Can we just "make time"?
Here's our situation. I'm on maternity leave, with a baby, and a toddler (who goes to nursery part time). I'm managing to work out 4-5 times a week, from 6 to 7am (often baby wakes up sometime in that window so I'll put him down with some toys for a little while).
My partner works lots of weekends in preparation for a month-long trip he'll do by himself. In addition to this, sometimes he comes home late in the evening because he's also doing an online training course which he does at his office after work.
This morning he told me that I should do a training course too. I said "When?!".
And he said that "It's all about willpower" and "It's just like my workout, I didn't have the time so I made up that time". Which I find irritating...but does he have a point?
Has anyone been able to finish online training while on mat leave?
Or is that ridiculous because he's literally away all the time?!
(I'm not looking for validation by the way, it struck me as ridiculous but happy to be proven wrong!)
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Sorry, I made a typo - he said "It's just like your workouts" obviously. Can't edit the original. Silly me!
I am on maternity leave and I am doing an online course- but that means I can’t work out a lot and I need help to make the time. I only have one child, he’s 8 months old.
It sounds like all the time that could be used collectively is very much prioritising him at the moment. This trip (I'm assuming) is something you've both agreed on and something to work towards, I would say when that's done you could sit down together, re-evaluate your days and set up to prioritise time for you to do what you want to do. He's not trying to juggle a baby and do his course, tbh it sounds like he's being quite selfish with his time and just staying at work late leaving you to deal with his home responsibilities, he's not using willpower. I hope he's grateful for all your support!! I would say it's not impossible to do on mat leave when naps become a bit more consistent but I always used that time for tidying, exercise, the chance to have a shower without being stared at, watch a bit of TV etc, I wouldn't personally have wanted to try to carve time out of that for an online course.
Sorry I clicked on he’s right by mistake. I believe you can everything you want to do.. depends what your goals is.. for example maybe you won’t be able to work out 4-5 times a week and do an online course, while taking care of a baby and a toddler plus household etc because you’ll go crazy.. (in my opinion) I think depends what your priorities are. Eg working out vs online course etc… depends what’s more important in your life right now for you.
I mean yes and no? It should be possible to find time for the things that are important to both of you. But you have to work around each other, childcare etc., and there is also only so much you can do, because there is only so much time in the day and you’ll have conflicting demands on your time and also energy.
It’s finding a balance, basically. How much time can you make between you, and how much do you feel mentally able to take on as well! Caring for a baby is a huge drain on focus and energy and if you just don’t feel up to taking on something like a training course, that’s totally ok. I absolutely couldn’t have done it during my mat leave 😂 but some women can and that’s ok too!
What do you WANT to do. And if you want to do a course, how is your partner going to support you to do that. Those are the more important questions! ❤️
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