Thursday, October 04, 2007

The Isolation Booth

I have been very lonely lately. Tim is just about never home, my sister got a new job and can no longer take my mid-day phone calls (read: cries for sanity), and my conversations with my mom friends are so superficial (seriously, don't these women read?! can we discuss something other than kids?). Sure, I went to Costco with Bridezilla today, but that didn't seem to do it.
I feel like my isolation is effecting my ability to be a good parent, or like my kids are isolated too. I need to enroll Abby in a new preschool (in addition to the one she goes to now- I think 5 days a week would be more beneficial to all of us- not that I want her out of my hair, but because I think she is bored at home with me and Nora- not that I am boring, but I just think it would be good for her) but Tim keeps complaining about how much I spend on preschool already. His argument is also that he didn't go to 2 preschools, so she doesn't need to (duh, he was not the child genius that she is). I get that parenting is give and take and that we have to compromise, but seriously, he spends a fraction of the time with her that I do. I can count on one hand the number of hours he has spent with her in the past week, and even less with Nora. So shouldn't I be able to make this decision on my own?
My other pressing issue is that I need to find a sitter for Saturday night. I had one, but she got Cubs tickets (how can I argue). My mom is busy, and it is a little late to find another sitter. I was looking forward to a night out, but I am probably going to end up just sending Tim (and spending yet another night home alone) to meet his friends we were supposed to go out with.
I feel like I am whining, so I am going to stop now.

2 comments:

Indie Mama said...

I've been in the Swiss version of the isolation booth all week (it's very, very tidy in here...and they frown upon you if you make a mess).

Since we've been sick we haven't been able to make any classes, and the kiddo hasn't really been up to the parks (except to pick out the perfect leaf and then demand to be held), so we've pretty much gone solo...and with the hubby around, well, it's been rather blah...

I really get what you're saying about preschool...I feel really guilty about the kiddo not having any 'real' friends (friends she sees all the time, regularly), and I know she gets bored by me, too. I've pretty much forced myself to accept that she'll be in some sort of all week 'school' (even if only half days) by the time she's 3 (wherever we are). It'll be a hard transition for both of us, but I think we gotta do it. Gotta love expat guilt combined with Mommy guilt!

I say push for the extra preschool...if you think she needs it, you're probably right. And you can always back out if you come to thing it's too much.

Hope things are better next week!

Christy said...

I think you should have more than fifty percent influence on what Abby does during the day considering the amount of time you spend with her. If you think she needs it, go with it!

Some of my friends here and I have a ladies' night every Tuesday night. It's not a traditional whoop it up on the town kind of ladies' night, it's just an established thing that our husbands know that Tuesday night is our night and sometimes we go to each other's houses and sometimes we go out for coffee or to eat, but it's something I count on for some sanity. Could you start one of those in Chicago? Wish you were closer, you could come to ours!