Don't know how we're going to pull off Christmas....
- 9 Replies
I don't work...our schedules don't work out so that I can right now. My husband works nights and I wait tables for a living. I can't work mornings because he doesn't get out of work until after a restaurant would want someone there for breakfast, I can't do lunch because he's sleeping, I can't do dinner because he goes to work. We don't have babysitters and we can't afford to pay someone to watch our children. Anyway, I don't know how we're going to afford Christmas this year. I have already eliminated buying things for other people, they'll be getting baked goods and home made things. I'm worried about successfully pulling it off for the children. It will be obvious that we are having a tough year, hopefully our oldest is still young enough to not notice. I'm just worried. Generally I'm the one who reassures my husband that it will be fine, but this year, I don't know if I can ease his mind. I'm not looking for advice or anything, just needed to get that off my chest.
Maybe you can find part time work during the day. If he is able to stay up for a while after he gets home from work. Not the ideal situation, but sometimes we do things we don't want to do, to get results.
Hope things get better for you. Just try and buy what you can or make homemade gifts for your kids. When it comes down to it, presents aren't the most importnant thing. But, I understand wanting to have a little something under the tree for your kids. It will be ok.
Quoting Lovebug83:
And how old are your kids?
They're 5 and 2 1/2. I babysat a little girl all last year and it was trecherous because my husband needs to sleep, so the constant battle to keep the kids quiet was ridiculous and then he would turn into a miserable wretch of a human being for being woken up. Our house is small, the bedrooms share a wall, the living room is right next to the bedrooms and then we're out of options. The girl I used to babysit moved away, otherwise I would still be babysitting her, eventhough it was a disaster. I made $20 a day, so the money wasn't much, but it definitely helped. I just don't know what to do....
Thoughts and prayers are with you. These are certainly hard times for many, and with the holidays looming it's even harder. I'm sure the adults in your circle of loved ones will completely understand and appreciate home-made gifts. :) How old are your little ones?
I know you said you weren't looking for advice... so skip this last part if you don't want any at all.
If you're a Christian (I undertand that not everybody who celebrates Christmas is a Christian), you could read the story of Jesus' birth often to your little ones. Point out that Jesus got THREE gifts. Maybe do three gifts for your kids. This would be a great way to tie the story together to the holiday. :)
I think your kids are still young enough that they wont notice if there isnt as much under the tree this year. I would try hard not to worry. Could you try to do Toys for Tots or something of that nature? I would go to the Dollar Store and get what you can there too.
We're not religious in any way shape or form, so Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus in our home. When I said I wasn't looking for advice, I didn't mean I wouldn't listen to it, I just know how this site works, everyone has all the answers and then the person is making up excuses if they don't follow what others say. Honestly, I wish right about now that we were religious...that would be an easy solution to this. I am crafty and have the kids make things also. We generally do a Christmas picture and that goes to family. Hopefully I'll be able to bake something simple also for people. I wish kids weren't around me so much so I could get away with making something for them, also. I would love to crochet my daughter an afghan, but she's always around and right now I don't even have the money for yarn. Things will work out, they always do and I do know that Christmas is about more than presents and I am definitely one who teaches my children that...it's just been a hard year, a lot of emotional things, a lot of loss and I wanted to be able to pull off a really special day for them....I know we will have a special day, just the typical parent stress getting to me this year.
Quoting praisinghim2day:
Thoughts and prayers are with you. These are certainly hard times for many, and with the holidays looming it's even harder. I'm sure the adults in your circle of loved ones will completely understand and appreciate home-made gifts. :) How old are your little ones?
I know you said you weren't looking for advice... so skip this last part if you don't want any at all.
If you're a Christian (I undertand that not everybody who celebrates Christmas is a Christian), you could read the story of Jesus' birth often to your little ones. Point out that Jesus got THREE gifts. Maybe do three gifts for your kids. This would be a great way to tie the story together to the holiday. :)
At what age should I tell my son dh is not his bio dad?