working moms, what's a typical day like?

[emily]

For all the work outside the home moms, what's a typical day like? With both DCs starting full time daycare soon, I wonder how I will get everything done. Obviously need to plan meals. It really doesnt help that I have a 2.5 hour commute each day.

[LMPC]

Whaaaaaat???!!! 2.5 hours EACH way?!?!?! That's jaw dropping! Is it a commute that you can multi-task with? Say on a bus or train? That's a lot of traveling!!!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++
I only work 2 days a week outside the house, but here's what I do...
7am-ish DD wakes up
7-7:30am breakfast for her
7:30am wake DH up (or he wakes me up -- depending whose "day" it is)
7:30am get in shower/DD plays around our room/everyone gets ready
9am DH logs onto work (he works from home when I work outside the home), sitter comes over/DD plays
9:30am I leave for work
10am - 5pm I see clients, go to lunch (without having to feed anyone else), pee (without being interrupted), search the web a little (without having to watch Elmo on Youtube)
5:30p I get home
5:35p eat dinner DH cooked
6:45p get DD ready for bed (we both do this part)
7:30 DD is asleep....the rest of the night is to to with what I want...yay!

[vonfirmath]

For all the work outside the home moms, what's a typical day like? With both DCs starting full time daycare soon, I wonder how I will get everything done. Obviously need to plan meals. It really doesnt help that I have a 2.5 hour commute each day.

Honestly? we don't get planned meals during the week. I try to do stuff on the weekend that can be warmed up during the week. But by the time I get home, if there is nothing there, we have sandwiches and applesauce/yogurt, etc for dinner. Things that you can open up a package and go. We don't get home from pick up at childcare until 7p most nights and at 8p he is starting off to bed so there is no time to cook after I get home. I spend that hour focusing on spending time with him and do (quiet) cleaning and other things after he goes to bed.

This does mean vacuuming does not get done very often. Mornings are actually better because he gets up at 5:45a and we don't have to leave until 6:30-7 because my husband does drop offs. So I get more time with him then (even if I'm half asleep)

Schedule

5:30a -- my alarm goes off and I start waking up
5:45a -- my son's alarm turns green and he can leave his room. He goes potty.
5:45a - 6:30a -- We snuggle and watch videos, I get him a drink and breakfast if he wants it, Dad gets showered
6:30-7:00a -- I get dressed and get out the door
[Dad gets DS dressed and takes him to childcare]
4:15p -- I leave work and head to pick son up from childcare
5:45-6:30p -- pick up son from childcare and decompress before getting back on the road again
7:00p -- Arrive home. Dinner, play games
8:00p -- start sending DS to bed. Brush teeth, read two books, sing songs, read the Bible, go over memory verse, pray, last kisses, bedtime
10:30p -- my bedtime

[luckytwenty]

Wow, is that 2.5 roundtrip? (I hope!!)

We have 2 kids (and one on the way) and my husband and I trade off a bit on who takes which kid to which school. My oldest is in elementary and my youngest (well, middle) is in preschool with extended.

Wake up: Kids are up at 6:30 (I get up earlier if I exercise--I used to work out every morning until I hit the third trimester). They get dressed and eat breakfast, as do we.

7:40: out the door with my son, drop him off at school, head to work.

OR (on days when DH needs to get to work earlier, several days a week)

7:40 DH takes son to school and goes to work.

8:35: I take daughter to school and go to work.

If I take my son to school, I get to work by 8:30 and work until about 4:45. If I take my daughter, I get to work by 9:15 and leave at 5:15.

My kids aftercare pick up times are 5:45 and 6 pm. Two days a week, I have to get them both, but fortunately those are days when I leave work before 5. The other days, one of us will get one kid and one will get the other.

We all eat dinner at around 6:30 and do homework, unwind, play, etc. until 8 pm. Then the kids get showers or baths, brush teeth, we read them stories and put them to bed at 8:30-8:45.

Dinners are pretty simple and quick. I always make steamed broccoli or salad because these are the only veggies they will eat happily. I often make a batch of pasta for the week, and add in baked breaded chicken on the side for the kids. And there's always Subway. I'd say once a week, we do Subway or Salad Creations or a similar healthy but fast food option.

[luckytwenty]

Um, not sure what I typed in to get the sulky angel smilie? But that should read eight forty a.m.

[AnnieW625]

I just started back to work yesterday so I am wondering the same thing. I do daycare pickup/fix dinner, and DH does day care drop off, which is between 7:30 and 8:00 am. DH goes to the gym at night; I'd eventually like one night of yoga or gym class a week.

5-15 alarm goes off; out of bed no later than 5:30
6:30-6:45- leave house, have a 20 to 30 minute commute; suppose to be in office by 7, but usually 7:15
7:00 to 4:00- in office; go to gym/run on lunch hour a couple of times per week; if I don't do that I usually try to do a Target/BRUS/mall run if needed.
4-30 to 5-00- pick up girls at daycare; if time permits I might stop at the market and pick up a few things before picking them up.
5-00 to 6:30- get home, feed DD2 (if needed), get dinner going, feed DD2, and maybe me.
7:00: DH usually gets home from the gym; he eats then, gives DD her bath (every other night), and I'll bathe DD2.
8:00: bedtime for both kids
8:00-9:00: DH or whole family goes on a walk with our dog.
9:00: get diaper bag ready for DD2, make DD2's formula, get ready for bed, make my lunch
9:30 on: catch some tv (usually soaps or news), or read until around 10:30.

Last night was tough but it was my first day back so I wasn't expecting walk in park, but the evening time is definitely crunch time. DD2 has been going to sleep for the night between 8 and 9 the last couple of weeks, well last night she hit the wall at 7:30, but she needed a bath so we put her in the bath for a bit and that calmed her down, and she was asleep at 8:30 with taking very little bottle. I think though that the new routine is going to include getting DD2 into her pjs before DD1 has dinner at 6:30-7:00 pm so I can give DD2 a bottle during that time so if she does decide she wants to crash at 7:30 we'll be ready for her.

There is definitely going to be a learning curve so give yourself time to adjust and you'll do fine!:)

[vonfirmath]

Um, not sure what I typed in to get the sulky angel smilie? But that should read eight forty a.m.

Good. I was trying to figure out what the loss angel meant

[egoldber]

Well, here is a "typical" day, with me at work and DH home. He owns his own business, but he travels a lot and often has client meetings in the evenings. On a typical day, he does drop off and I do pick up.

I get up at 5
Assemble lunches for the kid and put them in backpacks
Eat and get dressed
Out the door at 5:45/5:50
At my desk at 6:30

DH and the kids typically get up between 6 and 7. (They are naturally early risers.) He gets them dressed and ready and takes them to elementary school before care (older DD) and daycare (younger DD) around 8.

I leave work at 3 or 3:30 depending on the day.
I pick up one kid at 4:15/4:30 and then the other.
5ish I am generally home with the kids.

The craziest nights are the ones where older DD has an after school activity. I really try to limit those to ones that end before I pick her up, but that is not always possible.

I am a fast and efficient cook and DH is typically at home to do prep. So we eat a home cooked meal most nights, although it is NOT what I would call gourmet! And we also eat a lot of planned leftovers.

After dinner, older DD does homework. While she is doing that, I am usually in the kitchen with her prepping lunches and backpacks for the next day.

If there is time after homework, we try to play a game or do some other family "together" activity.

Younger DD is in bed around 8 and older DD is in bed around 8:30.

If I need to shower and wash my hair, I do it after the kids go to bed and then go to bed.

Somewhere in here I try to talk to DH. :dizzy:

I should be in bed around 9/9:30, it is more often 10/10:30.

[alleycat]

It's hectic.

I usually wake up around 6:30. Alarm goes off at 6am but I can never drag myself out of bed. I get myself ready then head downstairs to put together DD#2's bottles for daycare, make her breakfast that she eats at daycare, make my breakfast that I take to work with me, put away last night's dishes, wash whatever I've used to prepare our breakfast. Around 7am, both DDs are usually up. I nurse DD#2 while DD#1 is whining or doing whatever she does. I get DD#2 changed and dressed. We all go down, I get breakfast for DD#1 and a little snack to hold DD#2 until she gets breakfast at daycare. At 7:20, I'm usually scrambling to tie up DD#1's hair and get her changed. I pack up mine and DD#2's breakfast and lunch (prepared the night before), get their shoes on, and we're in the car by 7:40. Get to daycare at 7:50, DD#1 will occasionally hang onto my leg and won't let me go and these days I have to find a room that DD#2 can go in without the teacher going over her limit since DD#2's teacher isn't in until 9am. I rush out of daycare and race to catch my 8:13 train to the city. I have a "quiet" commute with hundreds of other people and get into the office around 9:15. I no longer pump so I'm just working away (or checking the boards). I'm out the door exactly at 5pm to catch the 5:20 train home. I get home around 6:15 and DH is cooking dinner or dinner is ready. I put together a plate of food for DD#1 and feed DD#2 while DH continues to cook or cleans the dishes a bit. The kids are usually done with dinner around 7pm, DH and I might be finishing up. One of us will do the dishes and the other will cut up some fruit for the kids. Bath time for DD#2 is at 8pm and DH does that. I'm usually cleaning up a bit and then DD#1 gets her bath at 8:30pm. After her bath and bed routine, and lately the 'please don't go mommy', it's usually around 9:30 that I'm back downstairs to pack up lunch for DD#2 and myself. I wash that day's bottles. And in front of the computer to relax a bit around 10pm. At 10:30, I hit the showers and go to bed. And the next day it starts all over again.

[Sweetum]

Late household here with 20min commutes, if not dropping off DS, otherwise, 35 min.
7:30 to 8am, DS wakes up. DH at 7am, I at 8am.
8am to 9am - DS gets milk. Finishes most of it, and at the end of it there's a diaper to be cleaned :D cleanup and quick shower for him, and a fresh diaper. meanwhile, DH is getting ready.
While he's enjoying lounging in his diaper, I get ready, this is on days I drop him. Else we go straight to breakfast
9am to 9:30am or 9:30am to 10am - DS gets breakfast
leave for daycare

No cooking at all in the morning. there was a time when I was up earlier, and I would prepare most of our dinner and leave (takes me about 45 minutes to do that)

I get back at 6 or 7pm in the evening (6 if I'm picking him up). Give him milk/snack. Prepare dinner. Go out for a walk to the playground. Give DS dinner after getting back - about 8pm, Depending on if dinner is ready, we eat too, if not, DH puts him to bed while I finish cooking. He sometimes eat the same as we do, sometimes he doesn't. So, it works to have him eat separately.

[MamaSnoo]

All the inadvertent smilies in this thread are cracking me up! Maybe I will have some too.

For us:

5 or 5:30-- I get up and do housework or work-work
6:15--DH leaves for work, I get in shower
6:45--DD gets up and ready
7:30--leave for daycare
5 or 5:30--leave to pick up DD
6-6:15--arrive home
6:30 dinner, play and read together afterwards
7:30 Bath
8:00--watch cartoons and apply emollients (eczema, argh!)
8:30 bedtime
9:00--laundry, bills, talk with DH, etc
Between 10 and 12--bedtime for me

[pb&j]

Wake up either around 6 (if I'm going for a run) or 6:45 (if I'm not).
Shower and dress at 6:45, out of the bathroom by 7:15.
At least 1 kid is usually up by then.
Make breakfast for the kids. Finish packing DD's and my lunches.
I leave for work with 1 or both kids around 8am.
Drop off kid.
Arrive at work around 8:30.
Work like a madwoman, grocery shop on my lunch hour, done at 4:30.
Pick up 1 or both kids.
Home around 5:15, scramble to get some food ready.
Dinner by 6-ish.
After dinner, some playtime, then pretty quickly on to baths and bedtime.
DD in bed around 7:30.
DS in bed around 8:30.
Respond to DS's control-freak requests until 9. ;)
9-11pm - chores and leisure time.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

ETA: DH does not cook. At all. So dinners are very quick and simple. I usually try to cook a big dinner on Sundays, we have leftovers on Mondays. Tue and Wed are quick dinners. Thurs I work from home, so I'm able to do some simple prep during the day like turn on the crockpot. Friday we always eat out.

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

6:00 - 7:00 Somewhere in there I wake up and the 2 kids, make sure the kids go potty (potty training DS2), get their clothes out, get DS1 going, dress DS2, get them some toys so I can get ready
7:00 - 8:00 pester DH to wake up :p, make coffee, make lunch for DS1, get breakfast, pack up backpack
8:00 - brush teeth, wash face, comb hair, shoes on and in car for older one
8:15 - need to be driving away in the car with DS1, DS2 goes with daddy
8:25 - bell rings at school
9:00 - get to work
5:00 - need to leave on the dot
5:00 - 6:00 pick up 2 boys from different locations
6:00 - time we get home if we don't play on the playground
6:00 - 7:00 work on homework, play, go to library, etc., maybe start dinner
7:00 - call DH make surehe's on his way!
7:15-7:30 - eat dinner, hang out
8:00 - possibly bath
8:30 - bed time
9:00 - 10:30 hang out with DH, he does the dishes, I watch TV, pick up, etc., occassionally do work from home
10:30 or later ... go to sleep!

School just started yesterday, so I reserve the right to modify as needed. :D

Last year I took both boys to my older son's school and then DH would come over and pick up DS2 and take him to daycare. The school is very close to our house, so it wasn't really out of the way, and both boys enjoyed the dropoff. However, DH tends to find something he needs to take care of in the morning and I would be waiting for him for 5-10 min, so we just switched to having him take DS2 directly. Seems to be working fine, but I miss having my two boys for dropoff, saying hi to friends, etc.

[weech]

4am-ish: DS wakes up, give him his binky, back to sleep
5:15a: DS wakes up again, binky/pat him back to sleep
6a: DS wakes up again, he comes to our bed
6:30a: I get up, get ready for work while DH and DS are asleep in our bed
6:45a: DH gets up, showers before I leave
7a: I leave for work
7:15-7:30: Either the nanny arrives, or DH takes DS to the nanny (we have a nanny share - two days at home, two at other families house, one at grandma's)
7:30a: I get to work
8:45a: DH gets to work
4p: I leave work and either go home to DS or pick him up
5p: DS and I get home, play, have a bottle, etc
5:30-6p: DH gets home
6p: 2 days a week we leave DS with his grandparents for 45 minutes so we can go to the YMCA -- home by 7 for bedtime. On other days, one of us plays with DS, one does housework, watches tv, etc. Sometimes the whole family goes for a walk
7-7:30p: DS goes to bed
7:30-9:30p: DH and I make/eat dinner, watch tv, make bottles, get ready for the next day, go to bed.

DS is only 4 months, so I'm sure this will change as he gets older (and hopefully starts sleeping more than 30 minutes at a time after 4am...:praying:). We do meal-planning a week ahead of time and I grocery shop on Sundays. Meals are quick and easy - usually simple meat/fish and veggies, sometimes rice or a salad. It's hectic, though... especially on the nights when we go to the gym... but I'm not willing to give that up because I desperately want to lose weight! Ah, choices...

[Elilly]

For us, DH get the kids ready in the morning, and I have afternoon responsibilities. I get up at 6 AM and am at work by 7 AM. We pack lunches the night before when doing dinner clean up. DH gets the kids up at 7 AM and they leave the house by 7:45. I leave work at 4:00 and pick the kiddos up by 4:15. We are home by 4:30 except for Tues. when we have gymnastics for both kids, and Thurs. when we have piano for Colleen and football for Graham. Meal planning and having a cleaning lady are keys to our survival!

[redstone]

I work FT, but in the evenings and Sunday. Don't see DH much, but have been able to avoid daycare so far. It's not a traditional schedule, but it works for us. I get to spend all day with the kids and still work. Both kids are under 5. Once kiddos start school I'll switch to days.

8-9am kids and I wake up. Although this morning DD slept until 10:30am!
9-4pm meals, play, chores, naps, etc.
4pm DH home
4:45pm leave for work
5-11pm or later
try to get to bed by 1am

[emily]

How is it that everyone manages to have dinner, do homework and play in the hour after you get home???? This is what has me worried. (If mornings get crazy, I can just get up earlier.. who needs sleep, right?) We should all get home by 6pm. That gives us 2 hours to get both DCs entertained, fed, bathe, in bed and asleep so DH and I can prep for the next day. We need DD to sleep earlier. SHe's been sleeping after 10Pm some nights.

I bought the Dont Panic Dinners in the Freezer book with hopes of doing some bulk cooking on the weekends. Was totally bummed to find many of the receipes required 45+ minutes of baking/reheating before eating.

[arivecchi]

We have an unusually easy schedule as we live very close to work and the kids stay home (older one is starting preschool in the fall) so there is no need for drop-offs:

7- DS2 wakes everyone up
7-8- eat breakfast
8- sitter arrives
830-845 leave for work
9- arrive in the office
530 - leave work
6 - arrive home (kids have had dinner by then)
7 - bath time
730- DS2 goes to bed
10- DS1 and I go to bed

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

How is it that everyone manages to have dinner, do homework and play in the hour after you get home????

Well, the homework part is a pain in the rear. Yesterday was the first day of school and it was already a nightmare. I'm hoping it will be better as the after school care has the kids do homework there and we should only have to review it briefly. They didn't do it yesterday since it was the first day (and yes my first grader had homework - more writing in one night than he ever had to do in K).

Does your after school care do homework? I think that is a HUGE time saver.

Our teacher sent home something suggesting we read 20-30 minutes a night. I had to laugh. We have like 2-2-1/2 hours, we can't spend 30 minutes of it reading every night. We have to eat, do the rest of the homework, have family time (most important), baths, etc. We fit in reading where we can and I'm not worried about it. DS loves reading, so some nights we do 30 minutes and others, not so much. :)

[Andi98989]

6:30/7:00 - B wakes up; bottle; diaper change
7:00-8:00 - DH and I get ready, B roams the house
try to be out the door right around 8
DH drops B off at grandma's for the day
4:45/5:00 - I leave work
pick up B from grandma's
5:45/6:00 - B and I get home
6:15 - supper for B; I usually work on making supper for me and DH while B is eating
once a week he'll get a bath after he eats
start a load of laundry
6:50 diaper, pjs, bottle, books, bed
usually in bed around 7/7:15 and asleep by 7:30

If we haven't eaten already, DH and I eat once B is in bed
7:30-8:15/8:30 - I try and run on the elliptical a few times a week
put laundry in dryer
pick up the house
shower
relaxing in bed by 9/9:30


We don't do too many "planned" meals. On Sunday night I'll usually figure out what we'll have for dinner on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday night is left overs for sure. The rest of the week, it really depends on what plans we have going on.

[egoldber]

Well, the homework part is a pain in the rear. Yesterday was the first day of school and it was already a nightmare. I'm hoping it will be better as the after school care has the kids do homework there and we should only have to review it briefly. They didn't do it yesterday since it was the first day (and yes my first grader had homework - more writing in one night than he ever had to do in K).

Does your after school care do homework? I think that is a HUGE time saver.

Yes, it's really really hard. Unfortunately my older DD does not do well with doing homework in after care. After school she is totally fried and cannot concentrate well enough to do homework right away. So she generally does her homework after dinner. I know a lot of people don't like it this way, but it really works much better for her and for us.

[babychi]

5:30 - Wake up, shower, get ready, enjoy breakfast alone in peace and quiet
6:45 - DD wakes, feed her, dress her
7:15 - Out the door
7:25 - Daycare dropoff
7:45 - Arrive at work
11:30 - Get in a quick 45 minute workout if meetings do not interfere
5:00 - Leave work
5:30 - Daycare pickup
6:00 - Arrive home, play, stroller walk if nice out, feed DD dinner
7:30 - DD's bathtime, DH usually home by now so he spends 10-15 mins cuddling/reading to her
8:00 - DD's bedtime, then me time! (TV, emails, phone calls, etc)
10:30 - Bedtime for DH and I

[BabyBearsMom]

It's busy, but it is okay.

5:30am Wake up/Feed DD
5:45 to 6:45 Get dressed/ready, pack lunch, get everything and everyone in the car.
7:00 Day care drop off
8:00/8:30 Arrive at work
5:00 Leave work
6:00/6:30 Arrive home
6:30 to 7:00 Play with DD
7:00 to 7:30 DD bedtime routine
7:30 Make Dinner
8:00 Eat Dinner
8:30 Do laundry, dishes, tidy up etc.
9:00-10:00 Hang out with DH
10:00 Bedtime

It's really busy. I guess that is all I can say.

[luckytwenty]

How is it that everyone manages to have dinner, do homework and play in the hour after you get home???? This is what has me worried.

Honestly, I'm just not that much of a domestic diva. I believe veggies, a protein and a starch make for a good family meal, so I keep it simple. Veggies steamed in the microwave, pasta or rice take 20 min max to cook or less if you are working from a stash, and you can pre-bread and bake chicken and nuke it later. My kids like tofu crumbles, too, which you can throw in pasta.

If we don't have time to make a protein, I'll give them a hardboiled egg or nuts. It might be chaotic and very non-gourmet, but it's still nutritious and I don't have time for more elaborate meals AND homework. (And the hardboiled egg nights ARE rare, in my defense.)

[wendibird22]

I won't write out our full schedule because it's pretty much like the others. What helps us get somethings done are:
1. DH does daycare drop off and leaves about 20mins before I do in the morning so in that 20mins I can vacuum something or get a load of laundry in.

2. DH does most of the cooking. We both end up arriving home around 5ish and I occupy the girls (usually means nursing DD2) while he does dinner prep. We usually eat around 5:30pm. If one of us has a late work night or has to go back to work later we plan on leftovers for that night. A typical week usually involves at least 2 meals that make enough for leftovers.

3. DH and I both get up at 5:30am. The girls are usually awake by 6am. While one showers the other watches the kids and gets their own breakfast and lunch packed. Usually that means DH doing breakfast and his lunch packing first and then we switch and I do mine while he showers. He's out the door by 7:15am.

We try to divide and conquer as much as possible with the girls. While one is doing something with them (meal, bath, dressing, playing) the other is getting something done.

[Meatball Mommie]

All the inadvertent smilies in this thread are cracking me up! Maybe I will have some too.

LOL - I couldn't figure out why there was a grumpy angel in one pp!

Our "normal" (aka school year) routine:

5:15 am - DH gets up & DH wakes me up - I'm trying to run/walk every morning bc. there's no time in the afternoon

6:00 am - I return from run & DH leaves for work; I cool down and hop in the shower

Kids may wake up at any time from now on...

6:10 am - start getting dressed, do make-up, get the coffee going, make my bed and straighten our room & bathroom

6:30 am - come out to kitchen to drink coffee and start making lunches for all 4 of us - to keep things simple DH gets the same thing every day (sandwich, granola bar, apple, yogurt, crackers/chips, dried fruit & banana) - one less thing to think about & he doesn't care!

Kids are usually up at this point (if not, they get woken up at 6:45 am) and I given them something to eat when they are ready. One child only eats fruit salads for breakfast and the other will eat cereal every day. No cooked breakfasts during the week, unless it's heating up frozen leftover pancakes.

I straighten up the kitchen, throw a load of laundry on, empty the dishwasher, think about dinner & take out meat if necessary all during this time.

7:20 am - help the kids get dressed and ready for school - I help them straighten up their rooms, pick up clothes and make their beds too.

7:45 am - FIL arrives - he takes the kids to/from school for us and is in charge of teeth brushing in the morning

7:50 am - I leave for work

8:00 am - 3:30 pm WORK

3:40 pm - get home from work and relax for a minute before the kids get home

3:50 - 4 pm - kids arrive home (they go to FIL's house for 30 min after school to help him feed the animals)

4 pm - 6 pm - mad scramble to get dinner on the table all the while preventing mass consumption of snacks by 2 *starving* boys

Some days we have after school activities and dinner is something really quick (b'fast for dinner, spaghetti & meatballs, brats on the grill), other days I have more time. I don't typically cook ahead because I'm just not that "together" will meal planning.

7 pm - DH watches Fox news while DS and I practice piano, then we have family time before bedtime around 8 - 8:30 pm

8:45 pm - DH and I have time to watch tv, read, surf the web before lights out at 10 pm

We luck out because not only do DH and I have no commute (all of 5 minutes down the road for both of us at our family business) but we don't do school drop off & pick up.

[elephantmeg]

I'lll throw in the swing shift version-I'm sure there are some others here. I work any combo of 3a-3p, 7a-7p, 7p-7a and 3p-3a lol, generally 3 days a week and every 3rd weekend. DH works 8-4:30 although in reality it's more like 9-5:30-he's a network administrator and the job is pretty flexible except that he has to be there at 8:30 on Monday mornings. I just went back full time last week (had been part time since I had DS who is 4). The kids go to full time day care/preschool which is open from 6:30-5:30.

If I am home in the mornings I'm generally the one to get up with the kids around 7. The dogs go out, get fed, kids get fed, I eat breakfast. Breakfast is cereal, waffles or yogurt generally. With cinnamon toast occasionally. I drink slim fast or eat cereal. DH does not multi task well and pretty much only manages to get himself up and out the door. So I'll try to get the kids ready and out the door and he takes them to daycare (on the way). If I work til 7:30 am the kids are generally eating breakfast so drink breakfast while getting them ready. DD takes 10+ min with her massage/cream/sunscream routine (for her 3rd deg burns in Dec). If I'm off I am generally working that night shift (so need to nap that afternoon or catch up on errands, housecleaning, do bulk cooking, good gym workout etc. I try to pick them up by 4 pm (nap is 1-3 and then they generally do snack and art/music after that). If I work the night before I sleep part (if I don't work that night) or all (if I do work that night) day, pick up the house and then pick them up around 4. If I work day shift (especially 7a-7p) I leave the house at 6:30 so DH gets them up and takes them to school, picks them up (if I only work til 3 I pick up), feeds them what I've dictated-leftovers or a meal already preped or in the crock pot or a frozen family sized meal he can throw in the microwave or frozen pizza either homemade or bought). I arrive home (7:45ish) in time to help get the kids in PJ's and read to them and pick up toys etc. I plan meals and do a bunch of batch freezer cooking (not generally freezer cooking days although I did just do one with a friend but if I'm making something like meatloaf I make 6. I do extra cooking on my days off and my weekends off.

[twowhat?]

Busy. But I think this is easier for older kids (witih the caveat of homework). Mine are almost 2 years old.


6am - Me and DH: wake up, wash face, brush teeth, change. Feed dogs, take them out to pee/poop, get breakfast started (i.e. heating up water for oatmeal -nothing more complicated than that)

6:30am - girls wake up. Get them out of grumpy phase. Change diapers, eat vitamins, get them ready to help me make breakfast in the kitchen. No clothing changes unless soiled - they go to bed in whatever they are going to wear the next day.

6:45am - girls "help" make breakfast. It's either cinnamon toast on whole wheat, whole wheat mini waffles with sunbutter, oatmeal, grits. Nothing more complicated. Eat breakfast, wash face/hands, brush teeth. This can take a long time. 30 min or more, while dealing with their grumpiness, fighting, etc. TV is often on.

7:30am - DH leaves for work, girls play on their own (on a good day) while I empty dishwasher, do dishes, and generally try to get kitchen in order for the evening. 50% of the time this just doesn't get done.

8am - I pack the girls up in the car. Once they're strapped in, take dogs out for last pee, give them their goodbye treats. Grab my bags and lunch (if I was lucky enough to pack it the night before) and head out.

8:30am - drop girls off at daycare/preschool

8:45am - arrive at work

4:30pm - DH leaves work to pick up kids. He feeds the dogs.

5:30pm - I leave work

5:45pm-6:30pm - play with the girls, get dinner ready and eat dinner. Usually steamed veggies, rice, and fish (all quick to cook). Or tofu/steamed veggies. Or something similarly simple. Often stick frozen fish in oven for dinner. If we eat our own dinner at this time, it's a very good day.

6:30-7pm - one of us plays with girls while the other cleans up.

7:15pm - bathtime

8:00pm - girls allowed to watch up to half-hour of yo gabba gabba or similar. We also call grandma on google talk and talk to her every night. Snack (they usually ask for fruit or yogurt). Floss and brush teeth.

8:30pm - make sure we're in girls' bedroom for 15 min or so of reading or singing.

8:45pm - girls in cribs, say night-night

8:45pm - 9pm or later - finish kitchen cleanup (this is the only cleanup we prioritize), get stuff ready for tomorrow - i.e. water in a pot sitting on stove for oatmeal, eggs already cracked for scrambled eggs, pack daycare bags and snacks for in the car, throw in a load of laundry.

9:30pm - if we haven't eaten, we eat now. Usually in front of TV or computer.

10pm- shower and get ready for bed

10:30pm - lights out. Lucky to get 20 minutes to read in bed.

And this doesn't count the nights that we have "extras" to do like paying bills, clipping dog nails, cleaning up the house in areas other than the kitchen. This is just the bare minimum to get by each day. We have NO time. It's hard. I don't know where homework would fit in when we get to that age. Maybe it will be balanced out by kids who aren't as fussy (I consider our kids pretty darned high-maintenance. We have to be VERY hands on, they don't play by themselves for more than a few min at a time, if we're lucky, because they end up fighting).

[ChefGirl]

We have 3 kids (7, 5 and 2.5). DS#1 starts school tomorrow thus our school routine will go as follows (I hope):

6:00 - Wake up and get ready and make my COFFEE
6:30/6:45 - DS wakes, gets dressed and come downstairs and eats his breakfast
7:25 - Out the door to get his friend for morning carpool
7:45 - Morning drop-off at school
8:00/8:10 - Arrive at work
(DH gets the other two ready for daycare and drop off by 8:30 the latest)
3:30 - Afternoon carpool for DS#1 by his friend's Mom and drop off at DH's office by 3:45
5:00 - Leave work
5:30 - Daycare pickup
6:00/6:30 - Arrive home and dinner and then homework for DS#1
7:30/7:45 - DS#1 in bed
8:00/8:30 - DD and DS#2 bedtime, then me time! (TV, emails, etc)
10:30 - Bedtime for me
? - bedtime for DH (he tends to work some at night, ie, work, soccer coaching related stuff, etc.)

What's for dinner is THE question everyday. We will either get take-out, eat left-overs or I need to start planning meals again. Yikes. Additionally, DS#1 (5:30 to 6:30) and DD (6:30 to 7:30) also have soccer practice on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Now that will mess up our routine a bit during those two days. Life is very busy these days! We are so done with kids! I made his initial appointment for next Friday. I think he's ready for it. :-)

[khalloc]

DH and I both work fulltime.

6:00am - DH wakes up to shower, I get up and get the kids dressed.
6:15am - DH is done, brings the kids downstairs, I shower. DH feeds kids. Gets lunches ready. Sometimes he does lunches the night before.
6:45am - I get downstairs, do DD's hair.
7:00am - Me and the kids leave.
7:20am - At daycare. Drop off
8:00am - I get to work
4:30pm - I leave work
4:50pm - Back at daycare to pick up the kids
5:20pm - Home again. I start thinking about dinner.
6:00pm - Hubby gets home.
6:00/6:30pm - Dinnertime
7:15pm - Bathtime. DH cleans up the kitchen. He is the cleaner in the fam.
7:45pm - DS goes to bed. I do the kids bedtimes.
8:00pm - DD goes to bed.

I spend 8:15-10pm reading or watching TV. Go to bed around 10ish usually.

I never plan meals for the week. I think about it a little so i know that I have some veggies at home, or chicken, etc...But I dont usually plan much in advance.

[kijip]

There are some changes now that I am working out more and T is not in school. On the days I work at the office:

A little after 5AM: Wake up and roll out of bed. Get into my workout clothes, fill water bottles and grab some food to eat in the car (bad, I know). Possibly move a load of laundry from the washer to the dryer.

5:40AM: Leave for workout (outdoor bootcamp), stuff protein into my face, drink water.

5:50AM: Bootcamp, 1 hour

Home just before 7AM. Usually F is awake and my husband has changed him and started breakfast. Feed the kids breakfast (always F, sometimes T is still asleep and then we just set his aside for when he wakes up), eat something oatmeal like for me either now or at my office. If we both work, we get something ready for the boys and my dad to eat, packing lunch for my husband and sometimes for me and the boys. Unload the dishwasher and load up the breakfast stuff. Wash up, get dressed. Move laundry if needed.

Leave for work between 7:45 and 8:30 depending on what I need to do at home and at work that day. If I drive, it takes 15-20 minutes. One the bus, about 35 but I get to read. :jammin:

Usually at work before 9AM, though I have no set start time. Sometimes it's 8AM, sometimes it's 9:00AM.

Work all day, lunch is often a meeting though I try to not do the email and eat thing. I buy lunch often because of the meeting thing, something I am trying to cut down on. The gym I take pilates 101 and stretching at is 1 block from my office but I only do each 1 day a week there and then pilates another day at the Y on the weekend.

Leave work around 5PM. Sometimes 4:30, sometimes later. Takes 15-30 minutes to get home if I drove or am being picked up. Takes about 35-40 minutes on the bus. I am usually home between 5PM and 6PM.

Most days: I cook dinner, check in with the boys, T sets the table and we eat and clean up. Sometimes we have dinner guests and we hold off on clean-up if that is the case. It usually takes 10-25 minutes to make dinner (I meal plan). Sometimes we eat leftovers or eat take-out, more likely if there is an outing or something going on that night.

After clean-up we will use the computer, watch a movie or read. Or fold and put away laundry. This is when T would have done his homework during the school year, and I would help if needed. Sometimes we take the boys to the Y in the evening or go to the park.

F usually goes to bed between 7:30 and 8:30. If we are out, he will crash in the stroller for a bit while we walk. T is a night owl and we gave up on 8PM bedtimes, he usually goes to sleep between 9:30 and 10:30.

I go to sleep by 11PM if I know what's good for me, 10PM is better. :p If I have worked a shorter day, I will sometimes need to get something done specific for work at home in the evenings, which thankfully I can do after 9PM if need be.

If I am ever having something late at work, I go to work later in the morning. On the day I don't have bootcamp sometimes I go to the office before 7AM and leave at 3. Being on salary able to do the work at my own schedule is really helpful.

[mommylamb]

Working and being a mom is definitely a challenge. Like you, I have a hellish commute-- not because of distance, it's purely the traffic. I only have 1 kiddo, so that makes it easier than what a lot of the other WOHMs on this board have. And, I'm lucky to have great childcare.

5:30 am alarm goes off
6:30 wake up DS
7:30 all three of us are out the door
7:40 drop DS off at daycare
8:30 drop DH off at his office
8:45 get to my office
5:00 pm leave work
5:50 pick up DS in the nick of time before daycare shuts... stressing the whole ride home that I won't make it in time. DH metros/buses home so I don't have to pick him up.
6:30 DS may or may not eat something random for dinner. He usually is a big lunch eater and not much for food in the evening and I don't push it.
7:30 DH and I eat. DH usually cooks every night for us. I spend the evenings playing with DS and getting him bathed. Depending on what we're eating, and if DS actually ate anything earlier, he may eat with us. Family dinnertime is rare around here though because we have to eat late.
8:30 bedtime routine starts
9:00 DS in bed

DS eats breakfast, mid morning snack, lunch and mid afternoon snack at school and I don't have to prepare anything. That helps a lot. We're usually rushing around so much in the morning that it would be really hard to get that ready too. It's hard enough for me to get my own lunch in order.

[Sweetum]

Yep, I too am perplexed how people can get soooo much done in the 1 hour after getting home. I barely have time to figure out what snack to give him (esp when he refuses the one I had planned which happens, umm, everyday!), cook his no brainer dinner (rice + curry with some/any veggie in the pressure cooker - we hold off on protein in the night - believed to slow digestion. I'll add it when he is 2), and by then it's 6:40. By the time, I get his diaper changed, and sometimes daycare clothes, it's 7pm. And THAT's when we head out to the playground. So, we're not back before 8pm. So, that's when he eats his dinner. I guess I could make his snack time his dinner time, but I find that he's not always as hungry at that time. 8pm ensures that he eats his dinner fully. That's also the quiet time. if it's 9pm already, we take him to bed 10 min after dinner. If not, we eat dinner and then bed time for him. Now, I don't know how I'd do things when preschool starts! Sometimes I finish our cooking before the walk, in which case we go out at 7:30pm vs 7pm.

[luckytwenty]

Hmmm....I think the getting it all done in an hour thing is easier when your kids are older, potty-trained, can change and feed themselves, and even shower with minimal help.

Guess I am in for one rude awakening when I add an infant into the mix!

[Elilly]

"How is it that everyone manages to have dinner, do homework and play in the hour after you get home???? This is what has me worried. (If mornings get crazy, I can just get up earlier.. who needs sleep, right?) We should all get home by 6pm. That gives us 2 hours to get both DCs entertained, fed, bathe, in bed and asleep so DH and I can prep for the next day."
I work 10 minutes from home. So, I often come home and prep dinner at my lunch hour. Also, my kiddos don't get a bath every night. We're every other night. I get home at 4:30. The kids play, I start laundry, unload dishwasher etc. At 5:00, the kids sit in the kitchen and do homework or a craft while I'm finishing up dinner. We eat at 5:30. From 6:00-8:00, they get to play. At 8:00, we play a quick family game. The kiddos to bed at 8:20 for a book and lights out at 8:30.
When looking at the difference between our schedules, I am getting home an entire hour and a half earlier than you are. Is there any way that you can get in earlier and leave earlier?

[mommylamb]

For me the only reason it's all possible is that DH really does a lot. When 2 people are involved, it makes it a lot easier, and I give my DH a lot of credit. He does a lot more than I do. Also, DS certainly does not get a bath every night. I strive for 3-4 times a week, and it's usually 3 times a week. In fact, I realized tonight too late that I should have bathed him... he had rice in his hair earlier (confession), but it wasn't there at bed time, so oh well.

[Minnifer]

6:30am - up, shower, start to get ready
7-7:30 - DD up, bottle, hang out for a bit
7:45- nanny arrives
7:45-8:15 - finish getting ready
8:15 - leave for office (commute approx 30-45 min, subway & walking)
5:45pm - leave office
6:30 - get home
6:30-7:45ish - spend time w/DD, snack, bath, play (DD eats dinner w/nanny)
7:45ish - bedtime routine starts (in theory)
8:30/45 - DD bedtime
8:30-11 or 12 - try to squeeze in some "me" time plus the millions of things I need to do, like pay bills

No time for anything fun like going out or working out - I'm single so I can never just do something like that unless I hire a sitter, and DD is with a nanny so much that doesn't seem fair. And time is so tight overall that I can't imagine what it's going to be like once DD needs homework help after school and I'm not here for it.

I have to say, it's depressing to see this all in black and white. I really fear I will look back on this time and feel I missed DD growing up (and I practically had to move mountains to have her so I already feel it acutely). Sigh.

[Cam&Clay]

DH lives in NC and is here only on weekends (which ends next month!) but here is the schedule I have for me and 2 kids, one in school, one in daycare, with a 45 min. commute.

6:00-I am up and in the shower
6:30-Wake DS1, do my hair and make up
6:45-Wake DS2, dress him, yell at DS1 to get up
7:00-downstairs-DS1 gets his own breakfast, DS2 has a cup of juice
7:25-in the van, drop DS2 at sitter #1 where he will have breakfast, drop DS1 at other sitter where he can walk to school from there
7:40-on the road
8:30-at work
4:00-leave work
4:45-pick up DS2, sometimes DS1 but usually he has already been picked up by soccer practice carpool
5:00-home

Dinner is complicated because it's just me and I usually have to leave the house with DS2 to pick up DS1 and drive the other end of the soccer carpool. So, often DS2 and I eat something quickly and DS2 gets fast food on soccer days. Plus, DS1 is with his dad one evening a week. Rarely am I able to cook an actual dinner for the 3 of us. When DH lives with us, one of us can stay home with DS2 and cook while the other runs the carpool. This, to me, will be heaven on earth.

8:00-DS2 in bed, DS1 reads
8:30-DS1 in bed

My bedtime is whenever. I usually get some computer time and talk to DH for a long time on the phone since we don't see each other. I try to be in bed by 11 but seldom do it. I have to fit laundry, bills, housework, etc. into those few hours.

I do not pack lunches for DS1. He wishes I would, but there is just no way for me to have everything he would need. Maybe this year when DH is around I can be better about groceries and time.

My morning routine is so exact that if one thing goes wrong, I am screwed. My XH has a habit of calling around 7:00 to discuss things. Dude, I know you are already at work but I CANNOT HAVE A CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW. Call me at work or send me an email. I have seen days where DS1 couldn't find his shoes and that sent our whole schedule on fire. It's a well-oiled machine. Don't mess with it!

[Clarity]

We live 5 minutes from daycare and work so that helps tremendously here but each day has it's own special brand of chaos.
Our day:
6:10a.m. dh up and getting ready
6:30a I'm up and getting ready
6:30-7:00a - kids wake and we get them dressed
7:00 - dh gets the girls cereal while I get dressed.
7:30 - girls watch 1/2 hour of PBS kids while I get ready for work
7:45 - l leave for the office
7:45-8:30 - super secret daddy stuff happens, oh yeah, and dh takes the girls to daycare/preschool.
3:45 - dh picks the kids up from daycare/preschool
5:10 - I arrive home
5:30 - I might make dinner or we might order out or just scrounge up sandwiches.
6:30 - dh cleans up kitchen while I spend some time with the girls
7:00p - start bedtime routine
7:30p - dd1 bedtime (ideally)
8:00p - dd2 bedtime
8:10p - pack lunches/prepare necessities for the girls the next day.
8:30p - chores? maybe, maybe not!
9:00p - spend some time with dh
10:00p - veg out watching tv or surfing the net
11:30p - bedtime

ETA: that twice a week I leave work at 4:00. This is nice but right now we are using the extra time to scramble to get the kids fed early, dd1 dressed and to soccer twice a week.
As you can see, my dh is absolutely incredible and does a LOT to keep the family running smoothly. He has a more flexible schedule that allows him to do this otherwise I don't think I could manage.

[kijip]

Hmmm....I think the getting it all done in an hour thing is easier when your kids are older, potty-trained, can change and feed themselves, and even shower with minimal help.

Yes! We don't do it all in an hour but it's manageable because we don't have any infants and we have a pretty low-key laid back toddler. I hold out no illusions that my routine is workable for people in all age/stage/personality situations.

[elektra]

You guys are all so awesome with these schedules. I am impressed! :bowdown:
I have a WOHM job but can work from home 95% of the time, and I have a nanny.
I'm sure you get a routine down, but having to get out the door is still tough I'm sure!

[emily]

My morning routine is so exact that if one thing goes wrong, I am screwed. My XH has a habit of calling around 7:00 to discuss things. Dude, I know you are already at work but I CANNOT HAVE A CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW. Call me at work or send me an email. I have seen days where DS1 couldn't find his shoes and that sent our whole schedule on fire. It's a well-oiled machine. Don't mess with it!


I think this will be us. Although DC may have something to say about it. We've figured out that we need to be out the door by 6:45 and the kids in bed by 8:30.

[buttergirl12]

I work from home. I get up when the baby gets up between 6 and 7. DH makes breakfast for DS1 before school. I start work at 7:30 in the summer closer to 8 during school so I can get DS1 ready. I work until 6 PM. During the day I take breaks to make breakfast and lunch, nurse, change diapers and take care of the boys. After 6 I cook dinner, feed everybody, clean the kitchen, do the dishes and get the kids ready for bed. The older boys go to bed at 8:30. I then sit on the couch for 1 to 2 hours nursing the baby to sleep. trying to work on that but CIO doesn't work with the older ones trying go to sleep at the same time. Currently DS3 is teething so he wakes up every hour or so during the night. DH is disabled but takes care of the outside of the house and the animals (cats, dogs, horses) and the grocery shopping. We try to catch up on chores during the weekend.

[almostmom]

6:30 alarm goes off (6:00 if I want to exercise)
shower and get dressed
DH makes lunches and puts them in the backpacks (so awesome)
7:15 wake up kids. That can be hard in our house, and can easily take 15 minutes to get them out of their cozy beds.
7:30 - 8:00 breakfast and getting dressed, brushing hair and teeth
8:10 leave house to drop DD at daycare
8:38 back at home for DS to get on the bus
9:00 arrive at work
5:00 leave work
5:30 pick up DD
5:45 pick up DS
6:00 home, maybe a video for the kids while I make dinner, or they play outside
6:30 dinner for them, then playing together, art or make believe.
7:15 showers
8:00 pajamas on, start reading books
8:30ish lights out (though DD usually doesn't go to sleep until 9:30)
9:00 DH and I eat dinner in front of the TV, prepared while one of us was putting the kids to sleep.