Before marriage and kids I had disposable income and lived alone. House almost always clean because just me and I was always at work or out living. Good income, cleaner once a fortnight and most clothes dry cleaned and lots of take out. Full time was easy and I had hobbies and good social life. Fast forward 10 years, husband, two kids, aging parents, house and garden. House is always a disaster. Laundry is insurmountable. Grocery shopping and meal prep are the bane of my existence, chauffeuring children takes inordinate amount of time and my hobby is a house plant I struggle to keep alive. Even with my partner who also works full time and contributes equally to the house and kids and spends heaps of time looking after parents, we have lowered our standards of 'clean' and our social interactions are limited. The 40 hour work week was built upon the back of women who stayed home and took care of everything. Its just not possible to 'have it all'.

For the past couple weeks, at least, I've been crying every day and breaking down mentally. Currently I'm trying to find another job and seeking career counselling. but I can't quit. I have others that I'm supporting.

Americans: Can't stop posting things about how sad and miserable life in the US for most people is. Europeans: Won't stop commenting on those posts. Americans: "Why are you constantly bashing the US? " Europeans: .................

My mother once said: "I can be a good nurse and a good mother, or a good nurse and a good hosuekeeper. I choose to be a good mother." And she was.

I feel like I'm going to get flack for this... BUT... I'm only saying this is what worked for me. Single mom 40hr week, plus 3 other side gigs(bartending, event promotions, house-cleaning) while going to school. This. Was. Hard. I lived an unbelievably frugal life. No cable, no name brand, watering down whole milk to make it last. I did this for 4 years. I set a goal, and bought us a house with that extra income. Now, I can chill and enjoy the things I missed out on w/o the extra jobs. No debt either. For me it was what do I want? What am I willing to sacrifice for it? I would absolutely do it all over again even though it was stupid difficult. It was worth it.

If you quit your job tomorrow and the result is an immediate loss of health coverage, while putting you in imminent jeopardy of homelessness, you are a by definition, a slave. Change my mind (please!)

I live in a permanent cycle of letting different things slide. My house completely falls apart but my business and my kids' schooling do well (homeschool). Then, my kids get behind in school, but my house stays clean. Later, my business gets neglected, but my kids and house are moving along like clockwork. But when my business is neglected, I'm not making enough money to supplement my husband's income. Meanwhile, he and I live in a constant state of stress that is always juuust under the surface. But from the outside, I look like an amazing multitasker. That's not my goal, it's just the result of me trying to keep the plates spinning until something gives.

And then there's working Saturday.

2:45am: 1st alarm (hit snooze) 3:00am: 2nd alarm (get up) 3:05am: Sluggish exercise 3:45am: Shower, dress, feed dogs, etc. 4:30am: Leave for Vanpool & fuel up car 5:30am: Arrive at Park & Ride 5:45-6am: Meet vanpool 6:30-6:45pm: Arrive at work 7am-3:30pm: Work (breakfast & lunch at work) 4pm: Pickup car at Park & Ride 5pm: Grocery pickup (1-2x per week) 5:30pm: Arrive home 5:30-6:30pm: Misc. household chores or hobby if working on a project. 6:30-8pm: Movie or show with hubby (dinner was a banana in the car on the way home) 8pm-3am: Sleep Weekends: making individual portions of meals that can freeze for lunches + a weeks worth of smoothies (that can freeze) and overnight oats for breakfasts.

Not to mention that you are in the USA ! and SO afraid of Socialism, which would make your conditions at work and your pay rates better. If you keep on voting in plutocrats then stop whingeing about living in a plutocrocay

I’m about to make a lot of people mad. I work in a factory. The average week is 48 hours and most weeks are 56. We only work 8 hours on Friday and usually have the weekends off. I do grocery pickup on Fridays, meal prep for the week on Sunday afternoons, and do housework before and after work. I also spend a little time each day ( usually 30 minutes to an hour ) with a hobby. Saturday I relax and catch up with friends and family. If I can do this with mandatory overtime, I don’t know why people are whining over 40 hours.

Not having crotch goblins helps.