Chronicles of an Inspired Single Mom

Well peeps I’ve made it through the first two weeks of work. Three cheers for the working moms 🎉🎉🎉 Listen when I tell you I wasn’t ready sigh…get your tissues and wine because chilleeeee…

So week 1 my supervisor called me to inform me everything was a go and I could begin to work. Listen when I tell you getting to this point was a whole process!!!!! I’m talking about various checks especially since I’ll be working in schools, interviews and provision of both references and referees; and this took a little over a month to complete. I figured I’d have the rest of the week at home to get myself organized and start work the following week, however this was NOT the case.

Well picture it: me sweaty and harrassed after getting the kids ready for school; which includes me running up and down the stairs in the house, ensuring teeth are sparkling and parts are washed properly, assisting with dressing one and shouting hurry up and dress at the other, making breakfast and lunch and getting two time wasters in the car on time. Me: six big plaits in my head and one patch braided, now tied up with a scarf, so I can look semi-decent when walking my son to his class. House frock, cardigan and slippers on…kids in car, about to drive off… phone rings… it’s 5 minutes to 8..’Hi Kamille can you work for 9am this morning?’ Listen people this was my worst nightmare being materialized. If only you could see ma face as I looked at my head in the car mirror.

Fast forward one hour later kids dropped off at school, I’m now back home and braiding my hair because obviously I’ll have to report to work sooner than I thought. I’d declined the earlier call to cover a teacher at a Primary school but to my dismay my supervisor called again while I was watching “Blood and Water” and braiding my hair. He was really in a bind and even though I looked like a tree monster I decided I would do him a solid and cover at the secondary school.🤦‍♀️😣😥😮😫 People I literally showered, dressed, prepared my lunch or pack lunch as the brits would say, fix my hair, dash on some mediocre make up and drove to the school in an hour.

“But Kam what happened to your hair?” you may be asking. Well my brothers and sisters; I wrapped that sucker up with a satin scarf, then draped a skirt yes you read right, a skirt over it and it was a go. I happened to have clothes ironed because that’s just the sort of person I am. I found a bag and dubbed it my working bag, haul on stockings 🙄 and sensible shoes and Teacher Kam was good to go.

Guys I never finished my hair until after day 3 of work. Also by day 3…way make up a go again? Ain’t nobody got time for that. By the end of week 2 I was more organized and had a hang of my schedule and mommy duties; however that Friday night when I attempted to be an adult and have some chill time mama crashed I tell you…crashed and burned because I fell asleep eating a pizza and watching a movie.

But all jokes and craziness aside. Working and mothering is one thing. Add your children activities to that mix, sprinkle on some single-motherness and UK traffic you’ve got a good bowl of stressed-the-hell-out😂🤣😅 But don’t tell my friend Jay that; if she asks I am totally fine! 😁

Anyways it’s now day 795 of working…wait I mean week 3 😂 I had coffee for breakfast…sat on the edge of my bed contemplating life and if I really needed a job, today I took the elevator at work because I wasn’t about to walk up 2 flights of stairs…nar bruh….I finish work at 3, will collect my son at 3:30 and my daughter after 4, take them to martial arts and track respectively ; get home and get them off to bed…attempt to read or complete an assignment for a short course I am doing, head to bed and wake up to another beautiful day where I wonder…..”What fresh hell awaits me today?”

So how have I managed thus far to provide some balance or organisation in my life?

1. I cook once a week. Every Sunday I prepare a variety of dishes that will last for the week. Each day the children decide what they want, they can mix and match if they choose to it’s not a big deal as long as they eat.
2. I start laundry on a Thursday evening or morning and complete on a Friday night, fold on a Saturday and iron on a Sunday evening.
3. My work clothes are in a separate section in my wardrobe and are always ready to go as well as my work bag always packed(you’d swear I’m a doctor on call)
4. I have a menu for my son’s pack lunch for each day, so when I go into the kitchen in the morning I know exactly what’s there and what he’s having, my daughter eats at school so I ensure her account has sufficient funds to buy what she wants.
5. The car is filled with gas every other week (we can’t afford to run out of petrol in the middle of the dual carriage way)
6. Homework or reading is done each evening
7. I keep at least 2 evenings free during the week where there are no activities for the children so that I can maintain my sanity as well as keep the house looking like decent human beings reside there.

Things may seem hectic right now but I always tell myself nothing lasts forever and if I can be honest I love the chaos😂 it keeps me fit and my adrenaline going. How are you coping with mom/dad life? Let me know.

If you’ve made it through the end of this post you must really enjoy my stories lol and I love you for that. I wish you a blessed week and I’ll be back to talk about mommy guilt in my next post. Until next time Besos😘