Working Moms

How many hours a day do you see your kid(s)?

After usually getting out of work late and my commute home, I only see my DS for about 2 hours.  And during that time I'm usually rushing around to cook dinner, giving him a bath and getting ready for the next day.  I think it's starting to hit me hard because the weather is getting nice.  I used to work 3 days a week which was the perfect balance, then I got laid off.  I was out of work for a year and got a taste of being a SAHM.  Now I'm working 10 hour days and feel like I never get to see DS.  Don't get me wrong I am very grateful and fortunate to have my job and I really like it.  So I guess this is just a vent.  :0) 
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Michelle & Joe Married 9-10-04

Re: How many hours a day do you see your kid(s)?

  • On weekdays I get 1 - 1 1/2 hours of awake time in the morning before driving in to work/DC, and about 2 - 3hours of awake time after getting home from work.  A lot of that (especially the morning) is also running around getting things done and not 100% focused on LO. 
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  • Maybe 20 minutes in the morning. In the evening, about 1.5-2 hours. It sucks, I work 9-10 hours a day plus spend about 2 hours or so commuting each day. I start a new job in July and hope to have some more time with DS.
  • KarBearKarBear member
    The same.  About 1/2 hour in the AM and 2 hours in the PM.  We usually eat right when we get home at 5 (DH and I take turns, and try to plan things out to make it easier).  Also, DD usually only gets a bath every other night, so we have that extra time (unless shes really messy!)
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  • Gina418Gina418 member
    On weekdays, I see ds from the time he wakes up until the time I leave for work (about 2 hours). At night I get another 2 hours with him from the time I get home until bedtime. I make the time fun for me and ds, it works for us!
  • I see DS about 20 minutes while I'm getting ready in the morning (so, not quality time) and then anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours at night.  Depending on how he napped during the day.

    DD I see about 90 minutes in the morning, since she goes to school where I work we spent the commute together and I take her to her classroom.  And then 5 hours in the evenings.  She comes to my room after school and then she's in bed at 8:30.

    My DH though sometimes goes several days without seeing them awake. 

  • I see DS about an hour in the morning while I'm getting ready/at daycare, 20 minutes during my lunch, and 2 hours at night if I'm lucky.

    Many nights he naps the entire evening, since he doesn't nap well at daycare.  Then I don't get to spend anytime with him.  :(  Those days are hard.

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  • We spend an hour in the morning, even tho we are getting ready for the day we are still together, cuddling, singing, and laughing.  We are home by 5; I try to make dinner as easy as possible so I can spend more time with DS.  Right now we talk a nice walk, play with some toys, or chase each other around.  I say we spend at least 1 hour playing at night. Then bath, book, bottle, prayers, and bed by 7:30, but that too is still spending time together. 

  • I get about 2-2.5 hours in the morning (depending on what time she wakes up), about 15 minutes at lunch, and 3-4 hours before she goes to sleep in the evenings.
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  • Nothing in the morning usually, unless I bring DD to work with me until her dad gets off, which gives me 2 hours in the morning.

    I get home at 2:30 and DD goes to bed at 7:30 so I get 5 hours.  She usually takes one nap in there.

    For a working mom, I love my schedule (6-2:30).

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  • We are with DS approximately four or five hours a day.  We spend time with him in the morning before I take him to daycare and then he goes to bed around 8:00 (give or take) and I get out of work at 5:00 so that's a pretty good amount of time.  Giving him a bath is some of that but I count that as good quality time, too.  He loves his baths.  I usually don't touch any type of "chore" until he is in bed.

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  • DH gets him ready in the mornings, so I get only a couple of minutes with him if we're ready to go early. He naps during the car ride to daycare and home. Usually he wakes up when we get home at 5:30, and his bedtime is 7. So we get an hour and a half together every day M-F.

    ETA: since he goes to bed at 7, I try to save anything I need to do in the evening for after he's sleeping.

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  • PeskyPesky member
    Hmm, about 1/2 hr to 1 hr in the morning but that is usually rushing around to get ready.  Then in the evening, about 1hr, maybe a little more with DS (he goes to bed very early) and only about 1.5-2 hrs with DD (she also goes to bed early).  And I don't work far from home and their daycare is VERY close to home.  Stinks but it is what it is right now until they get older or I win the lottery.


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    DS -- 3YO

  • Maybe 1 hour in the morning if we are lucky and then 2 hours in the evening depending on when she goes to bed. 
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  • 2 in the morning depending on when they get up and 3 at night. And DH is with them for an hour before I get home by himself.
  • I typically only see her for about an hour in the morning and then an hour in the evening. But, the thing that sucks is that it's not quality time - the mornings are spent getting ready and eating breakfast (which can be a fun time when DD is in a good mood!) and then in the evenings, we can usually play for about 20 minutes once I get home and then we start the bath/bedtime routine.  I agree, it's no fun :(
  • I'm not a mom yet, but I leave for work at 7:30 and don't get home until 7:00 or 8:00.  I already feel sad about the lack of time with our future baby.  I would LOVE to have 2 hours each night, but that's not realistic for me. 

    I would suggest not cooking at all during the week.  That's just wasted time that you could spend with your child, IMHO.  Cook something over the weekend to freeze and reheat during the week, or try something like Dream Dinners so you can just pop dinner into the oven.

  • I would say I average about 3-4 hours a day. Probably closer to 3 hours. And like you, it is hectic and I am usually getting myself and them ready for the day, or trying to make dinner and gets baths in.
  • I get to see Emmerson for about an hour to 2 hours in the morning. In the evenings I see her about 3 hours or so before bedtime...and I hate not being able to spend more time with her.
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  • I don't count the hours because I think that's just torturous and wasted energy. I truly believe in quality v. quantity so instead of counting the hours and minutes, I try to come up with creative ways to do things while he's asleep or while I'm away so that I can just be with DS the time we do have together.
  • 0-30 minutes in the am; about 1.5 hours @ night.
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  • I leave the house before they wake up :-(

    I see them 2 or 3 hours a night M - F depending on if they go to bed at 7 or 8 pm.

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  • I work rotating shifts 6 - 6, typically 2 nights followed by 2 days.  When Iw ork days, I leave before she wakes.  (although in the rare chance she does wake early, I handle her until it time for me to get ready).  Working 12 hour shifts is hard so I night I usually just see her for an hour or two before I pass out.

    The good thing about my schedule is that I get 3 - 5 days off a week.  The days I work I miss DD, but it rocks having all these days off.  I'll get off now at 6 am Tuesday and don;t have to come back in until Saturday at 6 am.

    March 21, I find out how far along we are. :)
  • imagecarrie4g:
    I don't count the hours because I think that's just torturous and wasted energy. I truly believe in quality v. quantity so instead of counting the hours and minutes, I try to come up with creative ways to do things while he's asleep or while I'm away so that I can just be with DS the time we do have together.

    This. I don't count the hours and I arrange my chores around his bedtime.

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