BTDT-- Do you have DC in Kindergarten or above?

Then I need to ask for your thoughts. DS starts kindergarten next year. Right now I WOHM 3 days a week, have 3 days with the kids, and then 1 day to get things done while they are in daycare. Our schools have only half days on Fridays so I would pick DS up sometime between 12-1. I would like to have that afternoon for just "our" time without DD. On Monday, DD and I would get "our" time. But then there is no time "to get things done" and DS may end up in a school where I have to co-op. So I am thinking of decreasing to 2 days WOHM so I have one day with DS in school and DD in daycare.

Am I wrong in thinking that DS will want to spend time with me on Friday afternoon? Would he rather be at a friend's house? In general, when does the preference swing from parents to friends? Did you find that you needed more or less time when you had one child in school? I have gotten myself into trouble in the past by overextending myself so I am really trying to plan for being able to give less time to work and more time to my family for a couple of years. But, of course, I have no idea what the he#$ I am talking about because I have never been there!

I know I am trying to think about something that is going to happen a year from now and I am not sure where DS will go to school (looking at 3 public programs and 2 private schools). But there are some decisions that need to be about workflow at my job and now is the time to broach this subject.

I would appreciate your ideas, thoughts, stories of what worked for you, suggestions etc. Thanks!

Ds is just starting K in 2 weeks so I probably won't be able to help much. But, knowing my ds I know that he will be more than happy to either flit around with me on errands, go somewhere fun together or just hang out at home and play (by himself or with me) on his half day Fridays. I am sure he would be happy to have an occasional playdate but he'd probably be happy with a bit quieter time right now after school. That could just be my ds though.

Beth

I never left my boys one minute longer than they had to be. I would pick them up then go do my shopping. I know lots of moms that drop their kids off on days they dont work to do things like clean the house, laundry shopping it was just something that felt wrong to me. I worked 3 to 4 days a week when my first 2 sons were small.

My DD is about to enter Kindergarten. She absolutely would love to spend time with me still. I think it's OK to be flexible and run errands with him one week, have a playdate another week, and do a special outing together another week. Since my daughter has been 5, she is much more independent and will run upstairs with her friends to play or play by herself easily, but she still needs me and enjoys special time with Mommy.

My son is 4 and would rather have a playdate ANY DAY than spend one minute with me!! No, really... Target and the grocery store are as bad as cleaning his room... He's all about play dates... either at our house or at a friend's house. That, from what I gather, is the 'norm' around here- or at least at our pre school. THe carpool line is full of car seat swapping and kids going home with other kids.

Granted he's only in school from 9:30 till 1:30 Monday thru Friday.... he certainly has the energy to play all day!!

Good luck!

My ds will be in first grade this year. We also have one half-day a week. Our experience was that every friend he made in kindergarten had a mother who worked full-time and so those kids either went to a daycare-type place after school or the school-age childcare held within the elementary school once school ended for the day. He would've loved to have his friends come and play but for that reason, it was never possible. It was nice to have that afternoon available to go and do things with him, i.e. get haircuts, take him to a movie, things like that.

I will say that my oldest is the least likely to want to hang out with me, but he is on the older end of the K spectrum, he turned 6 shortly after the school year began. He is actually recovering from a tonsillectomy. Yesterday, after being cooped up in the house for 12 days, he was complaining that he wanted to go to the playground or the pool, which he's not allowed to do yet. I told him we could go to the mall and go get his hair cut, have lunch, buy some new school shoes, etc. He looked at me and said, "Mom, I said I wanted to do something fun!"

Wha????...maybe I should try again for that girl after all. ;)



~Kristen

Paolo 11-00
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