Working mums/dads getting organised for 2010

jackomdj

re the school holidays my work had a scheme to buy some extra holiday - basically I don't get paid for it! I bought an extra 10 days...the max I could but this meant an extra 5 weeks as I only work 2 days!

I have booked all the school holidays except 3 weeks in the summer holidays. Those 3 weeks I have asked my parents to come & stay one week, we will (well OH will) ask his Mum & Step Dad to come another & I am going to ask a friend to do the final one. I have said to my boss (& did it last week) that I will do the reports I have to do on a Monday when I am not away from home (& she already has these dates), this usually takes from 7:30 till 10:00. I will then be able to take this time off at some point.

Anyway my working week is over now. However I have a customer tomorrow at 9:00, then I am doing my first School Reading Project session tomorrow (very excited).

I do need to start sorting the house, but I hurt my finger at the weekend (sliced it with a knife!) so that won't be until that is a bit better!!!

Joannag_2

Pisces wrote: »

Hi all, both my other half and I work full time and we have a 16 month old. My tips that just about keep our lives together are:

Never cook enough for one day, cook enough for two (and baby portions). Tonight I'm doing a massive cauliflower/brocolli cheese that will do tomorrow and I'll be able to freeze a portion or two for our little boy. By doing this I only 'lose' three evenings cooking but get enough meals for the week.

Make enough packed lunches for a couple of days. OK so by day two, they're not mega fresh, but they're fine, and much cheaper and better for you than buying a sandwich.

If you can, put the washing machine and/or dryer on over night, every night. Saves losing a whole day to washing at the weekend (and electricity is cheaper overnight).

Put a list of daily/weekly jobs on the fridge - it might just remind you OH to do something other than sit down!

Hope this helps, we're all doing a difficult job balancing home/work/children/relationships and deserve some support!

You are right. the nights they play up are guaranteed to be the ones you have a really busy day the nexy day! It is not easy.

I am quite good at putting the washing on... but rush out in the morning and forget to get out of machine ends up all smelly and I end up re washing it...life was so much easier when I worked 3 days a week I got all my washing done on my days off! I do prefer to tumble dry as it cuts down on ironing (or should I say cuts down on my children looking like street urchins as wouldn't iron anyway!!)

katskorner

I don't iron (apart from hubby's shirts and occasional school uniform) as life is simply too short!

HalfPint

Morning all xxx

Here we go again! Katskorner - I don't iron either. I don;t see the point, it just gets creased again when you put it in the wardrobe. Mr H irons as and when we need stuff.

Pisces - great idea for laundry, though like Joannag I tend to forget about it in the morning. I try and do a load and hang it up every evening. even then it's not usually enough and I end up with 2 or 3 loads on my days off.

I make sure that on a school night, the kids have all their school stuff organised before bed, that way they're not scrabbling round in the morning "mum! I can't find..." this that and t'other.

Im lucky that Mr H does most of the cooking, we eat freshly cooked foods most evenings.

I guess my tip is get up early! I find I get more done in 2 or 3 hours in the morning that I do at night.

well.. kids are up now and I'm off to get my morning rolling til I can sit down again at 9am for a cuppa...have a great day everyone!

HP x

traveller

Hi can I join:D

I'm a full-time working single mum to a 16,13,and11year old and a 22month old.

My daily routine:
Up at 6:15 and out at 7:45 to catch the bus to egt to the train station to get baby to nursery.From there I take two more trains to get to work.

The big shift for me,Is I had my baby after a change in work.I used to walk to work after the school run,now I'm on 6 trains a day and 2 buses a day,lol.

The kids do keep their rooms tidy,but I'm playing catch up with everything else on weekends.The dinners are more of a chore than anything else and tends to be whatevers quick as by the time I get In ,I'm well and truly Knackered.

The place does resemble a tip most times even the the kids do clear up most times, but as with many kids that age, they do activities and eldest son who's at college also works part-time so we are all pressed.

After most of my life being with the same partner,I've been in a new relationship for a while now, but I've considered knocking that on the head at times as I don't really have the time to navigate a new realtionship and all that comes with unfamiliar territory-even though I do really like the guy.

The only time I actually feel 'normal' Is when I'm on holiday.I was actually gonna knock these on the head due to finances,but as that's the only vice I have and it really does keep me going ,I find that I'll do anything and keep new items on hold, just for that normal feeling fix!!! Any suggestions for a better work life balance welcome and I'm loving the cooking for 2 days and washing at night tips.The thing in our house though,my 16 year old takes according to what's in the oven and dosen't seem to realise,it's for tomorrow,lol.

I'm just so exhausted that come 9:30 I really am shattered and exhausted so again all tip welcome:D

Pisces

Hi all, just offering support to everyone getting through today and juggling work and children. I managed to work from home today, so had an hour to myself before work this morning to read a book (I forgot about the housework that needed doing)!

Hope everyone is ok x

2boysmum

I finished today for a holiday, 10 days before I need to be back at work!! Have some major cleaning and de-cluttering needing done, so will have to plan my time carefully, however tonight I am putting my feet up and watching tv and not worrying about housework!

HalfPint

Well, I'm supposed to be going out tonight but I just feel too tired..sigh

mind you, I have had a fairly productive day. Whilst ds4 was at preschool I managed to get the whole house cleaned and tidied laundry on (gotta still hang it up tho) I collect ds3 at 12, had lunch and some time to play together. picked up Mr H just after 2. Had some time together with a cuppa b4 school run :T. Took dog to vet to get his boosters and had a lovely home cooked meal (me that is not the dog at the vets:rotfl:)

In between all this Mr h and I have managed to save over £300 this year by reducing my pet insurance and home insurance costs :T..which helps make up for the £50 quid it cost me for the boosters! Even tried to see if I could reduce the car insurance too..but nope, it seems I've got the best possible deal already

Well hope you have a nice evening...get the kids in bed early, put yer feet up and relax (after the laundrys done lol) tmrw is after all another day.

night all

HPx

Joannag_2

Gosh this thread had dropped back - everyone too exhausted to turn on the computer at the end of a long week!
I am sat on a Fri night with a cup of tea (normally a bottle of wine!) because normally I just fall asleep on sofa and wake up feeling rough on a Saturday! Tomorrow I am going to be full of beans and make the most of my weekend!!

jackomdj

We had a good day couple of days.

Our soon to be 3 year old had a hospital eye appointment yesterday. They were very happy with how she is coming along. Next appointment is in June when we will see the optician as well as the opthmologist (?) so will find out if there have been any changes in her perscription.

Today she had a great time at her swimming lesson. Then back home, OH had picked up the eldest (as she finishes at 1:30 on a Friday) then at 4:00 OH took the eldest swimming...she did well too.

This evening they played together really well. There is usually some kind of drama here most evenings, either they want the same toy, or one is bugging the other or ..... the list goes on. But today was one of thpse rare nights where they were both really well behaved.

Tomorrow we are going to take them swimming. Then OH has said to our eldest he will take her to see Alice in Wonderland on Sunday.

Have a great weekend all
Nicky