Single Parent Complaint #462

To rise at 5:30, to bed at 11:00 because someone has to do everything.

Image: City-Data.com

While my kids are already pro's, it's the first full week of school for me {my days of custody are Sunday - Wednesday} and it's been an exhausting one. My alarm goes off at 5:22a and I don't even see my bedroom again until 10: 47p

I have to drop my kids off at the before school program by 6:30a, so I can open up shop by 6:32. I feel absolutely horrible waking them up at 5:45a, dressing them half asleep, and feeding them breakfast before they're ready to eat. They're awake just before it's time to brush teeth, put on backpacks and leave. It wouldn't be so bad if I knew I could pick them up at the release bell, but I can't. The majority of the week, I work until 6:45p. Which leaves pick up duties to friends and family and leaves the four of us just enough time to eat a family dinner, take baths, and hop in bed.

Of course, my day doesn't end at bedtime kisses. No, it ends about three hours later after I've cleaned the house, washed the dishes, sorted the laundry, and disinfected the toys after a long day of good play.

Working from home has it's advantages; I love my job {to an extent, but doesn't everyone?}. I get to stay home and witness amazing little beings grow and learn. We use our imaginations, bake cookies, color outside the lines, build Lego towers, have tea parties, dance like no one is watching, and I never worry about make-up before noon.

On the flip side, working from home has it's disadvantages too and they're not minor ones. I can't ever be late, I can't ever play 'hooky', there is no "lunch break" to run necessary errands {in fact, there is no break at all, I'm always 'on'}, and taking a day off is almost unspeakable. With the exception of two surgeries this year, I haven't taken holiday since May 2008.

While I may never be able to explain exactly what my days are like; the amount of strength, patience, and endurance it takes, I do know that I've always preferred the hard road and dammit, I earn my good night's sleep - all six hours of it. Because someone has to do everything.