time!!!!!! Put the clothes away. Pick up the mess on the floor! C’mon you say, and all you get is yelling, moaning and doors being slammed in your face. So of course, you give up as all you wish to do is to rest and have a quiet house for a change, however that never happens.
Not sure if being frazzled is a medical term or a condition. Maybe it is a direct outcome of the COVID lockdowns and aftermath it has caused.
This is quite accurate.
You might have thought that it is all getting better in the world. Well, I thought so too. However, my car was recently stolen, driven terribly that it was practically falling apart and then set on fire. Yes, burnt everything down to the ground. If it hadn’t been for the weeks of non-stop rain the stupid horrible beasts and dickheads that took my car could have caused another bushfire. Yes, it was dumped and set on fire in the middle of the national park…. not smart but these are the idiots that steal cars so I guess they don’t think about that type of thing.
I bought the car before the four-month lockdown and have hardly driven it. It seems rather sad but also very ironic, that it is now gone. I did think that I caused the lockdown with my car purchase.
I am still very miserable about the loss of my car. I miss it. My car gave me independence, it allowed me to do whatever I wanted, and now it is gone. I have been fortunate to have good insurance so now I need to find a replacement. I just now need to do all the research I did the first time with my car that is no longer here anymore. Currently, I do have an idea of what I want but it is a bit out of reach now, and yes, another thing to be annoyed about!
Also, a new COVID variant making infections increase is not a good sign of what is to come. I do hope that we don’t have another lengthy lockdown. I could not handle work and home-schooling again. The only solution for this I believe is to lock things down again but personally, I don’t want that to happen either if we have too many more I wonder what the solution will be other than a lockdown?
Let’s just hope that we will still be able to travel in our state as the kids and I are really looking forward to visiting their Grandma and Grandad and also the beach. No offence to my in-laws but the kids, especially the youngest is hanging for the beach (they are excited to see their grandparents but the beach is the highlight at the moment) and I am right there with them. I think we need it after being cooped up not being able to travel.
My fix for feeling frazzled is a holiday (It would be nice to have a little holiday on my own as that would allow for less frazzle). A holiday where I can rest, not worry, just be and finally relax. However, this holiday is coming soon, it is still a while away yet and one that will be greatly welcomed.
I am sure I am not the only one feeling frazzled this year. Have you been feeling all mixed up lately? Is it a feeling of being frazzled and on edge? I feel like this year has just piled more terrible things on top of each other that you just shrug your shoulders and say, of course, yes it makes sense that would happen.
After I am done with work, I need to really focus on getting organised for Christmas. I have the gifts but need to wrap them and loads more to be all good to go for Christmas Day. I just want to be finally done for a bit and put my feet up for a bit longer than 5 minutes, I am sure you know what I mean.
So, as you can see 2021 has been a HUGE year, and I am sure you are in a similar situation. It would be nice to have a bit more luck in 2022 and for the car and holiday gods to smile on me in 2022.
I’ve now put my out of office on and I am officially on holiday! Let the relaxing begin.
Let me know how you are going? Have you been feeling frazzled too?
If you really want to know how tired I am, all my cells need a 6-month nap to be able to replicate again, that’s how tired I am!
A very true picture of me needing sleep
I blame the constant stress of the COVID pandemic. The current climate has meant that I feel always on edge, wearing so many hats that it is not possible to do everything for all roles in one day and at the end of each day I feel like I have run a marathon, although I haven’t done any strenuous exercise. I also feel like I have achieved NOTHING!
I am mentally spent. I am running on empty and in desperate need of a break. I find that I am at my wit’s end.
With week 16 (starting tomorrow) and the new freedoms, we are allowed due to the higher rate of vaccinations, I am now able to go to a shop and buy something. I am now able to go to a cafe and eat, and being able to visit friends and family is just an amazing thing after four months of not being able to leave my LGA (local government area/council).
Monday the 18th of October my little boy returns to his Kindergarten class with his teacher. He is very excited and has really missed his teacher and his classmates. On the 25th of October, my twins return to grade 7 for the last few weeks of the year. One of the girls is super excited and the other is not keen as she has enjoyed working from home. Mummy and Daddy are very happy to have all kids back at school soon and we hope that all three kids really enjoy seeing their friends, teachers and getting more out of their school work with finally learning with face to face lessons again.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and having kids back at school will make the house mine again for a while. Although the time that is mine I will be working so busy on other things, the house will be nice and quiet for a change.
I am finding it tough as we navigate again through the end of this long lockdown and find that I just want to fall in a heap and not get up for a while. This cannot happen as I need to solider on and keep working and plodding along. I need to work, I need to keep going for the family and all the things I do to keep the house, kids and life going.
Oh, how I wish I could travel somewhere to rest. Somewhere warm that will pamper me and let me rest. It would be nice to have a fancy resort but currently, the only thing that I am drooling over is a beach, sunshine and being in a room that will allow me to have time alone and of course a place that has room service so I don’t have to think about anything other than rest. At this point, I could be at the local hotel and never leave my room, an easy holiday!
Lately, I have had a million and one ideas about things I would love to be working on, however, my body and mind are not in sync. I find that I am either so tired I cannot keep my eyes open, or I am not thinking straight and cannot do justice to my ideas and thoughts. So instead of doing, I have prioritised sleep and rest as I believe that my body is saying that this is needed.
Below is what I would love to do while on holiday…yes not an actual picture of me.
This not doing is also making me very frustrated and annoyed. I see all these people getting so much done during lockdown and I am just trying to get out of it with everyone in one piece so to speak.
Maybe it is the pandemic that is giving me brain fog? Maybe it is the stress of the unknown and the financial crises that we have faced during COVID? I like many of you have been negatively impacted by COVID. We have been lucky to remain well but we have suffered terribly financially. We were very close to losing everything…yes everything we have worked over 20 years to build!
I know that we have been lucky in some respects and I thank my stars that I have a job that allows remote working and hubby got a job in July that has also been happy for him to work from home. I have been focusing on what I am grateful for, my house, health of family, jobs, being with my children, and so much more. I know others are not that lucky and I am very grateful for what we have.
What I would love to be doing now
It feels silly saying that I feel so out of sorts all the time. I feel silly thinking that I am on edge and worried about things all the time. I know it really isn’t silly, but I think that people might think it is silly because I should be over it by now. I should be adult enough to be on top of things.
In actual fact, I just want to stop being an adult for a while. What about you?
Having things taken away from you is tough; Your job, maybe your house, not being able to travel, not knowing when things will change, what is the point of making any plans when they all get cancelled and so on!
I suppose living for years with constant stress isn’t good for you at all. I feel for all the people working hard to make sure they pay their rent/mortgage, keep food in the bellies of their families and the lights on. It is a hard slog and one that makes you super super exhausted. All this chaos also means that you are not functioning as your best self.
So I as I write this I am feeling over it all. I am cver all the crazy with kids at home. Over asking for kids to help and get attitude and arguments back, over having to be the teacher at home, over being the one policing everything, over having to be working full time, over not having time alone, over not being able to get to do anything I want to do, over not being able to travel, over having to catch up on bills due to a health crisis that was and is out of my control, over everything! Basically, I just want to be left alone for a while and for the house to be quiet for a decent period so that I can think.
However the quiet in the house and being left alone will not happen for another 18 or more years as I have children and one that is very young. I can live in hope though.
One other stress is what to do about Christmas, yes it is fast approaching and I have not organised anything at all. Have you got things sorted for Christmas? Or are you in a bit of a panic also about it? I do hope that I can work some miracles and find some things for all 3 kids that they will like, and that won’t break the bank. Send suggestions if you have them.
Tips to help you beat pandemic fatigue from NSW Health:
“Practice mindfulness: be in the moment and don’t dwell on problems or negative news of the day.
Take one step at a time: Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and allow yourself to take a break if you need it. Eat well: stay alert with a healthy balanced diet. Forego unhealthy snacks and temptations.
Stay energised: do regular exercise that you enjoy. This is a great way to clear your mind and boost your energy levels.
How are you faring with the end of lockdown and many restrictions ending? Let me know how you are feeling?
Maybe once all kids are back at school they will be happier? Being with their peers and being able to do things they couldn’t do before will of course make them feel better.
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Have you said something silly? That makes no sense? Or it could make sense but not at the time of day or the place when you said it?
Well I have! And it is happening more due to kids, being super tired and on the go all the time!
The other day hubby said this:
“I vacuumed the backyard and it is looking good”
Now I don’t know about you but most men or women don’t use a vacuum to mow their lawn. A mower is the tool of trade and it does the job quite nicely.
Maybe hubby knows something we don’t. The vacuum must put the finishing touches on his perfect lawn and makes it look amazing.
As soon as this came out of his mouth the kids could not stop laughing and I of course got the giggles. He was obviously very tired to be saying this.
Or maybe he wanted to vacuum as well? I will not stop someone who wishes to do more housework.
Daddy vacuuming the backyard! Yes that is the way he keeps the place looking a million bucks. You should try it! Man vacuuming by Image courtesy of artur84 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net, but grass added by me.
Earlier this week after I got home with kids from school I said the following:
“Get your luggage out of the car”
Then I got this reaction.
Lillian told me, while laughing.” Mummy you are tired! They are not our luggage, there our school bags!”
Maybe I was tired, but it does feel at times that I have heaps of luggage in the car.
Kissing and cuddling your daughter to then tell her “Good night” but this was at school drop off. Now I need to have more sleep if I’m doing this! Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
And there is this one that I said when kids started pre-school and sometimes still do it now and they are in grade one:
Saying “Good night” when dropping kids at school.
Yes I know they are at school but maybe I have wishful thinking. Maybe I will get a nap or they will have a rest too? It does show that I am tired or brain is elsewhere.
Have you done this too? What is the weirdest thing you have said to the kids or someone else? Did you think it was a sign you needed to go back to bed? I do at times.
Let us know your thoughts. Why not continue the discussion on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Do you ever catch yourself and think you are the worst mum/mom in the world. Yelling when you promised you would not, and doing things that you also never imagined you would do. Over the past holidays not getting a break from kids/family or even some alone time was not a good thing for me. Even just having a day here or there for mummy to do something for me would have helped a lot.
Hubby did give me a day in the afternoon here and there as I was not feeling the best but it was not like having a whole day to maybe do some sewing, stuff on the blog or just dream or do something for me. Maybe watching a scary show that is not kid friendly, for example, “Being Human”.
With the long awaited start to the kids going back to pre-school I used my one day off this week, getting food, milk, vegetables and fruit. Unpacked the car, put all things away. Tidied kitchen did some laundry and then sat and had a relaxing date with a coffee and my shows. It was a joy to be in a house that I did not have to check on little people doing things they were not supposed to be doing. Another big plus was it was great to not have to raise my voice at all that day, oh the joy of that and it is relaxing to not have to. It is such a drain to you as a person raising your voice every so often.
Again I promise to be better and to try not to yell and to be a better parent and mummy. It is hard though when you feel harassed and don’t get time off. The twins do sleep well and I do things in the evening however I am more energized to do things during the day, so some things don’t happen and if not important can wait.
So my plan for the next few days is to tidy up as much as I can so I can use my days off next week for some things I want to do. I also do want to tidy up some rooms and start to chuck some things or give to charity what we can give away. I need to focus on getting rid of some things that we don’t use anymore, as it is small house and cannot handle too many things, so a big to do list.
What did you catch yourself doing with your day off when kids went back to school? Did you manage to get more than one day off? I hope you did.
Send in your comments and why not continue the discussion on our Twitter or Facebook pages.
My brain is active with things that I want to achieve, however I am just so tired and exhausted. The reason I feel like this is I am currently getting over a bad cold/flu, not sure what it was actually. Probably was the flu as I had fevers and cold sweats, I know too much info. Now I am fine but still tired and find that I am not thinking 100% clearly, so still must be getting over the germs. Another reason for being tired is two very active three year olds to look after and to entertain.
Sometimes I think it might be the lack of sleep I have had since the girls were born. People say it is hard to catch up on sleep and if you are constantly interrupted or do not sleep well this can not help. Maybe this is one of the other reasons, I am still sleep deprived due to having kids and looking after them. I don’t see this changing any time soon, I think I might have another 14 years of this if they leave home at 18. With the world the way it is and expectations of children to walk into a dream job without working from the bottom up, my kids might be back to live with us after moving out of home. So maybe my sleeping days will be numbered after they are 18 as well?
Some sites that might help if you struggle with losing sleep and being tired:
According to Scientific Amercian’s article, “Can You Catch Up on Lost Sleep?” states that if you miss sleep you acquire a sleep debt, to repay this debt and to feel less tired and better, you need to go to bed when tired, try and add extra hours each night and in months this might help.
Great articles about sleep and helping to get to sleep by sleepwriter.com
As I write this my eyes are heavy and I am thinking of bed. I am now off to dream sweat dreams in my comfy bed and to hopefully catch up from my sleep debt.
Do you have issues with being tired all the time? Has kids made it hard to grab a break or a nap to help this issue? When night time comes are you just wanting to curl up and go to sleep? I know I do. Sounds so anti social but that is so exciting for me at the moment, going to bed and being allowed to sleep in. Send in your comments.
