My stress hormone is flooded up to the sky !

last night hubby just told me he is very very likely to have a last minute business trip to Argentina for 8 days starting coming Monday. I feel so stressful since then because I will have to manage 2 little kids (2.5yrs and 6 months) alone without help !

I don't drive. I don't manage to have a reliable babysitter yet. I don't have super big circle of friends either. My daughter has to be taken to and pick up from school 4 times of the week and 2 out of that are half day. The school is 10 mins drive from my appartment BUT 45min -1 hour by bus for single trip, not mention about the harsh of getting bus change and on a snowy and slippery road this day

I've been thinking about different options but turn out not one will work.....Red cross is the only option I might call for help for babysitting with reliability but paying SFr25/hour make it not a feasible option for me, plus I have been waking at least 2 times every night since 2 weeks ago because the little one is a little bit sick and need to be fed water during night. Call up school to take a week off for my daughter but will be worst as she needs to burn the energy else where but not much place I could go in a freezing winter.....

First option:May be someone whose kids go to the same school as your daughter can pick her up and drop her back to/from the school. Once your husband is back from the trip, may be he can return the favor by doing the same for their kids.

Second option:You can take help of someone who can drop/pick up your daughter while you stay at home, in that case, you might find someone from EF willing to take up that job for a week for you.

Hope your little one gets better soon.

Just relax

...but aren't those kids yours?

I'm really sorry found sounding harsh and I'm sure another kind poster will give you practical advice, but you are crazy to have constructed your life in such a way that you cannot be without your husband for as little as 8 days! Why can't you drive? Or if you don't want to then you should make your life choices (where you live etc) as if you didn't have the use of a car either. I hope you know how to do stuff like pay the bills etc.

Harsh but fair economisto.

We have a similar situation in that my wife doesn't drive, but as we live in central Basel, not an issue.

Muffin, not knowing anything about you, these suggestions may or may not help (not necessarily in order of priority):
1) get a bike
2) get your parents over to help (assuming one of them can drive)
3) get your in-laws over to help (ditto)
4) get a neighbour to help
5) contact school to see who else might come from your area and might be able to share the school run (could have longterm/permanent benefit here)

first this is not a complaint session and I'm not venting. I'm asking for advice.

If you're so keen to give your opinion, criticism and lecture in life, plus those mean comments about paying bill, please do yourself a favor and browse other threads. I don't have to tell the details of my life choice and neither am I interested in yours. Good bye.

thank you for such inspirational question. I'm glad to realize how helpful you are. Goodbye to you too.

Duct tape.

Oh man. That's more than harsh, that's cruel, insensitive and ignorant. Shame on you. You don't know enough about this woman to judge her.

To the OP: It seems like a daunting task at first but you may find it rewarding at the end. Go to McDonald's, do housechores as you see fit and enjoy those moments when the kids are sleeping or busy. You'll find you'll be able to manage fine and the time will go by fast. I promise!

All he was saying is that it might be helpfull for you to get a bit more independance....it can only help you out in the longrun. A DL is the one thing I made my gf get as I m not her taxi...now she has her car and became just a little more independant.....

>But given that you are only looking at "advice" how about you have an aupair girl stay for a week or have her come everyday? one that can drive and such get groceries.

Curious how the responses would be different if it were a man freaking out about not having his wife around for a week to help him 'deal with it'.....

Hello

Sounds like a difficult situation, especially with the little one.

In certain local administrations they offer help in such cases.

And I would also definitely call the school, they might know someone who is living in your area.

Otherwise the address below can also help. In the German part it's called Spitex and the health insurance pays the bill, if you can clearly state your case. But ask this person about this point.

Waadt

Association Vaudoise d’Aide et de Soins à Domicile AVASAD
Route de Chavannes 37

1014 Lausanne

Telefon 021 623 36 36
Fax 021 623 36 10
http://www.avasad.ch
E-Mail flavio.carbone@avasad.ch

Good luck with the organization of your coming days.

All groans come from women, and - I guess - the thanks from men.

Wow - what a society.

thanks for making a balance point Anthony. That "long run" solution is not what I'm asking from and plus I don't think there's any value adding from that idiot posting the reply especially the use of those mean words, so is the one groaning me. I don't have to tell all my background in my post.

Thank you for making your point politely, actually I'm learning driving currently but of course it takes time. His trip notice is really last minutes that I can't get enough time to plan for help so it make it very challenging for me. Thanks for your advice and it's useful.

Why not call your mother-in-law, she is after all, 'a super kind person --very helpful, polite, gentle and affectionate and close to family'?

damn, you beat me to it.

Often, making lifestyle changes are forced by our circumstances...

here are my suggestions:
1) sign up for internet grocery shopping online - www.leshop.ch or www.coopathome.ch
2) find a babysitter ASAP - red cross, ask your childcare centre if they know of anyone, find your local community centre (Gemeinschaftzentrum) and ask them...get out there and do it!
3) contact your childcare centre and ask them if they know anyone who can help you with the transport...offer to pay if necessary.
4) consider what your life will be like if your child does not go to childcare this week for the whole week...

You will survive! plenty of mums have!

45 minutes commute each way with a 6 month old baby - I would do it, because my ego says that I can handle two children, preschool and living and working where I choose to...

agree. Men is generally wise to deal with it.

Take a beer from the fridge, watch formula one with your elder kid. Play baby DVD with the little one. The kid getting bored? go to youtube to find more funny video and continue playing until they're tired and sleep. Food? Pick out frozen food from fridge, de-frost it or in microwave and serve. Nighttime routine ? skipping shower is not a big deal. Great. Call it a day and I still have time to read my car magazine and browse web ! How tough is it to be a single parent occassionally! When the wife back, she will find her way to get the kid back to normal routine anyway.

Shame on me? First of all I wasn't judging her (although to use that talk-show cliche you just have to be American). She wanted advice based solely on the information given in the post, so I gave it. Oh, and I truly believe my advice is far more useful than "take the kids to McDonalds". Perhaps you'd feel more comfortable back in the States? PM me about an airfare.

Sorry but if you had some specific type of advice in mind you should have stated. Your life choice is exactly the cause of your predicament, so obviously any advice should address this. You cannot take care of two children for one week without your husband. I'm shocked more people aren't shocked. Additionally, I prefaced my post well, and I really thought I was being nice and helpful and not all that critical. Your post was just rude.