Babies: 9 - 12 Months
knj71008
member
Full-Time Working Mother Schedule?
knj71008
member
Still new to the parenting thing here, and just wondered how do you do it all? Working (I work full-time, outside the home), dinner, keeping the house clean and sanitary (!), parenting a toddler, staying healthy, and keeping up with relationships (friends/family/husband)?
I try to stick to the schedule below, but it's not easy. Just looking for tips to make it easier or more efficient?
5:30 a.m.-exercise and take vitamins
6:00 a.m.-shower/get ready for work
6:30 a.m.-prep for that evening's dinner, wake/dress/feed daughter, pack lunches, empty dishwasher
7:45 a.m.-husband takes care of daycare drop-off/ I commute to work (protein bar on the way)
8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. work (on lunch breaks I try to meal plan, run errands, plan birthday/holiday gifts, and/or work on our budget, or study, whichever needs to be done)
5:30 p.m.- commute from work (husband also picks daughter up from daycare, since it is close to his workplace)
6:15 p.m.-dinner for family, clear dishes, put one load of clothes in washer
7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.-play time with baby/family time, and switch clothes to dryer
8:30 p.m.-bath/bed for daughter (she fights sleep, so her bedtime is always really late)
9:30 p.m.-fold & put away clothes clothes, clean kitchen and pick up around the house. Also, clean either bathrooms (we have four), vacuum, dust, or try to disinfect (I rotate this each evening)
10:30 p.m.-I'm (slowly) trying earn an IT certification, so I try to study about 30 minutes per day during the week, and during daughter's naps on the weekends.
11:00 p.m.-bed
Weekends I try to just focus on spending time with my husband and daughter.
Again, I so appreciate any advice!
I try to stick to the schedule below, but it's not easy. Just looking for tips to make it easier or more efficient?
5:30 a.m.-exercise and take vitamins
6:00 a.m.-shower/get ready for work
6:30 a.m.-prep for that evening's dinner, wake/dress/feed daughter, pack lunches, empty dishwasher
7:45 a.m.-husband takes care of daycare drop-off/ I commute to work (protein bar on the way)
8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. work (on lunch breaks I try to meal plan, run errands, plan birthday/holiday gifts, and/or work on our budget, or study, whichever needs to be done)
5:30 p.m.- commute from work (husband also picks daughter up from daycare, since it is close to his workplace)
6:15 p.m.-dinner for family, clear dishes, put one load of clothes in washer
7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.-play time with baby/family time, and switch clothes to dryer
8:30 p.m.-bath/bed for daughter (she fights sleep, so her bedtime is always really late)
9:30 p.m.-fold & put away clothes clothes, clean kitchen and pick up around the house. Also, clean either bathrooms (we have four), vacuum, dust, or try to disinfect (I rotate this each evening)
10:30 p.m.-I'm (slowly) trying earn an IT certification, so I try to study about 30 minutes per day during the week, and during daughter's naps on the weekends.
11:00 p.m.-bed
Weekends I try to just focus on spending time with my husband and daughter.
Again, I so appreciate any advice!
Re: Full-Time Working Mother Schedule?
Unfortunately your schedule looks pretty normal for a working parent. Aside from doing any prep or housecleaning in the morning, your schedule is much like mine. I have 2 kids. A 4.5 year old and an almost 2 year old. I work full time out of the home as well and I agree it's a juggling act but totally doable AND doesn't have to be super stressful. Once you do it long enough you just find the time to balance it all. It works out!
I also get up before work to exercise because that's my only opportunity, plus I enjoy my quiet time.
I do all my meal prep on Sunday's. Cut veggies, cook chicken/meat/etc. and have it all organized in the fridge so each evening, while I'm cooking dinner, I can pack lunches for the next day. I even put snacks like fruit in little baggies for each day of the week so I can just grab things and go. I try to avoid having to do anything in the mornings except work out, get myself ready, then get the kids dressed and go.
We have a housecleaner come every 2 weeks. If you can swing it, DO IT! It has been a lifesaver. We keep up with the cleaning each day, a little bit at a time, but have the cleaners do the big stuff.
After the kids are in bed my H and I either have drinks and talk or watch a show together but I'm usually out by 9:30 at the latest! Days are exhausting.
Hang in there. I'm sure you're doing great