Lonely

I’m so lonely. I have one daughter, 4, and I’m struggling to find other mums to meet up with regularly. My husband works a lot and is away often, and we don’t have family nearby. I do want to create a “village” both for myself, and for my daughter who I feel is just so sick of being with just me. I feel like I’m not enough for her although I’m trying so hard. Does anyone else feel the same way? And has anyone got any ideas for how to create this “village”?

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So sorry you’re struggling 🫶🏻 I’m currently pregnant and feeling the same way. All my family are overseas and I don’t have many friends here. Worrying about when bub is here and hoping to find a group of women in similar situations to build a support group. Feel free to message me, always happy to chat ❤️

Hey hun, where are you based?
I found local play groups and extra activities helped a lot!
I also reached out to the mums from my daughters kinder to organise play dates which helped for both of us to socialise. I just asked reception at her kinder to pass on my details to a couple of my daughter’s friends that she mentions a lot.

Where are you located?

Hi, my daughter is 4 in August. Depending on where you are based, I'd be happy to meet up. 😊

Hi lovely. I've got a 4yr old as well and we're happy to catch up for a play date if you're not too far from us.

I have a 4 year old too - and a 10week old. Where are you based hun?

I’m the type of friend to just drop by on a Thursday night and have some drinks, pizza and a movie, maybe a face mask lol, vent laugh and cry so if my profile looks like someone you can befriend and we’re pretty close, feel free to msg me. I do have a 4yr old as well although he does go kinder 3 days a week, so he’s not always w me on meets and sometimes I go to a friends house alone and he stays home w Hubby. And we go out a lot on weekends, Queen Vic market, zoo etc. it’s nice to have a friend to do stuff with, I feel you there!! We should all here organise a meet actually, if anyone is up for that say yay! We can do a group chat and I’ll organise Xx there’s a Chipmunks at Docklands

Hey my daughter is 4 in august also. I'm a single mum with 17yr old boy and my girl and literally moved to Melbourne knowing noone depending obviously where your based, I'm interested in meeting up with our girls.
She has been begging for friends and I have no idea where to find any I feel so bad for her playgrounds we go to the kids for some reason aren't allowed to play with other kids it's heartbreaking

@Kellie can I join? 🥲🥲
I live in Camberwell xx

yes of course! It’s open to everyone in this thread Xx

Is next Tuesday good for everyone??

Im in lol

So, 11am Chipmunks docklands girls?? Tuesday? Who’s coming?? and OP??

Ok damn I can't do Tuesdays now cause LO is starting kindy Tuesdays and Thursdays this week but any other days we're keen....

in our community

Family culture difference on money

Sorry this is long, I hope some of you get to the end and give advice!!!

So I’m a very thrifty person, things are tight at the moment, the cost of living crisis and my house is heated by oil so things are extortionate. We aren’t on the bread line but we aren’t flush, hubby might be made redundant so there is some financial pressure.

Sometimes I buy my sons something nicer, on the justification that I can sell it on after (♥️ vinted ♥️). I have also been planning on pretty much breaking even most of the baby things I bought from face book market place, side by crib, baby changing unit, etc.

Hubby and I have different money cultures with our families (he’s Indian, I’m British). I’m my family we don’t mix money, we would help each other out if someone was in trouble and will get each other gifts on special occasions. With hubby’s family money is much more fluid, they will give each other things worth thousands of £ just because.

Hubby’s brother bought him a new laptop and a new Google phone, he’s been very generous to hubby. Hubby hasn’t given the same back because brother is much richer.

Hubby and I mostly share finances. If it’s relevant I’m the higher earner.

Now to the point! My babies are so cute they’ve given hubby’s brother (currently single) baby rabies. He’s asked for our baby stuff when we’re done with it. He’s been so generous to hubby I feel really stingy saying no. But I’d never have bought some of the stuff if I wasn’t going to get a return on it - the thought makes me a bit anxious. If we gave all our baby stuff given the second hand value it still wouldn’t equal what the brother had given hubby.

I thought maybe I could give him some stuff but sell some stuff, but hubby said then his brother will just have to go out and buy that stuff, so I should name my price and ask his brother for the money. That makes me feel very uncomfortable, given how generous the brother has been to hubby.

So what do I do ladies? Give it all and suck it up? Give part of it and sell parts on Vinted/FB, or ask hubbys brother for money for it and be uncomfortable? Or do you see another solution?

No one is being entitled or rude here, just a culture difference I need to navigate.

My relationship is failing I feel so alone.. I need a girlfriend to talk to :(

I'm a sahm and I feel so stuck... anyone going through the same thing? I could really use someone to relate to and talk through this with. Feeling so vulnerable but if I don't I won't be able to pull myself out of this

Go to dinner ideas

Looking for recipes you use in your family that are not the traditional lasagna, shepards pie, ect

Going back to work!

Already thinking about this! Told my boss I was pregnant this week at 10 weeks, he was so happy for me. He’s recently became a first time Dad and was showing me pictures of his baby. I told him my plans about going back after 6 months and he looked at me like I was mad, am I!? I absolutely love my job and cannot imagine giving it up, I manage a team and am petrified my position won’t be there if I had a year off. My husband gets 6 months full pay so the plan would be for him to have the last 6 months off and I also made it clear to my boss that I would like to go part time. That way we can hopefully parent together 4/7 days rather than just the weekend! I am such an overthinking! 🤣 but this is what I’m struggling with the most, I’ve worked full time since I was 17 (12 years ago) and the max time I’ve had off in one go is 2 weeks when I got married. I’m sooo excited to be a Mum and we decided now was the right time, which it 100% is! But I feel so on edge about not working! I’m sure once I’m on maternity leave I won’t even think about work! Has anyone else felt the same?

What are we giving our soon-to-be 3yo for their birthdays?

We have the magnetiles, we have the kinetic sand and play doh, we have the play kitchen…

Literally, is there anything left in the world to buy this spoilt kid? 😅

Need friendship and conversation

Mum of two under two—keen for the occasional coffee, park playdate, or just fresh air with a friend with or without babies 😄