Posted by Dr. Bob on October 26, 2003, at 14:37:31
In reply to Depressed parent of little kids » nemo kitty, posted by Cybele on October 25, 2003, at 16:27:58
> What has really helped me out a lot is getting child care part of the time. My older boy started half-day preschool/daycare three days a week at age 3-1/2 and I cannot begin to tell you how much that saved my sanity only having one child, a toddler, at home. Plus, he was happier being around peers and doing lots of crafts and playing outside. Now my older boy is in elementary school and my younger boy is in preschool/daycare three days a week and I get to be *alone*. It is so much easier to parent if you get a break every now and then. When I am alone in the house after my husband leaves with our preschooler I just run around waving my arms in the air yelling "I'm alone! I'm alone!" Both boys were home all summer and I know that is what triggered my current depression. I didn't snap out of it when they went to school, however. Maybe it is PTSD, LOL. You know the saying "It takes a village"? I think of the daycare/preschool center as "the other village women." It's a win-win situation: I'm happy, my kids are happy. It was a struggle to afford it on one income at first, but now we are doing better financially and I know I am lucky.
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> (I suspect that Dr. Bob will probably redirect this post to another folder.)
poster:Dr. Bob
thread:273669
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20031020/msgs/273669.html