Busy mums - what is your routine?

kivsy

I have got 4 children, 2 teenagers and a 7yr old and a 5 yr old. I know they are not toddlers anymore, but it is still manic in our house! In some ways the teenagers need more time than the little ones do as I make sure I always just chat with them, make sure I know whats going on in their lives. I dont work full time but I do paper rounds and things like that to help out. I also do a lot of things for PSA at schools and am also studying for a degree in psychology with the OU, so my point is, although not in full time employment, still very busy. To be honest I know that it is important to have structure to your day, what has struck me about many of the posts is that it is all about routine. I think the most important thing is to relax, accept that lots of the time it will be chaos and messy etc, but make time to enjoy your children, they grow up very quickly, housework and everything else will get done, the most important thing is the children and your relationship with them.

RoxieW

WASHER wrote: »

I'm a busy working Mum of two (older than the OPs though)

6.45 am I get up,dressed etc
7.00 am Empty Dishwasher, make packups, have plenty of Coffee
7.15 am wake the children, they get dressed whilst i make their breakfast.
7.30 am I get coats, bags etc by the door ready to go, and make beds if time
7.45 am leave for work
6.05 pm Back home, make dinner
7.00 pm Load Dishwasher, tidy kitchen, ensure homework is done, bags are packed for day after
7.30 pm Sit with a glass of wine, if the children need a shower, they get one (every other day)

10.00 pm Bed

I do the housework and washing at the weekends, unless I get up 15 mins earlier to do the hoovering downstairs.

I was a SAHM for 5 years until recently, I didn't realise how lucky I was to have all day to do things with the children and to do the housework. IMO, they have the easier job, talking from experience here. I have been on both sides of the fence, and being a full time working Mum is very demanding.

I've also been on both sides of the fence and I definitely think that being a full time mum (with a preschool age child or two lol) is definitely the most demanding physically and emotionally. I went to work for a rest from the constant demands of motherhood lol. Plus the house was empty all day so there was no mess to clear up. However, I found the guilt of being a working mum very difficult to deal with and also the demands when my children started school were impossible to meet! Weekly 'stay and play' sessions, weekly assemblys, half termly open days, plays, sports days etc etc. I'm lucky at the moment to be able to work part time from home but I take my hat off to full time working mothers as I know that will be me again in the not so distant future and part of me is dreading it. But on the other hand I will be contributing more financially to the family coffers and I want my children to have a successful mother to look up to

On the subject of eating together I agree that it is the ideal but when it's not possible then it's not possible. My children ate their meals at nursery for a while. Not ideal but if needs must needs must. The only reason I meantioned it in my post is that it doesn't seem very time saving to me to cook and tidy up after two separate meals and time saving tips are after all the point of this thread.

skintchick

donnaessex wrote: »

I've been sitting on my hands all morning trying not to reply but I can't leave it.

My children thank you for your pity but they have a mum and dad who both have to through no choice of their own work full time to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies.

Continue to look down from your ivory towers on the poor children who don't get to see their parents through the week but please ensure you understand that what us working parents miss during the week is more than made up for in fun times during our weekends. We do eat together then.

I personally think that when they are at the table eating together that its preferable for mum to be busy too, rather than sitting with them and then rushing off to cook/clean/iron when they have free time and want some entertainment, but thats just me.

Sorry for the rant but you hit a raw nerve here (obviously) and the preachy tone of your post annoyed the hell out of me. *and breathe*

I wasn't preaching, nor judging, just making a comment. I don't live in an ivory tower, and I don;t pity your children, I was just making a comment. Clearly I did touch a raw nerve - demonstrated by your overreaction to my post - but people on forums often have differing opinions, and it wasn;t meant personally, just a general comment on something I personally consider to be important, and which obviously you don't.