I allowed myself to full on wallow about our current situation yesterday. (Childcare uncertainty, our (#&@ house which is still for sale, early-waking-toddler-woes, overtired camper woes, etc). I truly could not concentrate on work and ended up leaving early. Obviously, my job is very important and I will be making up that time and getting done what I need to (which is a lot!).
Today, though, is a new day. We have basically figured out our backup childcare plan, including a partially-retired nanny that is available next week for a bit longer-term if needed. She’s someone we trust and we have had her work for us in a similar situation before. She also doesn’t typically drive our kids, but the kids’ camp has early/after care and so Josh and I (mostly me, because it’s on my way to work and not his) have been doing that. I *think* everything will be settled and back to normal again before school starts. On August 14 (so early!). I suspect we will all be ready for a fresh start by then.
I need to breathe and realize that a) we luckily have the financial cushion to cover this kind of thing and b) the kids will be okay with a bit of a patchwork for this short period. I also need to table my (new, poorly timed) frugality/financial independence obsession right now because the time to jump into savings overdrive is not this moment. Maybe it will be in a month or two, but it is not now.
I arranged a babysitter for Sunday night (at 5 pm, early!) so that at least Josh and I can enjoy a long and relaxed date night. We are very overdue for a state-of-the-union/future planning sort of meeting, and I think doing this at a local pub sounds lovely.
Happy Wednesday, everyone.
PS: You guys are the BEST with your back to school tips (in the comments on last post)! Seriously, I love them. Thank you and you can keep adding if you think of more!!
PPS: Several of you asked about the brand/make of the planner pad. It’s by Elum and available at anthropologie: here. They also have a lot of other cute designs on their website!
8 Comments
Our au pair quit last week, and while we weren’t left without childcare, my husband or I was still required to stay home and train the new au pair. Since I’m still in fellowship, obviously that person ended up being my husband, which he has loudly and frequently complained about for the past two weeks. The au pair who quit leaves today (new AP arrived on Sunday), and I will be so happy when she’s finally gone. It’s been really hard on my daughter, too. I am, frankly, over the whole childcare situation. If I had to pick the one thing in my life that is the biggest thorn in my side it is the revolving door of often unreliable people who cost an inordinate amount of money who hold your life in their hands at all times. Childcare is the reason I can’t wait for my daughter to grow up, and the reason we had only one. I am so over all
of it.
Totally get it. We have been so lucky to have a reliable person who is so dedicated to our family. I think we are good employers too but we also just totally lucked out.
AP left my child for unlimited car access. We live in a city, where a car is not helpful. My daughter was like, “I thought she loved me,” and I’m like, “Sweetie, she left you for a car.” It kills me.
Aghghghg that is so so hard 🙁
OMDGs comment really hit home for me. Being in training with kids is so so hard. The unpredictable hours, cost of quality care were a huge stressor. FWIW, I feel like a new person since I graduated last month even though I haven’t take call in >1 year as a senior resident and haven’t had an attending paycheck yet. Knowing that I (&my family) won’t be plucked into some new rotation at anytime that requires last minute changes to child care and that I can leave my job at any time has made me so much happier.
I am glad you have figured child care out. That’s a HUGE source of stress and tough to scramble to cover with no notice! We ended up going the daycare route with our son for various reasons, one of which was seeing friends go through several nannies. I live in Minneapolis and it’s just not a nanny culture like the east coast so I think it’s harder to find one and then keep them, even if you are a great employer! But the daycare isn’t perfect either. Our son has been sick so much in his first year and he’s getting ready to transition to the toddler room at 18 months which is going to be really hard on him as he loves his teachers and doesn’t handle change well. But I tell myself, “this, too, shall pass” and I know he will love the toddler room when he gets through the adjustment period.
I really hope your home sells soon or you can rent it out so you can take that off the list of worries!!!
I’m so sorry that it’s been such a big stressful week for you! I’ll echo what others have said and say that you are totally handling it beautifully and are completely entitled to any self-care practices you wish to engage in to help alleviate some of that stress.
> I also need to table my (new, poorly timed) frugality/financial independence obsession right now because the time to jump into savings overdrive is not this moment. Maybe it will be in a month or two, but it is not now.
Great decision! Now is not the time to make any big life changes, especially if it involves money. Like you, I’ve gotten into a big frugality kick of late, but I finally realized that with some big life changes myself (out-of-state move, new house purchase, job promotion, one of my dogs has cancer and needs special care, and another dog is well into his senior years and needs special care as well), I need to focus more on immediate tasks and be grateful that we have the resources to throw money at these issues. Once we’ve settled into our new house and have a better grasp of what our new financial profile looks like, I’ll definitely revisit this, though!
Thanks for sharing the source of those planner sheets! Enjoy your much deserved date night!
I am one of those Moms who has a grown human now but I feel for you all who are dealing with care for your littles. On the planner front, it doesn’t end – I have actually moved to a wall calendar to supplement my digital calendar so I can, at a glance, see what my month looks like. In the spirit of “planning my summer”, I find that very helpful and have had a better summer for it!