From organised to last minute
I’ve turned into my worst nightmare…
I used to be really organised. I’d plan everything in advance – dance weekends would be planned almost a year ahead, to book in to visit friends we’d have to book months in advance, and would religiously keep calendars and diaries updated.
Pre-N, I could never understand how short notice friends with children were about booking in nights out. I’d always have to tell them the date had been booked out for months, while they’d be managing to get a babysitter for an event that week. Surely it would be more important for parents to have to book miles in advance?
But post N, I’ve changed.
I still have a calendar on the back of the kitchen door and I still have a diary in my handbag (that I vaguely refer to, usually weeks after the date’s passed), and I use my phone notes to write down any upcoming events I find that I want to go to so they’re with me at all times. I’m also efficient at using my work outlook calendar.
But I’ve turned into a last minute person.
Take Britmums Live! I booked an earlybird ticket way back when, thinking childcare for Friday fine (nursery, and OH for evening), and Saturday fine (someone in the family). But it’s now a week away, and looks like I won’t be making Saturday as my family can’t do it now, and OH’s family have all been invited out for a party in the evening so it’s unlikely anyone would want a toddler for the day if they’re then going out.
And for work when I need to go into London, it’s usually the day before I mention it to the OH that he’ll need to do nursery run…it does my head in but it’s me who’s doing it! Although the OH never knows what he’s doing the next day anyway on the farm, so he can never tell me in advance what he can or can’t do which is also annoying.
So, I have to get back in control again and start getting things like childcare sorted out earlier, rather than just assuming it’ll all work out…must sort out my September new nursery runs too as 9am drop offs aren’t going to work, so time to get that arranged before I have to panic, delay N starting at that nursery and put him in his current one full time.
Argghh, being a parent’s definitely a juggling act.
How do you cope? Are you organised or a last minute person?
I agree, in fact one of my posts this weekend was on a similar topic. I’m struggling to get things done at home, and I really don’t like it. I thought things would be calmer when B started school, but I seem to have less time to myself and our weekends are filled up in well advance.
I dread to think what disorganised people are like if this is what usually organised people are like. I need to remember to look at my calendar/diary as I do write things down, but it’s definitely needing to communicate and get answers earlier from OH. Mine won’t agree to anything early on because he says farming means you never know what you’re going to be doing. That doesn’t really help with sorting out children and work for the rest of the family. I’ve done no housework this weekend apart from kitchen worksurfaces and vaguely bathrooms – luckily I’m not houseproud of I’d be crying in a corner.
The problem once they’re at school is, they have more friends and more weekend stuff! Nightmare. Hope you get into more of a flow by half term
I try to be organised….Don’t always make a good job of it though…lol x
Exactly the same. I give off an organised air and I am if I only need to organise myself and N, but if it involves babysitting or the OH, it always ends up last minute as he doesn’t do committing in advance