I think as everyone gets older and especially have babies of our own all we want to do is move out of our parents’ house. That was defiantly the case for me. In the early weeks of my pregnancy I moved back home and began searching for somewhere to live that was more suitable for a baby. It wasn’t until nearly a year later i finally found somewhere because it is literally impossible. After searching and searching for months i soon realised no landlord wants a young single mother on social welfare and who can blame them. There has been so many people giving us a bad name they just don’t want to take the risk. Although i had live alone before this was different and i had bigger things to worry about like how to use a tumble dryer or unclog drains and more importantly who the heck will kill the spiders? Thankfully in the 6 months i have been here I haven’t seen one spider.
Within the first week i realised how much my own mother had done for me. Living at home all i had to do was take care of teddy (obviously) i had all my washing and ironing done for us both, only handed up a small amount of money each week, had no bills to pay and not once did i get up in the morning and clean. Now my wash basket is constantly over flowing even though im up until 1am most nights washing & ironing, i spend more money on rent than id like to admit, as soon as one bill is cleared another one comes in the door and when i say i spend every minute cleaning I LITERLLY SPEND EVERY MINUTE CLEANING! Toddlers are like wild animals you have to hoover three times a day, wash the walls every morning, bleach the whole bathroom every night and scrub snot and porridge off the sofa oh and iv completely giving up on the living room rug. My mother’s OCD (obsessive cleaning disorder) defiantly rubbed off on me. Money is always an issue when moving out (for some of us anyway) and we kind of know we will be broke for awhile but nobody realises how broke. By friday morning i have a small 25 euro left over and usually that will go on ESB for the week. Although its a small price to pay when your rent is payed, house is warm and kitchen could burst with food it would still be nice not to constantly worry about money or feel guilty because we cant treat our kids to whatever they want or go nice places.
But having somewhere to call ‘yours’ defiantly makes it worthwhile it gives you a sense of freedom you don’t get with living with your parents. Though i miss them terribly and I count down the minutes until they come and visit because having a baby on your hip all day every day is tiring whereas if your living at home you can easily get a shower or have your dinner in peace or just sit down and have a cup of tea while someone else plays with them. Its the little things like that some of us take for granted. Having your own house with your new family seems like the ideal thing and its obviously something we all want especially if you your baby and partner are all living under the same roof but my advice to anyone would be carry on living there until your actually ready to move out and not because you want to. Most people don’t have a choice and have to move out but for those who do its better to listen to nagging parents than being constantly broke because your not financially ready. There’s no way i would of been able to make moving out possible if it wasn’t for my own parents, and still 6 months later they are even more amazing. Our relationship has completely changed for the better, we always got along but of course we had our rows with so many people living under one roof it was bound to happen. Id never be able to move back home now even if I wanted to, it has made me feel way more responsible and almost like I have my shit together. Living under somebody else’s rules wouldn’t be an option anymore, oh and it makes kicking your baby daddy out when he’s being annoying a little easier ( I haven’t done it yet but I threaten to at least 5 times a week, sorry Alan)
Teddys Tantrums 