Tell me about your after-school routine

ppants

What's your normal night like?  Any different than when your DC was in daycare?   My b/g twins are 5 and will be starting kindergarten this August.  I currently work FT, but will be going PT once they start school.  TIA.

shopgirl78

I work flex (FT) and am usually off work between 4-5pm, sometimes as early as 3pm.  School gets out at three.   If I get off at 3, I run to the school before the afterschool bus takes her to her program (at my son's daycare).   Then I go get the boys; DD loves to be picked up from school.

Mondays:  I rarely can get her early and we have dance at 615pm.  If I don't get off til 5, its out fast food night.  The kids love it.  I dress her for dance before leaving the daycare and go grab McDonalds, drop off the boys at MH work and take DD to dance.  We don't get home until 730pm.  Enough time to shower and do betime routine.  I can't imagine when I have more than one in activities.  GAH!

Tues- Friday.  Sometimes on Fridays, I sub at our local high school but generally, we get home around 4pm-5pm.  I feel like the kids had a long day at school and they play hard at afterschool (usually on the playground when I come get her), we generally watch a movie/play computer when we get home while I cook if we don't have leftovers and I am not using the crockpot (I try to do both to save time), sometimes I kick them outside while I cook (but that's hard with DS2)  : ) Dinner is usually at 6pm and afterwards, DH is home and plays with them for a few until bathtime (7pm) and at 745 we read, bursh teeth, get ready for bed...

DD doesn't have much homework and if she does it's usually given on Monday and due on Friday (or over the weekend). So, we don't have that added venture yet.  The afterschool program does have "homework help." 

shouldbworkin

DS in in KG and DD is in PS and I work FT.  Evenings are pretty much the same, except DS sometimes has homework to do.  I usually sit him down at the kitchen island while I prep dinner and have him finish his work.  We didn't do any activities for awhile too b/c it was just too much with KG. But, he's in the groove now so we have one activity a week.

DandelionMom

My girls haven't been in daycare so I can't answer that part of your question.  On days without activities we get home at about 4:30.  When the weather allows we play outside for half an hour to an hour.  Then we head in for the girls to do their homework while I make dinner.  DH usually gets home in time for dinner.  Then it is pretty much time for jammies, stories, and bed (7 for the 4 y/o, 7:30 for the 7 y/o, and 8 for the 10 y/o). 

Days with activites are more rushed.  We usually don't have that playtime and we usually have a really simple supper (like soup and sandwiches).

Sammysu

I am now a SAHM but when I was working I had two DD's and the youngest was in a daycare/preschool until and the oldest stayed afterschool on the playground until I got off work. If DH got off earlier than me, then he would pick the girls up, if not then I would pick them up. We told DD#1 to do her easy homework at school and the rest would be done when she got home. When we got home, I would change my clothes and get dinner going. This would be the time that DD#1 would finish her homework and DD#2 would either watch a tv show or play with her toys or help me in the kitchen. After dinner the girls showered then got their stuff ready for the next day and then it was down time until bed.

#6

I work an extremely early shift (5:30-2 or 6-2:30) which puts me home either at 2:40 or 3L10.  (40mins drive) The girls preschool bus gets to our house daily at 3:15.  I bring them in to get their snack and we go back out if warm to wait for L to come home.  His bus runs at 3:30 and drops him off at the end of out st.  (lined with sidewalks, dead end st, I can see him the entire walk/run home)  He come in gets a snack and we play outside (if warm) until time for me to make dinner.  While I do dinner L does his homework.  If he needs help he does it at the counter with me.  He has quick kindy hw now.  I always check his folder while they are playing to see what his HW is and how long I think it will take.  If it seems like it will take longer we cut play time shorter.  If we dont go outside they play with toys/games etc or we watch some tv.  

Once dinner is done (usually around 6-6:30) they play some more until 7:30 and we get ready for bed.  Bedtime is 8pm.  

Now that the time changed they are trying to work into their summer bedtime at 9 but I know they need that hour of sleep.  The last week or 2 has been rough though and they havent been getting to sleep until after 9.  They have always had a natural time clock of their own.  Every time change they have followed pretty good.  

Im actually in their room now playing pandora for them and the girls are just now starting to settle down.  sigh.  

On Thursday the girls have dance at 5 so we get home, snack and play for a short time, get changed for dance and drive all of 2 mins to dance to be there by 4:40 to get parking by the door.    (esp in the winter when its dark when we come out)  

Wednesdays L has had basketball for the last few weeks.  This is his last week.          He loves it but his games on Wed. are as late at 6:30.  Meaning they end around 7:30.  ugh. But they have been as early as 5. That throws dinner and bedtime off.  We usually do dinner out on those days.  

I cant wait for this fall.  All 3 will ride one bus and get home at 1 time.  YAY!    

 I know mine is a lot different because of my early shift.  I love and hate it.  Im exhausted because I dont go to bed until 11pm most nights.  Some as late as 12-1 and never before 10.  I get up at 4am.      But its worth it to be home so early in the afternoon.  I esp love it in the summer!  

heyitsme

DD is in 1st grade but I work FT so she goes to the Y. DH works nights so it's just me and the kids. Our night goes like this:

6:00 pick up DD from Y

6:15 get home, DD picks a book to read (required nightly reading) to DS and I while I nurse him

6:30 I start cooking dinner while DD does her homework (each nightly book has a question to be answered, plus she might have some math homework)

6:50 we eat dinner together

7:10 dinner is over (kind of rushed, I know), she gets into the bath or we just have a little down time

7:30 bedtime routine (pack backpack, pick out clothes for the next day, brush teeth, put on PJs)--she does these things while I put DS down for the night

8:00 tuck-in, maybe I read to her, or we just talk, or whatever... lights out is usually at 8:15