OT - Personal Problem - Need Advice

Maybe you should try a job that you can do from home? Even a part time job might be preferable. You could just do a few hours a day or do weekends?
If you are still opposed to that, then I would try and find a craft that you like, like knitting or card making. Painting is something the kid could help you with as well I guess.

I know what I would do if I was home a lot. I would start a little Ebay business. Go to pawn shops and thrift stores and find really good deals on things and then sell them on ebay for a profit. People will buy just about anything on ebay.

If you decide to start a craft then you could also sell the results. My aunt does this. She stays at home with my cousins, & makes cards, then sells them at craft fairs

I understand how you feel- I could not stay home, for my sanity! When I was pregnant, I was doing direct care work for mentally disabled adults. I worked overnights, 2-3 per week, in their own homes. I had to go back to work when my daughter was 3 months old- again doing a couple overnights a week, on the weekends. So that's an option, that sort of schedule, if you can deal with it. We moved when she was 2 1/2, & I worked part-time, a couple evenings a week, from 5:00-8:00. Again, in the medical field, this time for a non-profit health clinic. Once she started kindergarten this past year, I was able to get back to a more normal schedule, & am working 3 days a week & one evening. So there are options for you to work now, unless your husband has the type of job where he's on call & could get called at random hours. Or, if you refuse to work at all, then you're just going to have to suck it up & wait 'til she's in school, then you can go back to working day hours. Not to sound harsh, but if you really are going crazy, you're better off finding something that makes you happy & the schedule works for you- you'll find that you're a better Mom when you're happier! As far as being responsible for everything- there has to be some sort of compromise. For example, the one night I work, my husband is in charge of dinner, bedtime, whatever needs to be done. Yes, I do 99% of the housework, shopping, cooking, laundry, etc. But I can deal with that- he works more hours than I & is the primary breadwinner. It is hard- I could never do a home business because I need the interactionwith other adults & I like the satisfaction I get from working. Who knows, the stress of being stuck at home can be just as bad for your UC as the stress of juggling obligations!

In the winter when my business as a horseshoer slows WAY down, I throw myself into cooking. This is when I try all the new hard things, then when busy season hits I know which I like and how to do them and can prepare them quickly and easily. I also spend alot of time reading and such. Finding a part time job just for the winter ( in this economy) is hard, most want the commitment even into spring and summer and I know I can't give that. My slow season is only from dec through feb. ALthough by now I am starting to go stir crazy. LOL

its why I spend so much time on the internet... LOL. boredom. although I have found alot of good things on the net, like this site. I also have quite an extensive movie collection. way over 200 dvd's. Local video store offers a deal... buy previously viewed movies 4 for $20. heck its $4 to rent one and $5 to buy it? I'm not the brightest star in the sky but even I can figure out the math on that one. ANd If I get a bad movie, which I do, I put them in a friends garage sale for $2 a piece and make a buck on them. LOL... now it only costed me $3 to see the bad movie instead of the $4 to rent it.

I found three jobs working from home. They aren't work from home companies, they are just regular companies that happened to need someone that can work from home. If you keep looking on Craig's List, you may find something too. I would send my resume to people that weren't advertising for work from home and mention in my cover letter that I was looking to work from home. Don't fall for the scam work from home gigs, look for real companies that will employee people that can work from home. The jobs are out there, like I said, I work for 3 different places right now.

Since your son is almost 3, are you thinking of having him start preschool in the fall? When my daughter was at that age we joined a co-op preschool and we loved it. I got to be very involved in the classroom and we made some great friends. She is now in kindergarten and we're still good friends with several of the families from the preschool. It was a great way to meet people. In the summer we did weekly play dates so we could all stay in touch.

I used to sell stuff on eBay (mainly my DD's clothes). It was a lot of fun and I made some decent money.

Katie, I stayed home with my kids and went through a lot of what you are going through. I can remember calling my husband on his cell phone several times a day just to talk to another adult. I found that the more we got out of the house, the better I felt and the better the kids actually got along. I could never run a daycare because I couldn't leave the house and that would drive me absolutely crazy. There are other places that you can go to get out but there aren't as many options during the winter. Our city has an excellent children's zoo so we got a zoo pass that made going to the zoo very affordable. We would take sack lunches and hardly spend any money.

My advice to you is that you need to develop a life outside your son and husband. I only say that because that's where I was too. You will feel so much better. That could mean making new friends, volunteering for an organization or getting a part-time job. It's incredibly difficult making that transition from working to staying at home and it's not for everyone. Having said that, I am so thankful I've had the opportunity to do so. Most days I love it.

You said your background is in writing - could you do something with that? This is just an idea but what about getting in touch with any local newspapers and inquiring about freelancing? I was a journalist before I had kids and just on a whim I called a weekly newspaper about freelancing and a week later I was the features editor. It's a small paper but I really enjoy it and I'm able to still able to be with my 2-year-old who is at home. I work part-time out of the house and try to set up interviews at night or on weekends. Once my third child is in school I plan on working more and I'm already in the planning stages for a writing endeavor that will generate more income but still enable me to volunteer at school and be home in the summer and when the kids get sick, etc. 

In this economy, you have to think outside the box. What are your skills? I know some women who enjoy selling makeup, kitchenware, jewelry, food mixes and etc. through home parties because they like getting out of the house and meeting other people.

Good luck! I feel for you.

I liked the idea about writing... know we really don't know each other but we seem to have alot of the same interests. Maybe write a cook book for uc? Or write a UC life story? I know nothing is definitive but maybe even one of the recipes or stroies in the UC book would help or inspire someone? I for one would be glad to help ith stories or recipes... Just an "outside the box " thought.

Hi Kiss520, I was in your same spot about 3 years ago. I started working for a local caterer (met him at the gym) on the weekends (not every) when he had a private event at a persons home. Since then I started my own party service company and it has been a great ride. www.alacartesvc.com We just won Most Promising New Business in 2008. I know how you feel and it does get better as our children get bigger. Join some local play groups, volunteer, join local clubs. Do what you love and the rest will fall in place.

you could look around your community for mothers groups that meet reguraly.  Most of them meet during the day and are designed for at home Moms.  You bring your kids and they play with other kids while you get to meet other Mommys and make new friends.   

I too am a stay-at-home mom and totally understand what that entails! I stayed home after my daughter was born. When she started Kindergarten I went back to work (teacher) for 1 year then got pregnant again. I now have a son and stay home with him. I don't know a lot about day-cares, but I chose to stay home for more selfish reasons. I just don't want to miss a moment of my kid's days! We make several sacrifices in order for me to stay home, but it is absolutely worth it. That being said, I do understand the isolation and lack of adult interaction!!! I too call my husband during the day just to talk to another adult! I keep reminding myself that in a few years, when my kids will barely even speak to me, I will be glad I had this time with them!LOL. Anyway, my son does go to MDO (Mother's Day Out) at our church and he loves it! I love it too as it gives me time to run my errands and have time for myself! Many moms choose to teach MDO as it gives them some income and allows the kids to enroll at a discounted tuition. It is a great way for the kids to make friends as well as meet other moms!!