Help from FT working parents with children at school

Benson

Hi

I'm after some advice and helpful hints.

Both myself and my H Work full time, how do you get to juggle children's homework/schoolwork?

By the time I get home after picking up the kids it's between 6.30 and 7pm.

We have 2 younger children 1 toddler and 1 3yr old that I try to get to bed ASAP but can take until 8 -8.30 to get them down by which time it's far too late to do the DS reading and homework as he's too tired.

I've tried to do it whilst the others are up, dealing with DS first but he gets easily distracted by them and won't concentrate, wanting to play too.

DS is behind with his reading (he's caught up slightly as he was still level 1 till not long ago and now level 3, although class is at level 5+.

My mum tries to do homework and reading with him but also has the other kids so finds it quite difficult.

I'm just wondering how other FT parents manage it, I can't be the only FT parent with a handful of children.

I am going to look at cutting down my hours a couple of times a week so I can pick him up from school but at the moment it's not possible ( hopefully in the new year)

Any advice welcome as I feel like a crap mum!!

Thanks

CH27

Can your OH not do bedtimes for the younger ones while you read with your son? Or the other way round?

balletshoes

Can't your OH either help with the homework, or with the younger ones bathtimes/bedtimes? Thats what my colleague does, her and her OH take it in turns to bathe the baby/put him to bed, while the other parent oversees the homework for the other child.

Spendless

Hi, I started a thread a while back asking this, as since losing my part-time job, I'm now an office temp so have stretches of no work and stretches of full-time work, which I'd never done since having children. The theme I saw running throughout my thread was to keep on top of the laundry and meal-times. That has proved to be sound advice, even now when I feel things are getting out of hand if I tackle one or both of those areas, then I can see a difference afterwards. How old is your eldest one? Sorry I skim read your post. What childcare arrangements do you have for the children eg if the eldest goes to an after-school club, would it be possible to do his homework/reading there. I know that's something that can be done at my daughters asc.

go_cat

I just want to say how hard it is. My DH and myself both work full time and our son goes to after school club. He is only 5 so admittedly not much homework but we spend big chunks of the weekend reading and writing with him.

Can you not practise reading at your sons bedtime and him read to you.?

Benson

My DS is nearly 6 so in yr 1.

My OH can get in at 7.30 -8pm after being out since 6.30 so usually wants to have a bit of a breather before tackling the nightmare bed routines (plus he also doesn't see the problem -which is causing an issue there too!)

Benson

go_cat wrote: »

I just want to say how hard it is. My DH and myself both work full time and our son goes to after school club. He is only 5 so admittedly not much homework but we spend big chunks of the weekend reading and writing with him.

Can you not practise reading at your sons bedtime and him read to you.?

At bedtime he really won't concentrate, he's fidgeting all over the place and doesn't do it so it really becomes a battle!

balletshoes

okay, how about you oversee the homework at your mum's before you bring the kids home? That way your mum can look after the younger ones - it should only take an extra 15 minutes or so at that age.

Benson

balletshoes wrote: »

okay, how about you oversee the homework at your mum's before you bring the kids home? That way your mum can look after the younger ones - it should only take an extra 15 minutes or so at that age.

That's a good idea!!!!! Thank you!

Any other advice gladly received..........

sweetme

I work full time and am a mum to four. It's about prioritising. When I get home my first priority is the kids, how their day has been, catching up with them. I generally do this while making tea. After that they get an hour or so to play/watch tv while I catch up with washing/housework. My youngest is 5 and his homework is usually reading which I do with him when he is tucked up in bed, also gives him a bedtime story which kills two birds with one stone. My older son has a homework sheet which we do on a Wednesday night once the younger one is settled. My daughter tends to do her homework on her own (she's 15).

It's darned hard being a working mum, you are certainly NOT a crap mum.

CH27

Could you put a couple of hours aside on a weekend for one of you to read with your son?