Moms of school-aged kids, please describe a typical day

[ourbabygirl]

I'm currently a SAHM to a 2 and 4 year old, but I've always planned to go back to work when the youngest is in 1st grade (or pay for full-day kindergarten, if my salary makes up for the cost). I'd always thought I'd go back to working full-time, but I don't think I would be happy back teaching full-time, driving the kids to their activities, helping with homework, making dinner, packing lunches, and then spending nights and weekends after the kids are in bed grading and planning my own classes.

If you have school-aged kids, could you please describe a typical day for you? This goes for anyone- SAHM, WO/AHM, those who work full or part-time...
Just wondering how much shuttling you typically do, and how you fit everything in the day.
I'm fortunate to be able to be home with my kids now, but I've heard from some women that they'd rather work when their kids aren't in school yet, and then start staying home once they're school age, to be able to drive them to activities, volunteer at their schools, be more available for the emotional roller coaster of older kids, be home to supervise when they're teenagers and could get into trouble, etc.
I could see that, too, as I think I would enjoy being a SAHM more when my kids are gone more during the day and I'm past the draining years of feeding and cleaning up after them, diapering, struggling getting them to nap, etc. :bag

Care to share how your day goes? (From morning wake-up to bedtime)

Thanks! :waving4:

[daisyd]

I'd like to know too as I will be entering the job market (in a new capacity post training) this fall and I need to figure out whether I want full vs part time.

[SnuggleBuggles]

SAHM and one of my kids is only part day (preschool). He goes every day though.

wake up
get everyone ready
drive everyone to school (next year they can both take the bus though)
gym
errands or volunteer at ds1's school
preschool pick up 11:30am
hang out, playdates, museums...or I volunteer from home (I do a lot of coordination online)
ds1 home at 4pm
often we just hang out till dinner but occasionally we have an activity (we are in an activity lull right now)
often we have activities after dinner (7-8)

Our schedule is pretty mellow right now. I have chosen, and my kids are happy with, not to do lots of activities. We did more when they were littler.

[kerridean]

I work part time as an audiologist now:

Work day: 6:00 wake, shower, get ready for work (DH is already gone)
6:45 wake girls and help get them ready
7:15 breakfast for girls (cereal)
8:00: bus arrives and I drive 45 minutes to work
8:45-anywhere from 2:30-3:45 work
Girls are in after school care
Pick up girls from ASC
Bus arrives at 4 if I get done early enough
Homework is done at ADC
On Tuesday evenings (workday), one DD has gymnastics and one
has art. DH and I juggle that since the times are different and we
live far from the school

Non-work day: 6:33: up and put on gym clothes
6:45 girls
8:00: bus
I then drive straight to the gym and work out for an hour
Shower at the gym
Grocery store
Post office for work if needed
Home to clean and work on work stuff if needed
Bus arrives at 4
Help with homework-takes about an hour at least
girls outside year round (live in Savannah)
Start dinner prep
DH home 5:30 or so
No evening activities except for Tues:- LOVE this!

Fridays: workout, shower and volunteer all day in both of my DDs classrooms

I am also involved in a military spouses group, a coalition on aging group (work in nursing homes), and keep current with my continuing education online and with classes around town. My youngest DD is biweekly therapy for selective mutism as well.

[sarahsthreads]

I'm not quite there yet. (And actually, I won't be for another 5 years now!) But I have one in 3 morning a week preschool and one in school. I'll answer for what I do with the school-aged child.

7:20 wake DD1.
7:20-7:40 help DD1 with hair (she still can't reliably brush out the thick tangles in the back) and moving through the rest of her getting dressed/morning chores (bed-making, etc.)
7:40-8:00 repeatedly remind DD1 that she needs to eat. If lunch needs packing, it happens now. (She's been buying nearly every day since morning sickness hit.)
8:00-8:20 repeatedly remind DD1 to focus on packing her backpack, putting on shoes, coat, etc.
8:21 - shove her out the door for the bus that comes anytime between 8:22 and 8:35. (Don't get me started. That's a ridiculously long time to wait in bad weather.)

--- insert lots of running around to get DD2 to and from school and/or errands and/or library and/or laundry and other chores here ---

3:35 - 3:47 the bus comes home. (Again, I'm super irritated that it's such a long window.)
Monday: 3:47 - 4:00 get snacks into DD1; 4:00 drive kids to CCD
Wednesday: 3:47 - 4:05 get snacks into DD1, get DD1 into dance wear; 4:05 drive kids to dance.
Most other days the time between the bus coming home and DH getting home from work (around 5:30) is spent having DD1 do her homework, snacks, playing and getting dinner started. She has girl scouts every other week in the evening.

Next year when DD2 is in school, they'll both get on the bus at the same time *except* that DD1 wants to take an instrument, and the activity bus comes twice a week an hour earlier. So two mornings a week will be much crazier (though DH leaves for work around 7:20, so maybe I'll shift responsibility for getting DD1 out the door on those days to him!) The afternoons will just add homework for DD2, an expected huge increase in homework for DD1, and I'm not sure - we might rearrange or cut out the CCD & dance activities so they're not right after school, because I have no idea how I'll get them there on time while caring for a brand new baby at the same time.

Sarah :)

[queenmama]

Well, we are on the older end of the spectrum, and right now our schedule is pretty quiet.

The only regular extracurricular activity we have is Boy Scouts one night a week. During sports (basketball and track) it is busier. It was no big deal before DD was born but bball season was ROUGH this year! I underestimated how endless a game feels with a baby on one's lap!

Our day goes:
6:40 wake Henry
7:10 off to school (unless FIL takes him)
3:10 school is out, unless he stays until 4:00 for tutorial (FIL often drives him home)
After school snack, loads of homework and studying, supper, shower, bedtime... whenever.
And Wednesdays we have Scouts from 7:00-8:30.

During sports season, practices are after school & tutorials, usually 4:00-5:30. Games are Tuesdays and Thursdays, some track meets on Saturday mornings.

Our schedule is super mellow compared to many families. Some friends have their kids in back-to-back sports all year long (no thank you!!!!) and we aren't taking music lessons outside of school at the moment.

FIL shuttling Henry for me is invaluable, there's no price on it, but even when I have to drive Henry back and forth to school, it's never too hectic. I can't handle hectic!

Lara

[Kindra178]

I'm fortunate to be able to be home with my kids now, but I've heard from some women that they'd rather work when their kids aren't in school yet, and then start staying home once they're school age, to be able to drive them to activities, volunteer at their schools, be more available for the emotional roller coaster of older kids, be home to supervise when they're teenagers and could get into trouble, etc.
I could see that, too, as I think I would enjoy being a SAHM more when my kids are gone more during the day and I'm past the draining years of feeding and cleaning up after them, diapering, struggling getting them to nap, etc. :bag

Care to share how your day goes? (From morning wake-up to bedtime)

Thanks! :waving4:

I think that is true. It was much easier for me to work full time when I had one baby than now with three talking, walking kids. DS1 goes to school until 3 pm; my twins until 11:30. This will change in the fall as my twins will be in school until 2:40.

After drop off, I either goto work (at home or in my office). On Fridays I don't work so I either go to the gym or do an errand, like get the oil changed. With 11:30 pickup, I don't have a ton of time to do much else.

My guys do a lot of activities. There is a good amount of shuttling (every day but at least 1-2 days off with no activities). We usually have playdates on Friday afternoons.

[daniele_ut]

I'm probably not typical because I quit my job when my oldest was in first grade last year. When we added DS2 to our family last year and added in all of the activities, homework, violin lessons, etc, it was really hard to think about keeping up with everything while I was working full time.

My 2 oldest get up around 6 and entertain themselves until we get up around 7 with the baby. I feed the kids breakfast while dh gets ready and then he and DS1 leave to pick up our carpool buddies and drive to school. Dh works at the school DS1 attends. When they leave on MWF I get DD dressed for preschool and drop her off and head to the gym and run a few errands before I pick her up. We come home, have lunch and put DS down for a nap. I do laundry, clean up and start dinner during DS2's nap. When DS1 gets home from school shortly after DS2 gets up they play for a short time and then we start violin practice. Then I finish getting dinner ready and we eat. Dh is only home for dinner on Monday, Thursday and occasionally Friday during the week. After dinner they play for while and I clean up the kitchen and we then start homework. Once homework is done they play until 7 and then we start getting ready for bed. DS2 goes down around 7, DD by 7:30 and DS1 at 7:45.

Tuesday and Thursday are a bit different because DD does not have preschool and we have a play group every other week and dance weekly. Soon we will add baseball to the mix. If I was still working full time we wouldn't be able to do dance or baseball. I don't plan to go back to work full time unless its necessary for us financially. I really enjoy being around to volunteer at school and take the kids to their activities.

[AnnieW625]

I have never been a SAHM. I took off 4 months for maternity leave with DD1, and DD2, and 6 weeks of time when we lost baby 2 (DD1 still went to daycare for most of that time though). I have worked full time since I was 22 yrs. old. I work outside the home in an office 25 miles from my house. DH works full time outside the home in and out of the office with a base 25 miles in the other direction from my work.

I did not have the inkling to want to stay home much at all (other than I know that if they offered me part time work, esp. starting next year when I don't have a kid in full time daycare I would take it in a heartbeat) until this past year. Part of me really feels like I would enjoy so much more of my life if I had a set SAHM schedule like:
wake up
put on gym clothes
feed kids breakfast
drop off kids, go to gym
go grocery shopping one day, cook a meal that will last two days, volunteer in the classroom, or clean a single section of the house or do each person's laundry on a different day during the middle of the day
pick up kids
go to an afterschool activity
eat dinner at 6 pm (my kids are the most happy when we can do this)
bath by 7 pm
book time by 7:30, and lights out no later than 8 pm
lunches made by 9 pm
kitchen cleaned and dog walked by 9:30 (this would also be something I could do during the day as well at least once or twice a week, if not daily before I pick up the kids)

Normal schedule:
5:30 and 6 am
DH and I wake up and shower.
I try and get my breakfast made, sometimes I make it at work
DH and I get dressed by 6:30 (on a good day for me I try to leave by 6:30, most days it's closer to 7 am)
6:30 and 7:30 AM
start waking up kids
DD1 gets dressed (I put her clothes out the night before), and she usually can get her own breakfast, a yogurt, bagel thin, or cereal bar.
DD2 gets the same breakfast, but usually yogurt right before I leave.
DD2 gets dressed once DH has gotten dressed, fed the dog, and the car loaded with backpacks. She has usually eaten all of her yogurt by then.
DD1's lunch gets made during this time as well (although we are trying to be really good about doing it the night before)
DH gets his coffee, and bagel ready
Loads DDs in the car
7:30 to 9 am
DH drops off DD1 at school between 7:45 and 8 am (10 minutes with traffic from our house), drops off DD2 at daycare (10 minutes from school, but closer to the freeway DH uses to get to work).
DH arrives at work by 9 am.
4 to 6 pm
I get off work at 4 pm, so I am at DD1's school by 4:30 to 4:45, and then at DD2's daycare by 5 pm. If traffic is really bad then I usually pick up DD2 first because DD1 doesn't have to be picked up until 5:30.
Some nights we will go to Target, Costco, or will come home and eat a quick dinner and go for a walk as long as DD1 has her homework for the week done.
Most nights though as soon as we get home DD1 is to do her homework (we divide out the number of pages by the number of days; she gets homework on Monday and it is due on Friday)
DD1 cannot watch TV or play on the computer or with her toys until her day's homework is completed.
I cook dinner most nights
6:30 to 8:00 pm
dinner is usually between 6:30 and 7.
Bath time immediately follows for at least one of the kids (we try our best to alternate so we aren't washing both girls on the same night)
Bed time is between 8 and 8:30. We split up and one of us puts each girl to bed. We read for about 15 minutes.
9 to 11 pm
I am usually in bed by 10:30 at the latest. DH is sometimes later. He walks the dog usually between 8:45 and 9:30, and then he does the dinner dishes.

For most of the next three weeks I will be handling drop off and pick up because DH will be out of town on business so I am getting to work around 9 and I have to leave at 4 pm. On the days that DH is in town I plan stay later at the office, and I will get to work around 7 and leave at 5:30.

Right now we do not have any after school activities. DDs will most likely start swimming one or two days a week soon, and DD2 goes to mom n me gymnastics on Saturday mornings. Once she is able to do the class on her own I am thinking of taking her on Thursday nights and then DD1 and I can do homework and or read when she is in the class.

[brittone2]

Well, I doubt mine applies but I'll toss it out there:

I wake up by 6, have coffee with DH after getting dressed. We try to carve out that half hr or so in the morning together sans kids.

6:30-I prep for our HSing for the day, start laundry, empty dishwasher if needed, soak up the peace for a bit.

7:30-8 the kids get up.

By 8 or before they are eating breakfast. I might ask them after breakfast to take sheets off their beds, or the older two to bring laundry down so I can get that going.

By 8:30, or often before that, the older two start on our HSing stuff.
We HS til about 11-11:30 when I start lunch prep. Depending on the weather, they might play outside, do a few chores while I'm making lunch, etc.

DS2 has quiet/nap time around 12 or 12:30 til about 2. I do things with the older two during that time like our weekly painting project (for our co-op art history class), or we do our read aloud in relative peace.

We do whatever we need to do for HSing until 2:30 or 3, depending on how the rest of the day has gone. (One day per week DD has dance from 2-3. DS1 comes with me and brings work to do while we are there. I wrangle DS2 during that time.) If it is nice outside they play after that. In nice weather we do read alouds or have a "reading picnic" outside during the day.

3-5 is finishing up some chores, pick up their rooms a bit, and playing.

5 we eat dinner. During certain seasons we have sports from roughly 5-7 or 5:30-8 pm. DD will have dance one night a week in that period next year.

No homework most of the time, and when we don't have sports and other obligations, we grocery shop as a family or spend time together in our evenings. One night a week I try to get out by myself to enjoy some me time.

One day per week we have a small co-op class, so we leave here by 8:15 am and return home by 1pm or so. DS2 falls asleep on the way home. The kids usually do something to prep for next week's co-op classes (essentially co-op "homework" like painting in a certain style, etc.).

They have a snack by 7 if we aren't at sports, etc. (later if they are; sometimes we have to split up depending on sport/season). UPstairs by 7:30 or 8. We read to DD and DS2; DD and DS1 also read on their own for a bit.

They are here with me all day long, and it is a lot of work, but we can fit in extracurriculars and family time much more easily in the evenings since we don't have HW.

I tend to "cook big" on the weekends to ease the burden during the week. I also do some HSing prep in large chunks scattered throughout the year, and then some minor prep on weekends.

[KrisM]

SAHM with a 3rd and 1st grader and DS2 in his last year of preschool. Our days vary, depending on the day. But...

6:30 - I get up
7:30 - wake up any kids who happen to be asleep
make lunches, help pack bags, etc.
8:30 - leave for the bus stop
8:45 - return home

(11:45 - preschool drop-off
3:00 - preschool pick-up)

4:10 - leave for the bus stop
4:20 - return home with DD
5:15 - leave for DS1's school (he stays after for an activity 2-3 days/week and DD goes there twice a month for scouts)
5:45 - return home
6:00 - dinner
6:45 - go to TKD or Cheer or Chess Club (4 days total/week)
8:30 - return home
9:00 - everyone who's awake still goes to bed

Right now DS2's activities are during the day, so I expect in the fall, we'll add something else at night.

ETA: I do think it would be easier to work when they're not in school. I do all the night running around because DH is happy to stay home with the other kids. If I had to also get the laundry, shopping, cleaning done at night or weekends, it would really cut into family time. I am glad to be able to do those things during the school day and have my nights open. I can just drop kids at most of their things, but it's not enough time to do more than a quick trip to the grocery store.

This is just the typical. Add in doctor appointments and other non-standard things and it's busier. I went out of town for 3 days with DS1 last week and left a 2 page set of directions for DH. He is very good during his normal home hours, but getting kids where they need to be and when was all new to him.

[Simon]

So far only Ds1 is in elem school, but WOW, I was not prepared for how much extra involvement there is even without scheduled activities and I don't volunteer in the classroom. There is usually an evening activity 1-2x/month plus PTA monthly, and a parent has to be present with Ds1: math night, spring fair, book fair, technology night, dance party, etc. It might not sound like a lot, but it is HUGE because the kids get all excited about going, but it puts a big strain on the family routine. On an average night, we have about 90 minutes to do everything cook, eat, talk to each other, bathe, play, read, clean, do homework, etc. Cut that all out and shift bedtimes because we were at a school event and routines go out the window. What really stinks is that the entire weekend becomes about errands, cleaning, and cooking. There is very little down time. If we could afford it long term, I'd love to stick with part-time work. I think it is healthiest for our family balance.

Wake 6:45, get 3 kids ready for school and daycare
7:45-8:30 drop kids off at 3 different schools :dizzy
8:30-9:30 commute MWF
MWF
9:30-3 pm Work
3-4 commute home
4-4:30 do dishes, laundry, prep dinner
4:30-5:40 pick up kids at 3 different places
5:45-6:15 kids play, I cook, feed Ds3
6:30-7:15 dinner, play time, Ds3 goes to bed
7:15 Ds1 and Ds2 into PJs, Ds1 does HW with us, Ds2 plays
7:45 lights out (usually)

TR I WAH about the same hours but do a lot of Dr visits with Ds2 and Ds3 so I don't have a routine.

We tried doing a scheduled weekday evening sport activity for Ds1; I figured we could handle just 6 weeks. Nope, Ds1 ended up missing 3 of them because of siblings and school events (announced after we signed up, but of more importance).

[maestramommy]

I've been a full time SAHM since DD1. On a typical day starting this year, DD1 and 2 get on the bus at 7ish. At 8 I drop DD3 off at preschool. At 10:30 I am in line to pick her and DD2 up from preschool and AM K. We go home, have lunch, and then they go down for nap around 1. AT 2:40 DD1 gets off the bus. She has a snack, then starts doing her homework. Depending on the day she will also practice violin, and then I start making dinner, or finish. Depending on the day I will have done dinner prep during the nap. I help DD1 with her homework. Now that she is doing Math Superstars I have to sit down and read through it with her, help her figure out how to do the problems. The kids eat dinner at 5, Dh gets home at 6. he reads to 2 kids while I take the 3rd to walk Shep. Then we put them to bed, usually by 7:15 at the latest.

On Tuesdays DD 2 and 3 have swim at 11 and DD1 has swim at 4. On Wednesdays Dd1 has ballet at 3:45. That is a sitter afternoon, so I run errands, then come home, do her hair, drop her off at ballet, come home make dinner, then go back to pick her up.

I had thought about going back to work when DD3 is in first grade, because that is a full day, but if my kids are getting off the bus at 2:40, that's not a full day unless I am working at their elementary school as a para or sub. Which I have considered doing, just to get my foot in the door. One of our neighbors both the H and W work full time. Their kids are in the afterschool care and get picked up at 5:30. The mom told me this was a godsend because before her DD1 was old enough she had to go to Kindercare after K and that is $$$. Their DD2 is still in preschool so I imagine that means Kindercare for a full day. You still have to pay for afterschool care but it's probably not nearly as expensive. Both H and W work a lot and sometimes travel for work, but they also have very flexible schedules. I almost want to say they have an ideal work situation but I'm not sure how long they have had it this way, or how long it took to get there (both in marketing, the W is brand manager for Stonyfield).

What concerns me is how my kids are going to navigate homework without me. Right now I have a sitter 2 afternoons a week. She is almost 30 with a college degree, and very experienced, she does a great job with DD1 and her homework. But I had also thought about letting her go in another year or two because I won't need the personal time anymore. Of course that limits my work choices. I am really torn because more and more I see that to a certain extent what helps academic success in kids (at least in my district) is the ability of the parent to support their work at home. I've posted about this before in the math anxiety thread. I really have to wonder what happens to kids whose parents simply do not have time to help their kids with schoolwork, not to mention extra-curriculars.

[ourbabygirl]

Thank you so much- this is super helpful! Sorry I forgot to include home schoolers and probably some other categories!
I'm also wondering how manageable it is to have a third child if at least one of the kids is in all-day school. Trying to imagine how much running around there would be in the evenings and weekends, especially since my husband travels a bit for work, so he would probably only be able to help one or two nights a week and weekends.

[hellokitty]

Sorry for the weird spacing, I ended up with a a bunch of funny smileys from the times that I posted, lol.

I have been a sahm for 9 yrs. I have a 3rd grader, a 1st grader and a 3 yr old who isn't in preschool yet. Here's a general rundown of our day...

6:30-8am : Household wakes up, kids do a combo of play, fight, brush teeth, get dressed and have breakfast. I scream and nag a lot.

8: 15 : Kids get their coats and shoes on and wait for the bus at the end of our driveway.

8: 25 : Bus picks up the kids.

8: 30-9: 30: I generally eat my breakfast, get dressed, catch up on emails/internet.

9:30-noon- Generally we have some sort of moms club event, nature center event or run errands.

noon-1pm- Lunch

1pm-3pm- Run errands or just hang out at home getting things done, sometimes we have moms club events in the afternoon too and we go to library story time if we get a chance once a wk. DS3 doesn't nap anymore, so it isn't a relaxing time, but this is generally when we do, "school" type of activities. He starts 3 day preschool in the mornings next yr and I could just do a jig at the thought of a little bit of freedom 3x a wk.

3pm-4pm- I start getting dinner ready.

4pm- Bus drops off kids.

4pm-7pm: Homework, after school activities (often dh and I split in different directions), bath and dinner all crammed into a measly 3 hr span. This is my least favorite part of the day and dh and I both feel totally haggard.

7:30-8pm: Bedtime for the kids

Basically, even with only one kid at home, it's not that relaxing. I don't feel like you really get any freedom until your youngest is in preschool and then it's only a smidge of freedom to do something like go grocery shopping w/o dragging a kid(s) around or working out. I'm really looking forward to the working out part.

[Ceepa]

8:15: Kids get their coats and shoes on and wait for the bus at the end of our driveway.

8:25: Bus picks up the kids.

8:30-9:30: I generally eat my breakfast, get dressed, catch up on emails/internet.

9:30-noon- Generally we have some sort of moms club event, nature center event or run errands.

I know you didn't mean to put in the smilies, but LOL! I thought the stick in the eye one was for your kids' morning skirmish. (that would be in MY schedule)

[ilfaith]

6:30-8am : Household wakes up, kids do a combo of play, fight, brush teeth, get dressed and have breakfast. I scream and nag a lot.


Glad I'm not the only one.

Typical Day
6:30-7:00 - I wake up..put on gym clothes...make coffee
7:00-8:15 - Wake the kids...get them dressed & fed...pack lunches...out the door
8:15-8:30 - Drop off older boys at elementary school, DS3 at preschool
9:00-10/11 - Gym or tennis
10/11-1:30 - Shower...have something to eat myself, perhaps another cup of coffee...goof off on internet (BBB, FB, etc.)...once or twice a week I go to the supermarket, Target, or some other errand during this time...clean up the breakfast dishes, housework, laundry, etc.
1:30-1:45 - pick up DS3 from preschool (also on Wednesdays DS1&2 have early release at this time),
1:45-2:30 - give DS3 a snack...quick household chore...look at mail
2:30-3:00 - pick up older boys from school (DS1 stays late M/T/Th)

Now the activities
4:05-4:25 - MON - pick up DS1 from chorus
5:30-7:30 - MON - DS1 baseball practice
3:55-4:10 - TUES & THURS - pick up DS1 from video lab
5:15-6:30 - TUES - DS3 soccer (some weeks DS1 has baseball games from 5:30-7:30...fortunately, they are at the same park)
4:00-7:00 - WED - take DS1 to Hebrew school...run errands in that part of town (35 minutes from home)
5:00-7:00 - WED - DS2 t-ball practice (yep...this overlaps with DS1's Hebrew school...if DH is in town he takes DS2...if DH is traveling...DS2 misses practice...or I drop of DS1, drive 30 minutes back to t-ball, leave t-ball early to drive 30 minutes back to Hebrew, then the 40 minutes home...all while dragging along poor DS3)
5:30-7:30 - THURS - DS1 baseball practice (or some weeks, games)

We put tennis on hold until after baseball season, since practice is Monday and Thursday from 4-5.

Some nights I do manage to make and serve dinner between 4 and 5 (while boys do homework). Other nights we grab something on the way home from whatever evening activity we have.

A couple of nights a week I try to get everyone showered or bathed. Tonight DH took DS1 to his baseball game so I could clean the kitchen and fold and put away laundry.

Once DS3 has a longer day of school, my afternoons won't be so filled with shuttling kids back and forth to school. It will be nice to be able to pick them all up at the same time...and next year I am planning to let DS1 and DS2 ride their bikes to and from school, which will save me a couple of trips.

[niccig]

Iam in grad school and work from home, so our schedule isn't consistent and changes each semester.

7.30am wake, breakfast make lunches, DS can get ready by himself now.
8.30am DH takes DS to school
I go to classes, stay home to work or study
2.45 pm DS is out of school. Either I pick him up or he goes to aftercare, it depends on my class schedule Homework with me or aftercare staff.
8pm DH home in time to read to DS.
9pm I either study or work. I don't go to bed until after midnight.

1 day a week a babysitter takes DS to baseball practice then home for dinner, as I have a late afternoon then evening class.

Grocery shopping/ errands are done throughout week as have time or on weekends.

[belovedgandp]

I am a SAHM now with a 3rd grader, 1/2 day K and no school just turned 3YO.

While the younger years were chaotic, the school years are gearing up to be even more so. DH travels and is committed to weird hours with his job. I have absolutely no idea how I would do things if I had a job outside the home.

The amount of stuff that is packed between 4 and 8 pm in the evenings is insane.

Right now I still have two kids at home in the morning until afternoon K. Youngest sometimes sleeps or at least rests. At the beginning of the school year I had the almost 3 hours of K at home with a sleeping kid. I had visions of doing projects, but honestly I filled it on staying afloat.

I'd eat my own lunch in peace, but then clean up the kitchen and prep dinner because if it was not started before I leave for school pick-up then it does not happen. My kids are good about packing up their own bags for activities, but I still add ice packs, water, put them in the car since I don't want to drive around with them all day.

I will continue to be a SAHM unless something drastic happens to our family. I will certainly not be twiddling my thumbs. Even when in school they are not. My K student went to school 10 days in 5 weeks this January/February between professional days, holiday, sick days and snow days. No idea how that would have worked if I was counting on him being in school to do a job.

[hillview]

high variance for us here BUT on a typical day
up at 630

I serve breakfast and ride herd on the kids to get ready and pack lunches
DH leaves to drop the kids off at school at 7:45
DH picks me up at 815 and we go to the gym
I get home / shower and start work at 945
My parents pick up the kids afterschool (for the most part the kids have alternating schedules so that they have an after school activity so pick up for one is 3 and the other one is 415)
I work from home til 5 (occasionally 5:30)
I make dinner and serve it at 5:15
DH home btwn 5:15 and 6 (sometimes we eat together)
Kids head to bed at 6:30 and 7:30
This week DH is traveling (he travels 60% of the time) and so I take the kids and we eat out more etc. When I travel all hell breaks loose :) kidding sort of, my parents help DH a lot.

[elephantmeg]

I work night shift at the moment, I have one in school and one starting in the fall that is in full time all day preschool/daycare.

If I'm home in the am-up at 7. DS gets himself up and dressed (he's an early riser and gets up about 6:45 and likes a little TV time to himself before the rush starts!). Feed DS breakfast, remind him to brush his teeth and put on coat etc and he gets on the bus at 7:48. If I'm not home (still at work) DH gets up around 7:15 (lol) and gets him on the bus. DD gets up around 7-7:45 and then I start all over again. And she is home until DH takes her to daycare. For some reason that is rarely before 9 am.

During the day if I didn't work the night before I'll do housework, errands, gym, laundry etc. One day a week I volunteer for 2 hours in DS' classroom. If I worked the night before I'll come home, shower and sleep, either til 2 or so (if I'm not going back that night) or until 3:30. DS gets off the bus at 3:45. Homework doesn't take long at this age (10-15 min) and then he hangs out, plays legos, watches some TV etc.

We so far haven't done a lot of sports etc. We have cub scouts a few days a month but DS doesn't want to continue that. They are starting swimming next week for 5 Mondays.

If I work, we eat exactly at 5:45 and I walk out the door at 6:30 pm. DH then gets them through showers if needed and to bed. Bedtime is 8/8:15

If/when I go back to day shift they will go to aftercare at school some. I would think my IL's would keep them some if needed as well (they live next door)

[BunnyBee]

Don't forget the random teacher workdays, half days, sick days... Last October, I think my kids had one day off (scheduled) every week. Same for this month. When we passed the flu around a couple of years ago, there was a month where the school aged kids were all in school only 8 days in January. It was bananas. I don't know how I would have held down gainful employment.

[hellokitty]

I know you didn't mean to put in the smilies, but LOL! I thought the stick in the eye one was for your kids' morning skirmish. (that would be in MY schedule)

Lol, I did start cracking up when I saw that the smiley codes were inserted. And yes, the stick in the eye was particularly appropriate! That's how it feels.

[arivecchi]

FT WOHM here.

My schedule varies on Mondays since I work from home. Other days:

5 - wake up to work out
6- pack lunch for DS1 (i sometimes pack my lunch too), feed dog, get ready
7ish - take train downtown
7:30 - DH wakes up kids
8 - eat breakfast at work and start workday
8:45 - bus picks up DS1
9 - DH drops off DS2 at daycare
4:45 - I take train back home
5:30-5:45 - pick up kids from daycare and aftercare
6-7 - dinner and homework

Tuesdays and Thursdays we go straight to TKD at 6. On Saturdays, we have swimming and skating in the morning. We will be adding more sports in the spring and fall. Don't ask me how!

[Twoboos]

6:15-6:30ish - I get up and shower or gym clothes
6:45 - kids up and get ready
7:30 - bus
"free time" LOL. Volunteer, gym, grocery store, errands, laundry, appointments, whatever.
<12:45 - kids home if early release, like today>
2:45 - kids home
Snacks, homework, maybe a playdate. Aftn activities, if applicable that day
6pm - dinner
8pm - kid bed

Next year the girls will be at different schools, which had me totally messed up last year. The school schedule will look like this:
6:15-6:30ish - I get up and shower or gym clothes
6:45 - kids up and get ready
7:30 - bus
8:15 - bus
"free time" LOL. Volunteer, gym, grocery store, errands, laundry, appointments, whatever.
<12:45 and 1:30- kids home if early release, like today>
2:45 - kid home
3:30 - kid home
Snacks, homework, maybe a playdate. Aftn activities, if applicable that day
6pm - dinner
8pm-ish - kid bed

As someone else mentioned, you do have to take early release, teacher professional days, sick days, etc., into account. When we had talked about me possibly going back to work I asked DH if he would do any of this stuff and the answer was a laughing "No!" And that was the end of that.

[almostamom]

I teach part-time. DS is in 2nd grade. We are at the same school.

Work Days:

5:00 - I wake up, shower, get dressed, make lunches
6:15 - DS wakes up, has breakfast, gets dressed
7:00 - leave for school
7:10 - DS goes to morning care, I start work
3:00 - School ends, DS either goes to extended care or comes to my
classroom
5:45 - Leave school (this time varies - sometimes earlier, sometimes later)
6:00 - Start dinner
7:00 - Finish homework we didn't get done at school
7:30 - Bath
8:00 - Bedtime for DS
9:00 - I head to bed but usually watch something on DVR for an hour or so

Non-work Days (changes)

7:00 - DS wakes up, has breakfast, get's dressed
7:40 - Leave for school
3:00 - Pick up DS from school

Extra Activities:

Cub Scouts 1 evening/week either at 5 or 6 depending on if it's a den meeting or a pack meeting.

Speech 1 day/week - I pull DS out of school at 1. therapy + the drive = 3 hrs.

Soccer Season - practice after school 2/week - 1 hour

[Gena]

I work FT. DH works FT and is a volunteer Firefighter/EMT on evenings & weekends.

Typical day:

5:45 DH gets up and showers
6:00 I get up, shower, get dressed
6:30 Get DS up, cuddle with him on couch until he fully wakes, make DS's breakfast
6:50 DH complains about not being able to find X, but I'm not listening because I'm reminding DS to not play with batteries at the table and that his breakfast is not finger food.
7:00 Figure out what DH is complaining about, find it for him, and get him out the door.
7:05 Start the process of getting DS to get dressed, brush teeth, etc. Make DS's lunch.
7:20 Go out for the bus
7:30 Get DS on the bus.
7:40 Leave for work.
8-12 Work work work
12-1 Lunch - run errands or work through lunch
1-5 Work work work
5:00 Leave work
5:20 Pick DS up from after-school care
5:40 Arrive Home, get DS a pre-dinner snack
6:00 Make Dinner (every other day - alternate with leftovers or delivery) OR do cleanup (every other day)
6:30 DH gets home, Dinner, DH pages in with Fire Department
7:00 Do laundry, read with DS, play with DS,
8:00 DS takes bath. Spend "quality time" with DH if he is not at Fire Department: share news of the day, pay bills, discuss DS, etc.
8:30 Give DS snack, read story.
9:00 Put DS to bed.
9:30 Put DS to bed again. Try to read or take care of misc. housework.
11:00 DS wakes up and cries for water. Get DS water. Go to bed.
3:00am DS comes to our bed.

[o_mom]

I am WAHM very part time now. It was somewhat unexpected this year when the district eliminated part-time K, so I didn't really have a 'back to work' plan at all.

6 am - DH up
6:45 - my alarm
7 - Kids up (if they aren't already)
7-7:45 - breakfast for kids, make lunches, get ready
7:20 - DH leaves
7:45 - bus
7:45-2:50 - depends on the day - some days I volunteer in the afternoons, mornings are grocery, laundry, etc. I work some hours during the day when I can. Doctor's appointments, etc. are all done in here if possible.
2:50 - bus
3-8 - depends on the day, but after school snack, homework, activities (we usually have about 2 hours of activities M-R) dinner, bedtime.
If DH is in town, he is usually home between 6 and 6:30, so we try to eat around that time.
8-10 - Usually working after the kids are in bed 2-3 nights/week

[nfowife]

big kids wake at 7, come downstairs and eat breakfast while cartoons are on . Around 7:30 they finish and get dressed (I prep and lay clothes out the night before or while they are eating).
I throw together their lunches at this time as well.
Around 7:30-7:45 I get DD2 up, if she is still asleep I will let her go until 8.
I do DD1's hair, do any last minute stuff for backpacks (pack up papers etc. and throw in lunchboxes).

If DD2 woke up earlyish I have her start breakfast. I dress her in her room before bringing her downstairs. If she sleeps until 8 she doesn't eat until after drop-off.

8:10 we leave the house, drop the kids at school and come home. It is a 10 minute round trip including the drop-off line.

Then I feed DD2 breakfast, and change into my gym clothes or get dressed for our morning activity. M,TH, F I work out and bring DD2 with me to the gym childcare; T,W we do mommy and me classes at a gymnastics place and the library. After the gym or the class we might stop at the grocery store on the way home if I need something (I usually do), or run an errand. If it's not a workout day I try to wake up at 6:45 and hop in the shower before the kids wake up.

Then it's home, lunch, play a bit, and DD1 naps from 1-3ish. This is when I do housework, eat lunch, shower if a gym day, catch up on BBB, etc.

3:30 kids get off the bus (they release from school at 3:20) at the top of our driveway. Kids eat a snack and do homework (usually less than 20 minutes for both kids).

M, T, TH big kids have various afterschool activities but they have time to play inside or outside depending on the weather for a bit depending on the day.

Dinner is at 5:45ish, DD1 goes to bed at 7:15, big kids by 7:45.

That's the day in a nutshell.