By popular request: Evening routines

I've been saying for years that if I ran the world there would be universal nannies for all parents every day from 6-9 am and 6-9 pm.  I think I've proven my case for the necessity of an assistant in the mornings. Let's roll the tape for the evenings.

I'll go first.

Parameters: Single mom with two kids in school, picked up by babysitter. Kids' dad relieves babysitter between 4:30 and 4:45 and plays with kids outside or in my apartment until I get home.

I leave work at 6, walk to the subway, and am coming out of the subway any time between 6:15 and 6:25. I usually swing into the grocery store around the corner to get something for supper and whatever I'm out of for breakfast and lunch for the kids for the next day. Speed through the aisles, wait at the check-out, chit-chat with Krystal or Stacy or Gloria as one of them checks me out, walk home. As I'm in the elevator I invariably realize I forgot to get something at the store.

Arrive home. Cats and kids rush me. Hugs, kisses, petting. Put down purse and bags, take off shoes, exchange information with kids' dad. He leaves.

Start supper. If I'm lucky, the kids are playing with cars or trains or playing Club Penguin (devil's tool) or Hide the Farts or one of the baseball games on the computer in the living room so I can make supper quickly and with no unnecessarily messy incidents. Dinner probably involves George Forman grill or quick stir-fry of some sort. Need to start ramping up slow cooker again, now that there's a chill in the air.

I feed the cats. Did I mention that my babysitter and her roommate convinced me to start cooking my own cat food? I am such a dumb-ass, because I tried it. It takes about 45 minutes once a week, then I freeze the portions in silpat cupcake tins, pop them out, and store them in the freezer, 'til I thaw them and plop them on the plate for the cats. Their fur is definitely shinier and they have more energy and seem more playful. Or else I'm just imagining that.

Serve supper. Pray, eat. Yes, they can have more tater tots once they finish all of the broccoli and chicken. Yes, you may be excused, but please go wash your hands. With soap.

Clear supper dishes, wipe down table. Check mail, look over older son's homework packet. He's gaming the system by doing all of it on Monday night instead of in increments. Make sure he's not behind. Check any other correspondence from either school.

Roam the apartment looking for wayward laundry. Boy sock in between the tines of the broom. Interesting. Boy underpants on a desk. Collect enough clothes for a load. Consider prioritizing by which clothes will need to be used in the next couple of days, but don't have the emotional energy. Horrible thought: Do I have any quarters? Yes--it's a Christmas miracle. Toss the load in the shared laundry machine down the hall.

Break up fight between the boys. Turn on "Wheel of Fortune" to distract kids and learn more about the fascinating English language. Read books with kids. Snuggle, laugh, play with cats. Guess final round of Wheel of Fortune. Keep playing.

Look at time, and give 5-minute warning before bath. Run bathwater (with bubbles). Get kids out of clothes and into tub. Wash dishes while kids are playing in tub. Pick out pajamas for kids. Wash their hair, get them out of tub, dry them off, stuff them into pajamas. Help them brush teeth.

Tuck into bed. Hahahahahahahaha. The older one is easy--a cup of water, a kiss, and he's ready to sleep or else pretend to sleep until I'm gone at which point he reads Sports Illustrated for Kids in his bed quietly, thinking he's fooling me. The younger one is a nightmare of multiple trips for water and peeing, being tucked in the wrong way, needing to tell me "sumfing" a dozen times, and not wanting to go "tooo sweeeeep." Try to stay patient and loving. Triumph by eventually just saying "Goodnight" firmly and walking out of the room, ignoring the wailing. Switch laundry to drier.

Change into elastic-waist pants, althletic socks, and sneakers. Do T-Tapp (BWO+ or SATI). Have TV on in the background while I work on freelance work assignment. Write Ask Moxie post. Drink some water. Fight off urge for cookies. Look at time--crap! 11:30. Do face routine, brush/floss teeth. Put in retainer. Change into pajamas. Look woefully around my room and make mental note to do something about organization on the weekend. Send text to friend who drives a semi and gets lonely on the road. Pray. Fall asleep. Have completely forgotten about dry, wrinkled laundry in the hall.

Comments

[Fraulicious]

Stats: I WOH 3 days a week, DH is chef and works nights. 1 DD, 10 months, 2 cats, numerous fish

4.30pm Leave work, head for trolley
5.15pm Get home, pump
5.45pm Pick up DD from daycare
6.00pm If DD is not too tired or hungry, drive to trolley station, park car for DH, walk home (sometimes via playground)
6.30pm - 7.30pm (order may vary on a given night) DD dinner, bath, PJ, book, nurse, sleep
7.45pm Feed cats, indoor fish, outdoor fish
8.00pm Scrounge for dinner (unless I have cooked ahead, in which case, reheat dinner), check email, surf the net
9.00pm Start making lunch for myself, pack bottles and food for DD, pack diapers for daycare (CD), wash diapers if necessary, laundry if necessary
11.00pm Pump
11.15pm In bed
12.00am or later wake up when DH comes home, give him a quick cuddle, go back to sleep

[Nutmeg]

I missed this somehow.

Parameters: As before, two WOH parents. One flexible full time schedule (me), the other very inflexible 1.5 times schedule. One 21 month old.

The thing that DRIVES ME INSANE about what goes on here is that there is very little certainty about what time Dad will be home. Five would be an extremely early day. Eight would be pretty late. 6:00 would be pretty early. Because dad sees so little of the nugget daddy does dinner and bedtime for him as their thing. So the schedule of those must be somewhat flexible, even though the son isn't so much flexible.

Between 4:30 - 5:15 I pick up the nugget from day care. This depends on a lot of things, but mostly my work, traffic and how late dad is likely to get home.

After daycare: Mommy and nugget either run a short errand or trip to entertain the baby, go to the park or come home and sit on the front steps of our house and watch the "cai's" and the "Boid"s go by. We are home before 6:15, if dad's going to be early we are home earlier.

6:15 - Whenever dad comes home: Chase the dog, read books, pick raspberries, empty the dishwasher clean the bathroom etc. tickle each other, play with sticks in the yard.

Arrival of dad: If it's early we feed the nugget dinner and maybe go running as a family or I go running alone or dad goes running with the nugget. NOTE: This is something I don't like. We DO NOT usually eat dinner with him. He screams a lot during meals and generally makes a fuss, barely eats anything and I can't digest. Also, preparing a full on meal for three people without knowing when you can sit down to eat it is sort of impossible, when the time range is 2 hours.

If the child is exceptionally dirty or it's been more than one day since the last bath, he gets a bath (by dad). If we went running he gets a shower with dad.

I start dinner, laundry, diapers, my own continuing work etc while the nugget goes upstairs.

By 7:30 he should be upstairs and starting the bedtime thing. Bedtime order of operations goes:

Jump around on mommy and daddy's bed all nudie.
New diaper and pjs
Medicine (singulair and decongestant antihistamine)
Teeth, a drink of water.
Three or four short books selected by the nugget.
Nugget lays down during the last book, then lights out.
Parent sits on the floor next to the bed waiting until the boy falls asleep (or in reality repeatedly tosses him back into bed until he gives up the screaming and climbing out and finally falls asleep)

Whole thing is over by 8:15, sometimes earlier if daddy has gotten home earlier.

If dad isn't home by 6:45, I do all of this until he gets home and takes over.

The nugget usually wakes up at least once in the middle of the night. Resetting the sleep involves telling him to get back in bed and lay down, and sitting next to his bed till he falls asleep. (or tossing him back into bed until he's gives up)

[Jackie]

Cat food recipe please.

[meandmrb]

1 WAH dad, 1 SAH mom, 1 nearly 10 month old son (Mr B) and 2 dogs, living in Colima, Colima, Mexico.

Dad's work days:
A bit before 4:30, I make and start bottle heating for Mr B. Start preparing his dinner while the bottle heats up.

4:30 - Mr B has his bottle and then chills in his high chair while I finish making his dinner.

4:45ish - dinner for Mr B, maybe a snack for me at the same time.

5ish - bath time, usually 15 minutes, then butt cream, diaper, pajamas and getting Mr Bs room arranged for the night...windows open, curtains cracked, mosquitoes shooed out of the mosquito netting over his crib.

5:30 - curl up with Mr B, 'bunbun' the stuffed bunny and read 3 english language books. Point out that bunbun looks really sleepy and it must be time for her to go to bed. Mr B and I put BunBun to bed and then he nurses for as long as he wants to before being handed over to Daddy for a top up from a bottle and to be rocked to sleep.

6ish - MrB is asleep for the night and we usually don't hear from him again until the next morning. He'll wake up for the first time sometime between 5 and 6 but go back to sleep again, then I get him up for the day sometime between 6:15 and 7.

On the days when his dad isn't working, one parent usually gives Mr B his dinner and the other handles bathing and dressing afterwards. Then it's always to mom for storytime and nursing and dad does a bottle and rocks him off to sleep.

After Mr B's down for the evening, I put away all the toys and playmatts, clean the kitchen, bring the wash in off the line and fold, then I walk my dog, then my husband walks his, before we make a quick dinner and watch a show or play cards or whatever. Our main meal of the day is mid afternoon, so we have a small lunch like meal in the evening and leave the kitchen mess from that for the next morning.

[petiteboo]

Currently on mat leave so I'll give you the version I envision when I'm back at work.

Parametres: 2 WOH parents in Toronto. Husband works long hours hence normally absent from evening routine. Two daughters: 2yo and a 6mo.
Leave downtown office 3:45 or 4:00. Grab dinner items from concourse/underground grocery store. Hop on subway, arrive home to hop in car and drive to younger's home daycare. Get caught up with lovely caregiver. Hustle younger into car.
5:30 arrive at older's preschool.
5:40 Home. Shoes off, clothes off for kids, wash hands whilst naked. Gather up clothes other articles of laundry, toss into washing machine (Is anyone else as weird as I am when it comes to washing day's old clothes imeegitly?)
Go upstairs. Everyone changes into comfy clothes.
6:00 play, goof around or go down to gated play room to colour etc.
6:30 Hightail into kitchen to start dinner
6:40 Screaming ensues "Mommy! We want out!"
6:45 Turn on Hi-5 or Yogabbagabba
7:00-7:15 Dinner on the table usually brown rice, chicken and salad. Or easy to make soup (chicken stock, chick peas, diced tomatoes)
7:30 wash dishes while kiddies eat fruit. Run upstairs to grab girls' towels, hang on bathroom door.
7:45ish Start bath.
8:00 upstairs for lotion, pjs, brush teeth, read stories, sing songs. Night-Night.
8:20 Creak down stairs. Grab dry clothes from dryer, toss basket in family room next to lap top. Clean kitchen floor, general tidy of house, organize for next morning.
9:00 Cleanse routine (wash face, retinol, emu oil around eyes, Smith's rosebud salve on lips)
At this point, Dear Hubby arrives. On good evenings he's early enough to see girls and help with pjs and story.
9:15 Grab glass of water or other bevvy. Sit tired ass down in front of TV and laptop, fold laundry.
11:00ish get into bed, set alarm with intentions of t-tapping before work.

[mo]

Hi... didn't participate in the AM posts.

Household - 2 WOH parents (both full time, both mostly on NY hours), 3 1/2 year old boy twins, 1 cat living in So Cal.

Leave work around 2:45/3, swing by grocery story on commute home if leave early enough. Relieve nanny anywhere between 3:30/3:45 - 4 is the actual deadline.

Boys finishing up their nap when I get home and wake up anywhere between 4 and 4:45. Hang out in my room changing clothes, checking emails, puttering for a few minutes.

Hang out and play with the boys until husband gets home around 5. Dad plays with kids while I try to make something for dinner (we've been really trying for a healthy homemade family dinner most evenings). Running later than I wish getting dinner ready - typically aim for 6, winds up being closer to 6:30 most nights.

Eat dinner, depending on both how messy dinner winds up being and/or how long it takes, husband gets the boys bath ready while we finish up our fruit. Husband bathes boys - we are now trying to bathe them separately - while I clean up kitchen and table and entertain the non-bathing child. Switch children, finish cleaning up. Husband uses kitchen timer and keeps each child's bath to 7 minutes.

Boys now in PJs - if we are running early, we go for a quick walk up/down the street. Then, they each pick 2 books for their bed and then each pick one book for bedtime stories. I pick one bedtime story as well. We read the three bedtime stories together on the couch. Then they go to bed and I tell them a made up story about their day. Sing a rendition of Rock-a-bye-Baby and then say goodnight.

In my dreamworld, it would now be my husband and my time. Sadly, although the boys are now in bed, they call us, cry, need their blankets put back on, etc. This goes on for a good hour, possibly up to 2. We've definitely lost on the bedtime battle. Only thing going right at this point is they are not in our room. Otherwise, I don't think we are doing anything right.

During this time, my husband and I trying to do our daily chores, maybe watch a show on DVR (only way to really watch TV since we are interrupted so frequently), check Internet, etc.

Get ready for bed around 10. Read in bed until about 10:30 and finally go to sleep. Alarm goes off at 5:30AM.

Most evenings would be sooo great if we didn't have the whole bedtime battles.

[Carla Hinkle]

@Moxie: did you ever ponder have the kids' dad give them dinner (at your place, I guess) before you get home? That would take something off your plate (heh heh) and get everyone to bed earlier and be something nice for kids/dad to do together. Maybe you would have to plan it out ahead, shop, etc so it would be extra work for you in the end but that seems like it would give you a break and be a more even division of labor, considering you do all the bedtime routine and the morning routine yourself.

[Jessica]

Parameters: Two children one in FD kindergarten and one in daycare, two working parents, I work school hours in home office, D WOH in an office less than 5 mins away but frequently travels.

8:30am-2:50pm--Cram as much work as possible into the day and ideally also manage to squeeze in a BWO+ or 30-minute run for lunch, move along and fold the laundry I started in the AM during a conference call.
2:50-3:00pm--Race out, pick up M from kindergarten, give her a snack and transfer work location to laptop at kitchen table.
3:00-4:00pm--Supervise homework and usually an art project while typing at the kitchen table. Repeatedly insist that homework be completed before PBS goes on. Try and seem like a competant professional who isn't fighting with an over-tired kindergarten if anyone from work calls me.
4:00ish--Finish work, announce art project must be completed soon, consult menu plan and do minor dinner prep.
4:15ish-sometimes as late as 4:45ish-Go to daycare, go inside to sign him out andget his bag, walk over to the playground as they are finishing up outside time, talk to teacher, forcibly remove both children from the school playground, drive the 5 mins home.
4:30-5:45ish--Make dinner with two helpers. Supervise outside or playroom play. Check blackberry and make sure work did not melt down, but usually have some minor crisis to deal with via bb while pushing kids on swings or serving as the audience to a "play" M is producing in the playroom.
5:45ish--D comes home if heisnot travelling. He helps B and M set the table, I finish getting dinner to table.
6-6:30--Pray, eat, repeatedly insist that the little one SIT in his seat and that no dessert will be forthcoming if they do not at least try X bites of whatever is the unacceptable food of the night.
6:30--Fork over a popsicle or cookie to M and usually deal with tantrum of two year old who too full to try a bite of a vegetable but miraculously would be able to manage a Dora freeze pop.
6:30-7--Let kids play outside or playroom, talk with D about our days, maybe clean up kitchen a bit together, he may do a household chore.
7:00-7:30--D cleans up kitchen and does some household chores (usually something outside now that it isstill light out then) while I supervise bath and pjs, put away laundry and lay out clothes for everyone for tomorrow.
7:30ish to 8:ish---Family snuggle, stories on our bed, pray.
8:ish--put kids to bed. Easy for big one, may take a while to convince little one that he is tired and must go to sleep now and no he can't snuggle in our bed more. Occasionally let him come back and calm down in our bed. Usually thank God for the wonder that is the crib tent.
8:ish forward--Usually go back downstairs and pay bills, get backpacks ready for tomorrow, straighten house, do 15 minutes in my flylady zone, and do some of the writing part of my work while D watches tv and types on his laptop in our room. Try and come upstairs at a reasonable hour, shower and go to bed. 2-3 days a week realize that it is 1am and I must go to bed. Come upstairs to find D either passed out or still typing too.
At least once a week collapse on the bed with D and just veg out with him in front of TV and both fall asleep at 9ish.

Tuesdays we fit after dinner soccer practice into this and Thursdays we havegymnastics right after school.

[Linda]

Two nights a week I leave for work at 6:30 pm, so my husband does the entire routine alone with all 3 kids. On Mondays he works late and I do it alone. When we're both together:

6:15-6:30 - He arrives home from work to shouts of accolades. Everyone is SO EXCITED to see him. I pour myself a glass of wine.

6:30 - We're sitting down to eat dinner. (If I am going to work, he makes scrambled eggs, grilled cheese, or some other kind of bachelor food for everyone.)

7 pm - Done. He plays with the kids, we take turns wiping hands and faces, and I enjoy loading the dishwasher without anyone hanging off my legs. Sometimes I use this time to head to a yoga class or get a haircut. If it's bath night, that gets started (by him).

7:30 - I usually am heading upstairs with the baby to nurse her down by now. Our older 2 are in their PJs, brushing their teeth, picking out their books, last minute drinks and toilet usage.

7:30-8 - My husband is reading them stories, answering questions, doing a short devotional and prayers. I finish nursing the baby (she is FAST), read her a book, and lay her down in a crib with a zillion pacifiers and a sippy of water. She plays happily for a few minutes and is asleep shortly.

If it's been a good day, I join everyone in finishing books, snuggling, etc. Sometimes I put away laundry while we talk. If it's been a tough day, I go back downstairs, pour a second glass of wine, and check my blogs.

8 pm - Everyone is in bed without too much fuss. We've been flexible about bedtime for a while (8 pm plus or minus), but with school we're trying to be more strict.

8-11 or 12 - We pick up the house, sometimes get a 2-person chore done, like yardwork or sorting through the mess in the basement. Usually we collapse on the couch together and reconnect, going over our day. Then we spend an hour or so picking up, get organized for the next day, etc before bonding with our respective computers.

[Hope]

Team Lawrence - I stay at home, husband works PT and is home by 4.15. Baby is 13 months old. We are in Australia, so we are heading into summer.

Our routine is pretty set but as he turns older I need to figure out how to tweak. Will read through everyone's routines and get some ideas.

4.45 - I start dinner. Son does not chew too well so still using purees with a little texture. Worried about this (if anyone wants to comment.) He has 4 teeth only and gags/pukes if food has big chunks. We are working on it.

5 - Dinner

5.30 - End dinner (unless he pukes up something in which case dinner starts all over again and we try to finish up ASAP)

Crawls around for 5 mins or so and then I offer yogurt or custard (pudding) for dessert.

5.40 until 6 - books on our bed (dad reading mostly while I tidy up kitchen)

6 - bath and get in pjs

6.20 to 7ish - Breastfeed on our bed, change diaper again (normally has poop during feed) and read Goodnight Moon. (this is the part that needs work - what do I do once he starts breastfeeding less (or not at all)? He drinks milk from a cup but not big amounts. Just sips here and there.

7ish - Walk into his room (lights are off), sit on chair for 2 mins - sing, say prayers, give speech about sleeping through the night : ). Put into crib and sing Twinkle Twinkle 3 times and pat a bit.

Good night - he is asleep when I leave the room or shortly after. Otherwise, go in and out until 7.30 when he is normally asleep.

Husband eats while I am doing the above. I eat when baby is asleep. Mess around with tempermental air conditioner and try to control air temp. Internet/read/etc for a bit and ideally asleep by 9 or 10 (i like my sleep). At the moment, we are going through the dev spurt so up a few times during the night. Have night weaned now and all going well there, so pat/shh when he wakes.

Any comments.advice welcome.

[paola]

@Hope,

Dd was still getting pureed food at 17 months! She just didn't want to chew anything, except banana which she had no trouble eating at all, so I knew it wasn't 'cos she couldn't, but because, she didn't want to. The ped said not to worry as she would switch to chunks when she felt like it, but to offer them occasionally. At around the beginning of the 18 month regression, she did regress as far as eating went, but back to eating like a regular person, and didn't want a bar of pureed stuff, but nice big chunks of steak, pasta, big pieces of fruit. I could not believe it. I promised myself I would never ever fret over her eating habits again ( which I have broken on occasion, but not as badly as before)

p.s Where are you in Aus?

[liz]

what we're dealing with over here...

i work evenings, the mister works an early day shift, the little biscuit is 8 months. we live in a smallish town, middle o' de bible belt.

mister generally gets home @ 3:30 after, stopping by the market to pick up dinner ingredients on his way. i'm happy to report the mister takes pleasure in cooking, so he is the house chef. it allows for the kit-kat and i to get an afternoon walk or a quick snuggle-snooze, depending on the kind of day we've had together.

4pm i pump a bottle so girl child can tuck it in later.

4:45 is our ridiculously early dinner time. kit-kat is in high chair sometimes eating, sometimes clanging her hands on the tray, always jibber-jabbering and bubble blowing.

5pm i leave for work, the mister and daughter finish dinner and then have playtime, usually involving a bouncy chair and bluegrass music

5:45 mister gives kit-kat a bath, administers baby massage, and stuffs her into pj's.

6ish mister feeds little miss her night bottle, rocks her for a bit, then has her in his lap as he watches show either "the daily show" or "tim and eric's awesome show, great job!"

by 7, kit-kat is asleep and mister has time to clean up the kitchen (he doesn't) and busy himself on the computer or with his music...usually a combo.

i'm home around 11:30, pick up the kitchen, run the dishwasher or a load of laundry, pump while checking email and watching an episode of "scrubs"

12:30ish, clothes hung up to dry or dishes left to unload in morning. nighttime self cleaning routine, attempt to get self to sleep. usually it doesn't happen until closer to 2. (i know i'm not getting enough sleep, but we haven't been able to figure out make it work, yet)

[Michelle]

Ack! Friday was crazy at work so I missed this until just now.

Here is the routine most days.

4:30-4:45ish leave work and walk 3 blocks to catch train. Ride train to park n ride, pick up car and head to toddler's day care.. 15 minutes (assuming no traffic snarls). Pick up toddler, chat with teacher briefly, gather up all this things and try to shepherd him to the car. Then drive another 15 minutes to older son's school to pick him up at after-care.

Home by 5:55 to 6ish. Usually husband is getting home around then as well unless I asked him to stop for an errand. Get both boys a snack, ask older one about homework.

Usually he does his math while I am cooking dinner. And the little one is running around the backyard or watering the rocks or whatever keeps him occupied.

6:30ish we sit down to dinner. Then vocab/spelling review for the older one.

Depending the night, my husband will get them situated in a bath while I clean up from dinner. Then I make a big bowl of popcorn and we all snack while the boys are playing.

Again depending on their behavior, we let them watch 30ish minutes of tv. At 8:30, I start getting the little one ready for bed while my husband listens to the older one read his reading assignment. Brush teeth, potty, kisses and lights out.

The older one goes right to sleep and is out like a light within minutes.

The toddler *sigh* is more of a challenge. He needs another drink or has to potty one last time or wants mommy to snuggle him. He is generally asleep between 8:30 and 9:00 but closer to 9 on most nights.

I know that sounds late but the toddler is nearly 2.5 and take a nap of 2+ hours every day. If the weather is nice and we have been able to wear him out (walking the dog around the block, play at the park, chase around backyard, etc) he goes to sleep much easier.

He gets up cheerfully at 6ish every morning on his own so I guess it isn't a big deal.

At 9ish, I head downstairs to pack the little one's lunch (daycare doens't provide lunch) and the older one if he doesn't like what is on the menu at school. Also pack my lunch, husband is on his own. Get anything out of the freezer that I need for dinner the next night.

Fall into bed around 10ish, too tired to even contemplate exercise.

Of course this is on a "normal" day and this week was rough. I think my husband picked up the kids most days this week because I had to work late. And I brought work home so they watched way too much tv while I worked for a couple hours. *sigh*

[&BabyMakes75]

Parameters: Mom WOH, Dad WAH, 3.5 yr old in pre-school. Both Mom and Dad have a lot of work to do outside of "regular" work hours. Work and preschool 5 min driving distance aor 15 min biking distance way, (yes I know I am very lucky). Live in the suburbs, east coast US.

5pm: receive cell call from The Dad, "Are you picking The Boy up or am I?" Usually I do but sometimes he can & I stay at work a little later. (When I bike this is especially helpful.)

5:30ish: pick up The Boy from pre-school. Too early in school year to predict mood.

5:40: arrive home. The Dad plays with The Boy while The Mom (me) cooks dinner. Usually it is a reheat of something I made over the weekend, (chick cutlets, meatballs, hamburger pie, sometimes lasagna) or something easy to heat and eat in under 20 mins (store-made meatballs, fish sticks, breakfast for dinner). While cooking, The Mom cleans out laptop lunch system from The Boy to get ready for next day.

6:15ish: All sit down for dinner. Attempt adult conversation with limited success. Have contest for who can eat veggies first. Allow The Boy to feel triumphant.

6:45ish: clear dinner dishes. One parent plays with The Boy while other parent cleans up. (Play could be backyard w/ ball or puzzle or blocks or books, etc) Hopefully the clean-up parent packs a lunch with leftovers for The Boy. (LOVE the laptop lunch system but I do pay $7/week to order Hot Lunch at pre-school 2x week for sanity and variety.)

7:20ish: set oven timer for 5 mins and remind The Boy that when timer goes beep, time to say good night and head upstairs. (I think I read about the timer idea on this board; excellent for The Boy; he can't blame The Mom or The Dad for end of play time b/c he sees The Timer as separate entity.)

7:30: head upstairs. (The Mom and The Dad take turns. Whomever stays downstairs makes tea for both adults.) brush teeth, change The Boy into pjs, insist he go to the bathroom, read 1 or 2 stories, turn off light, tuck in. Sit in chair in Boy's room for about 3 mins, say final goodnight, and head downstairs. Remarkably, (don't hate me), it is usually this easy. But, hey, we had a *really* rough first year sleep-wise! (If The Dad did night routine then The Mom is doing work or relaxing from day during the 1/2 hr bedtime routine.)

8:30ish: ask self how did it get to be 8:30. Shake off evening fog and do work for at least two hours, sometimes more. Occasionally watch a DVD with The Husband, (earlier known as The Dad) or something on Hulu; enjoy the time together but regret staying up too late... try not to snack and be satisfied with just tea. Mostly succeed, (especially difficult when menstrual)

About 10:30pm - wish for sleep. Debate about making self lunch but know I can get from cafeteria tom'w if needed.

Final before bed: try to pack bags for next day so can grab and go. Set alarm for 6am but usually up a little earlier.

One day about every other week = The Mom, exhausted, begs The Dad to put The Boy to bed and The Mom puts self to bed about 8pm for the night, forgetting all other obligations.

[Heather]

Yay! I am not the only person to wonder about the cat food!

[ireps]

wow. I am kind of freaked out about this. I am a SAHM and really am NOT using my time wisely. and on top of that bed time for the 28M old is 10pm and wake up is 6AM, sometimes 6:30 if we're lucky. My WOH Husband is clearly doing more than his share I think.

[ramy]

I'm hoping I get to read these sometime this week.

like our morning routine, our evening routine has gone to hell in a handbasket after the arrival of Baby Boy. it will also change some come January and I need to start teaching MWF again (now I teach one late afternoon night class instead of an actual maternity leave--I'm a temp employee).

Parameters: DH, me, nearly 4 year old girl, baby boy (6.5 weeks), cat and many fish (I ignore the fish--DH's project). Full day daycare/preschool MWF for Girl. Location: college town USA turned mid-Atlantic suburb.

5ish (preschool days)--load up Boy, pick up D from preschool. head home.
[during normal terms this involves me taking the bus from campus to the park and ride but now its unnecessary. on Wednesdays I teach until 6 so DH comes home early to get DD and its starts from there).

5:30--get home. note that we live a whopping 5minutes from daycare. Girl dawdles.
When we get home DH has usually arrived and is either watching the news or getting started on dinner.

5:30-6/6:30. Nurse the baby. try to simultaneously fill Girl's empty mom cup. doesn't work well.

6:30 (on a good day)--eat, usually while nursing baby with one hand b/c he wasn't finished/refuses to be put down.

7--we play with Girl. recently I haven't been as involved. in the 'old days' (6 weeks ago) DH would go to the gym here and Girl and I would wash the dishes, give her a bath and be reading books by 7:45-8pm and asleep by 8:30. These days its much harder. She has the biggest room in the house but currently the farthest bedroom from the living room. so she feels very isolated compared with her room in the old house (right next to living room). This evening is a great example.

7:30 (we had a late start). I go into our room to try to get fussy, overtired Boy to sleep. DH gets Girl ready for bed, they go into her room to read books, *he* falls asleep. She comes into parent's room with baby and I. we all snuggle (well, mostly I try to keep her from burying the little guy) and I read 2 books. I feel very loving and maternal. Boy wets his diaper and it leaks. DH wakes up as she gets the magic sleep book. I'm changing Boy. he stumbles in. all 4 of us are in the queen bed. Girl is trying to get as close to my breast as possible around nursing infant (she has residual nursing urges it seems). Finally, DH and Girl are asleep.

9pm (relatively early for the last few days)--put still freaking awake baby in sling. ask him if he's awake b/c of all the caffeine I drank trying to stay awake after last night's marathon nursing sessions. Put in load of laundry. wander thru Girl's room picking up dirty laundry. Notice lots of almost-made-it-to-the-potty undies around. Decide next load will be whites. debate how many toys I can give away while she sleeps before she disowns me. remember that she's still 3.5. think it might be worth it.

9:15 do dishes.

9:35 sweep kitchen and dining room. wish we had a dog. wish we had a dishwasher. tell Boy he's lucky he isn't bigger or he'd be doing dishes. remember I need to give him his antibiotic (ear infection)

9:35:30 boy falls asleep.

9:37-checked Girl's weekly school menu to see if she can eat any of the meals (she has a dairy allergy). Boy still in sling. Girl and Dad still asleep on parent bed. I'm on the laptop, also on parent bed. DH wakes up and moves DD.

and then I started this post. its relatively early but I need to get Girl's stuff together (including a lunch and a snack), the living room needs picked up, I have 3 papers to read for class this week and by then I'll decide I might as well stay up and watch eastenders on pbs since he'll need to nurse soon anyway. or maybe I'll try to put him down in the bedroom?

I haven't been asleep before midnight since my mother left Labor day weekend (US). Then again, last term I was never in bed before midnight anyway. 10pm-midnight is the only time I get peace and quiet to do things I want to do!

[Hope]

@paola - we are on the sunshine coast - just north of Brisbane. Are you in AUS? Thanks for note re: eating. My latest goal is to give him something that requires jaw work (chewing) at each meal, along with chunkier purees. He just swallows everything whole. Also going to start eating my dinner with him so he can see me chew. Maybe that will work.......

[Mom in France]

It was so therpeutic just reading all of these posts. I'm nearly in tears. How do we do it and not go insane?

I've been struggling a lot with the evening routine. The morning is somehow less crazy, and because I'm more of a morning person I'm energized and can roll with it more easily. Evenings are a whole different story.

I leave work at 17.30 and pick up Boo. We are home by 18.00. He's such a chowhound that as soon as we enter the house he's asking for a snack. I have one hour before his dinner time which is taken up with a panic of what to make him and us (still different things - why can't I get orgnized?), changing my clothes and a little play time which focuses my attention on him and cuts down the clinging a bit.

Start dinner. Boo on the floor in the kitchen with various kitchen utensils and some sort of snack.

19.00. He's in the high chair and eating. Usually this goes smoothly unless I've given him too much already to take the edge off.

19.10 Papa arrives home from work. Whew, back up arrives.

19.15 Papa makes himself a snack, which Boo decides is more interesting than his dinner. Nasty glare from me.

19.20 Boo and Papa play a bit while I begin to fix grown-up dinner.

19.30 Boo and Papa go to the bath. I'm scrambling to clean up Boo's dinner dishes and toy-covered floor. Try to put away laundry (ha!) and get Boo's bedtime set-up.

19.45 Boo out of the bath.

20.00 Watch 15 minute show: Les Guignols. (Current events satire with muppet-like puppets. It's a french thing).

20.15 Papa puts Boo in bed. I'm drinking wine by this time. Finish the dinner.

20.30 We eat, talk about our day and try to unwind.

21.15 I go to bed. Papa cleans up.

Now that I've written all that, I see how much my husband does. It often feels like not much since we're not always in sync or do things the same way, but I guess I can't complain. But like many of you, the time is exhausting and seems to fly by.

[Slim]

Parameters: DC and its environs, two FT WOH parents, three kids (3rd grader, kindergartner, preschooler)

Typical workday:

3:00 Leave office, walk to daycare
3:15 Pick up preschooler, walk to Metro, walk to school bus stop
4 - 4:15 Bus arrives
4:15 Walk home, discussing snack & dinner & unacceptability of same, possibility of having a friend over, school, what the Bush doctrine is and whether a vice-presidential candidate should reasonably be expected to know it, etc.
4:30 Snacks for kids, sorting through mail, etc. for me
4:45 Play/homework for kids, sometimes with help from me. Sometimes I am starting dinner, doing laundry, cleaning out backpacks, etc. although I try to save going through notices from school until after kid bedtime so my husband and I both know what's going on
5:15-5:30 Daddy's home! Yay! Daddy takes abotu 15 minutes to change clothes. WTF? But then he plays with boys so Mommy can cook in peace, except that the 3YO pretty much always wants to help, more doable sometimes than others, and no, he cannot be fooled with fake tasks.
A little before 6: Call to wash hands, request that KindyBoy set table, repetition of request, observation that those are the rules, I am done now, and you set the table or you don't eat with us. Why this works as a warning (at least sometimes) is beyond me. I certainly don't want to eat with us most nights.
6: Dinner
6:15 - 6:30 Dinner over, oldest helps husband clean up kitchen
6:30 Play/more homework/gather data about next day
7:15-7:30 I take 3YO up to get ready for bed. Stories, snuggling
7:30 Older two have bedtime snack (which can look like leftover dinner if none was eaten at dinnertime)
7:45-8 Husband takes older two up to get ready for bed. Stories, snuggling
8:30 Spouse comes for kid hand-off. He gets 3YO, I go to see older boys. Usually read to 8YO first, because he falls asleep first. Read to 5YO, rock, snuggle.
8:45-9 Turn on mp3 player with downloaded book (thank you, Overdrive media and public library system). Remind 5YO that if he can't be quiet, the story goes off. Go downstairs to do chores and watch TV.
9-9:30 Joined by spouse. Sort through stuff together, do other chores, have wine, get foot rub.
10-11 Up to bed. I shower the night before because I will do anything to simplify the morning routine (I leave the house at 5:45).
At any point from 8:45 on, we could be joined by a child who needs something or be summoned by a crying child. But often everyone sleeps through the night, which is nice. Never thought the day would come. And I am hoping that at some point a pleasant dinnertime will be likewise the rule rather than the exception. Anyone want to give me hope on that? Anyone?

[Julie]

As someone who was adopted by a kitten this morning while dropping my son off at daycare, I second (third?) the request for the cat food recipe.

[Melanie]

I'm in...also missed the boat on the morning routine but I'm liking how our evenings are going lately, so here goes..

Parameters: Mom, Dad, and one energetic 18 month old. Mom and Dad work at same company and drive together to work. Carpool with neighbour M/W/F. Commute is about 45 minutes.

4:10pm: Outlook reminder tells Mom & Dad to pack up and head to the car. Meet carpool buddy at the car, if he's not there by 4:20m, we leave without him.

4:20pm: Pull out of the parkade and head for the daycare to pick up M by 5:00pm

4:20-5:00: Dad drives, Mom catches up on her to-do list & plans the evening on her PDA. On some occasions Mom closes eyes on trip home, or plays Zuma on her iPod.

5:00: Pick up M at the daycare. Brief exchange over how the day went (poops? sleeps? meals?) and then head home

5:10: Drop off carpool buddy at his house

5:15: Arrive home. Mom heads in, consults MealMixer.com meal plan on fridge, starts making dinner. Dad unpacks M from car, feeds the 1 dog, feeds the 2 cats, plays with him till dinner is ready. Firmly enforced "No computer" rule between arriving home and when M goes to bed.

5:45-6:00: Dinner is served. Eat around dining room table for family togetherness. Try very hard not to laugh at M's inappropriate toddler dinner table behaviour even though it's oh-so-hilarious.

6:00-6:05: Put away any leftovers that need immediate refridgeration, place rest in oven to keep cats from climbing on counters and licking it.

6:05-7:00: Mom and Dad and M either play indoors, play outdoors, or go for a walk with dog and stroller, depending on weather & energy levels. Chat with neighbours if they are around.

7:00: Either Mom or Dad takes M upstairs, starts with bedtime routine, in this order: Bath, brush teeth, put on diaper, PJ's, grab sippy cup of water, turn off light, turn on small reading light,sit in rocking chair and read a couple of bedtime books while M drinks to satisfaction. Turn off reading light, give hugs. Put M in crib, give kisses, turn on Fisher Price aquarium toy, tuck in, say "night night" and leave the room. M usually drifts off, sometimes complains, but we don't go back in except for extraordinary circumstances. Meanwhile other parent clears dinner table, tidies kitchen, sets dishwasher to run overnight (on timer), and prepares coffee so we just have to hit the button in the AM.

8:00-10:00: Mom and Dad do whatever needs doing, usually 1/2hr on the computer to catch up with emails, finances (MS Money), etc. Watch 1-2 TV shows or play video games to unwind.

10:00-10:30: Mom goes to bed - face wash, moisturize, brush teeth, peek into M's room and reapply blanket if he's kicked it off. Read a few pages of whatever's on the go. Check to make sure alarm is set for 5:50am. Put in earplugs, go to sleep.

11:00-12:00: Dad stumbles to bed after having played Call of Duty 4 for longer than he should have.

Repeat daily.

[Jen]

Parameters: Dad works full time but at home on Mondays, Mom works long days to have Fridays off (and at home Tuesdays and Thursdays). One 7 month old almost walking at daycare 2 miles from home.

4:15 (Mon,Tues,Thur) Work-at-home parent picks up baby at daycare
OR
between 4:00 and 5:00 (Wed) One of us picks up baby at daycare - depends on dad's meeting schedule that day.
OR
Friday - mom at home w/ baby already

whenever pickup was until 5:15: whoever is home plays with baby and takes him outside to pick up the mail

5:15 feed baby baby cereal/fruit/veggies/cheerios. Daddy is banned from the kitchen unless he wants to feed baby (because if he sees daddy while mommy is feeding him he starts squealing and dinner is over). Non baby-feeding parent throws a load of wash in the machine and sets it to start at 7 because electricity is cheaper then (whoever invented that button on the machine was a genius. That I owned that machine for two years before I noticed the button was not so smart.)

5:30 clean up the baby/floor/highchair and rinse dishes. If it's bath night one parent gets the bath ready and the other one gives baby a couple teething biscuits (super messy - only on bath night!). Otherwise play a little.

6:00 either a bath or a walk. If the weather isn't nice enough for a walk, play inside.

6:30 not bath night: wash face & hands;
bath night: wrestle baby into towel to dry off, brush hair;
either way: talk to the baby in the mirror (amazing how that baby is always there!), nighttime diaper, lotion all over, eczema medicine wherever, PJs, rock, bottle, sleep by 6:45/7 (sometimes 7:30 if the afternoon nap went late). We started alternating who does the rock/bottle/sleep part when we realized he wouldn't fall asleep for anyone but mommy (oops). Whoever isn't rocking makes grownup dinner.

7:00 mom & dad eat and watch TV (unless we ate already)

7:30 - 9 clean up kitchen, put away toys, put the wash in the dryer and start another load; do whatever else needs to be done; sometimes one of us leaves to run a few errands. Pack leftovers into single-serve containers so they are easier to grab for lunch the next day. Forget to get the load of laundry out when it's done.

9:00 Tired. Quickly throw together baby food for daycare tomorrow. Prep bottles and measure formula for middle of the night feedings (we're back to two now - eek!) and for daycare tomorrow. Think about how we should have put baby's clothes together for the next day.

9:15 finally remember the laundry... put the second load in the dryer and fold/hang the first one. Or dump it on the couch.

9:45/10 go to bed because the baby still wakes up too many times during the night and I am tired.

So that's how it usually works. We try to have dinner ready for us so we can eat as a family but it usually doesn't work. Especially now that Daddy Is Cool!!! and the baby won't eat if he can see daddy.

@Moxie... the getting home early is nice, but maybe not so much if you realize that we are up at 5 am so we can do day care drop off at 6:30 am and be at work by 7.

[wix]

Howzabout sharing that catfood recipe?

We have an evening routine, but the tiem varies according to day of the week. I can tell you that the constants are:

- A bath for CX as soon as we get home (on school days) works better than a bath right before bed
- I do laundry every day (we are fortunate enough to have our own washer & dryer).
- I cook or prep every night (in addition to supper).
- I do as much lunch-packing as possible each night.
- I get things ready for the next day the night before whenever that's possible.
- I am almost always working on freelance stuff at night for at least 45 minutes.
- I do not watch TV, but might watch something on DVD (right now I'm watching The Wire) if I can also do something simultaneously (no foreign films for me, alas). Usually that thing is laundry- or cooking-related.
- I avoid email and being online generally (aside from frelance-related stuff) after I get home from work
- I never get enough sleep.

[wix]

Oops, forgot to list my parameters: One FT WOHM (me), one PT SAHD/FT student who is in school (30 miles away one way) MWF, so CX (4.25yrs) is at preschool MWF, but at home with dad on TTh. Two cats. One fish.

[michelle]

OK- I am just seeing this today and can't resist typing in my routine, even though I'm late. Two kids (1 and 4), two parents, space madness.

Leave work at 5:15, drive through traffic to burbs, pick up kids and get home by about 6:30.

Me, try to launch into preparing something for dinner in our "one fanny" galley kitchen around my husband's snacking and kid needs (juice/show me an art project/4 year old insisting that she needs me to accompany her to the bathroom when she really doesn't/me desperately trying to pacify crying 1 year old with a cracker);

Have a fight with aforementioned husband over his snacking in my way during the "dinner rush" or some other stupid nonsense;

Husband gives 4 year old a bath while I make dinner and attempt to entertain 1 year old. Sometimes.

Eat/feed 1 year old. While 4 year old takes forever to finish eating, I give 1 year old a bath. Sometimes. Well...rarely.

7:30- 1 year old is miserable and needs bottle and bed. One parent deals with that while the other hounds our 4 year old to eat her veggies and get into nightgown.

7:45- 1 year old goes to sleep. 4 year old gets ready for bed and has a half an hour of books or TV.

8:30- I put 4 year old to bed and deal with at least 20 minutes of nonsense and delay tactics. Husband makes 4 year old's lunch and gets coffee together for the morning.

9:00- Husband plays on the computer or watches TV. I wash all bottles, find food that the 1 year old can/will eat for next day and do the dishes.

9:45- I do laundry. Or try to cook something for the next day. Or watch TV. Make-up with husband.

10:00- husband feeds 1 year old "dream feed" bottle. I relax for a few minutes.

10:45- lights out for adults until 1 year old wakes up at about 5:30.

[paola]

@Hope

Good luck. It really is hard when they just don't swallow.
BTW, I'm from Melbourne, but live in Italy.

[rudyinparis]

Have been loving reading these. It's somehow so comforting to picture so many other people wrestling their loved ones into jammies at about the same time I am...

2 parent household. I work a 4 day week (32 hours) so have Fridays off. DH works full-time.

Leave work at 3:30. Navigate a longish, unpleasant commute. Pick up girls at daycare by 4:30. Depending on the season, we may go to the wading pool, the playground, the library, run errands, or go straight home. I usually start making dinner around 5:45 or so. The kids watch some tv, the PBS stuff, or take advantage of the fact that I'm tethered to the kitchen chopping vegetables and systematically destroy the house. It's generally a pretty fun time. We have small house with an open floor plan, so it kind of counts as together time. DH comes home around 6:00. We eat dinner together.

(I've been laughing when I read people write Dinner: 6:00-6:30. I'm sooo tempted to pad my numbers here, but dinner is like sex--truth be told, it takes 15 to 20 minutes. Tops.)

After dinner we all clear the table. Playtime. I may go for a run or start prep for the next day, or do laundry and cleanup stuff. Then it's usually baths for the girls that I am in charge of, while DH cleans up in the kitchen. This is from 7:15-7:30. Into pajamas and then storytime.

(We're reading Little house in the big woods and I am loving it! I never read it as a kid. I'm definitely the most into it.)

Brush teeth, potty. Now it's about 8:00. I'm starting to feel frazzled. I've been up since 5:15. This is the worst part of the day for me. We get them into their beds (they share a room) and sing their song. Some cuddle time. Possibly some crying. Possibly another potty visit (stalling tactic) and sippy cups of water. They fool around in their room. Usually, both are quiet and asleep by 9:00. DH will get online or watch tv or read or something. I'll do whatever still needs to be prepped for the next day. Crawl into bed by 9:30 and hopefully read for awhile. Maybe DH will come in and we can talk or fool around. I'm usually asleep way before him.

Another day done.

[rudyinparis]

Oh, and duh--2 kids, Eldest is almost 5, Younger is 2 1/2.

[Melanie]

Oh - I just thought I'd add, in case anyone is wondering where housework fits into my comparatively blissful evening routine...I work M/T/T/F, and take Wednesdays off to take care of housework. I hire someone to come clean my floors and bathrooms (the two chores I hate most of all), and then I spend the day meal planning for the week, grocery shopping, go for a run if my schedule & energy levels permit, and do 2-3 loads of laundry. An extra "relief" load usually gets done on the weekend too. My Wednesdays "Off" are the busiest day of my week.

[toomuchstrong]

I'm a latecomer to this too although I've been reading and enjoying all the comments.
I am a SAHM with a 2 year old and 3 months away from giving birth to the second one. Husband works reasonable hours and has a decent commute (about 30 min).
4-5:30 playtime either outside in the backyard, at the playground which is a 5 min. walk, with the neighbor kids in the back alley or inside the house.
5:30-ideally I start prepping for dinner. If I am tired or the kid is cranky then the prep time is eliminated (i.e. we are eating something frozen) or it gets pushed out until husband gets home.
6-6:30-the kid is starving. I must feed her something. As mentioned above, in an ideal world, dinner is ready by this time.
6:30-husband usually gets home and takes over. I can earnestly finish dinner, get plates on table etc.
6:45ish-we are all sitting down eating dinner.
7:15-bath time for little one. One of us gives her a bath while the other cleans up kitchen.
7:45-jammies and books.
8-lights out. (if there is no nap or she is cranky, lights out are at 7:30)
8:15-we crash on the couch. catch up on the day's events. maybe watch some TV or do a few chores around the house. (laundry, trash, load dishwasher, return calls)
9:30/10-we are both completely spent.
10:15-10:30- we go to bed. I usually read a few pages. My husband falls asleep 5 min after his head hits the pillow.

[The Broken Man]

Wow, that is one busy evening!

The Broken Man

[Slim]

"(I've been laughing when I read people write Dinner: 6:00-6:30. I'm sooo tempted to pad my numbers here, but dinner is like sex--truth be told, it takes 15 to 20 minutes. Tops.)"

rudyinparis, get out of my head.

[Maria]

Parameters: Single Mom by Choice (so really single - not divorced single - no dad at all, ever). Two boys - 5 and 9.

4:30ish. Leave office

5:00 Pick up the boys at afterschool

5.05-5:30. Arrive home, deal with mail (instant recycle as much as I can!) , look at kids papers from school, start thinking about dinner (which usually involves starting water for pasta of some kind). Biggest decision: Wine or Beer. Maybe chat with neighbors if they are outside.

5.30-6:00 Monitor homework if not done at afterschool, continue dinner prep

6-6:45ish. Dinner with the kids. They help with cleaning up as best as they can- put their dishes in dishwasher, clear table etc.

6:45-7:15 Kids play outside in summer, inside in winter. Maybe more homework or reading.

7.15-7:45. Get kids to go upstairs and start bedtime prep. Maybe showers or baths, maybe not depending on how dirty they are (in summer it is every night, unless they have just been swimming, in winter it is every 3 nights or so). If no bath, then encourage reading!!! Best when older son reads to younger son. I futz around upstairs folding laundry or tidying up. If they take a bath, sometimes I lay on my bed and watch mindless Entertainment TV (you know- the shows that are on between 7 and 7:30) and tell them I am busy folding laundry!!!

7:45-8. I read to them from a chapter book.

8:00 Come downstairs (Phew!) , get (more) wine and sit on the couch and recover for a while watching useless TV (HGTV!). Kids sometimes read in their beds for a bit - so I have to go up back up and give them a final good night hug around 8:15-8:30 or so. Can not really relax and begin “me time” til lights are out and they are settled.

8:30-910ish. Tidy, watch TV while organizing stuff, try to get rid of endless piles of papers on the dining room table, deal with laundry if necessary (once a week - though I try to do it on weekends), work if I need to (3 or 4 nights a week). Maybe talk on phone to other adults.

10ish BED for me, - though sometimes will stay up if there is something exceptional on TV (I still miss The West Wing!)

This schedule has to flex a lot, depending on older son’s sports (younger son is just beginning sports stuff). Some nights are a bit more hectic. Especially during Little League season, when there are games on weeknights. Those night require lots of adaptation. I have to get home earlier and older son eats before the game. Younger son and I eat some kind of portable dinner at the games.

Best night of the week is our weekly neighborhood Pizza and Video night. 4 families involved . Kids eat pizza and watch a video or in the summer, play outside. Moms and Dads eat pizza, drink wine/beer and chat. Since I only have to host once a month - on the other weeks I get to have a night when I don’t have to think about dinner!!!! Highly recommend that all mothers start a pizza night with neighbors.

[Katie]

Northwest Ohio, college town, husband teaches high school 30 minutes away, I work at university, 5 year old kindergarten, 3 year old morning preschool, baby 3 months sitter.

-Husband leaves work about 3pm unless helping coach powderpuff football, tutor kids on state test, or various other afternoon actives. He teaches high school and get their at 7- full schedule no planning period only 25 minute lunch.

-3:45ish picks up daughter from school's extended day then to sitter to pick up boys. During my lunch I picked up 3 year old from preschool and took him to sitters. If I was lucky and did not have to get right back to work I might stop at home and switch laundry or wash dishes

-Husband is home with all 3 kids. He unpacks bags, deals out snack for the older two and starts on dinner.

-5:15 I get home. Feed baby and help set table.

-5:30 we all sit down to eat- right now we sit down to eat together every night. Maybe twice a month one of us is gone.

-After dinner I clean up kitchen since husband cooked and I try to start on lunches for the next day but spending time with the kids wins out.

-Play with kids inside or out, maybe splitting the group and going to library or running errands.

-7:00 kids in the tub. I start with the baby and then husband gets him dressed while I wash the other two. Help them with teeth and into tub. Then into pjs and then Dad reads them a story or I read one to one kid while nursing the baby and husband reads to other kid.

-7:30 close door to their room and before I can sit down 3 year old is up for the bathroom. We help him once then tell him he is on his own after that.

-7:45 sit with the baby and smile. Sometimes husband works on laptop on floor with baby while I repack bags for the next day and do lunches

-8:30 whine from baby says he is ready for bed. Wrap him like a burrito and place him in bassinet his our room. He will up up once at night to eat.

-8:45 run around the house doing laundry. Clean bathroom- I usually do it on the weekend but it is the only bathroom in the house and with a 3 year old and my postpartum hair loss it needs cleaned more. Fit out urge to go to ice cream store.

9:00 We give in and one of us gets ice cream or make a run to grocery store or gas station for next days needs. Tell myself I'll get to bed early

9:15 pack lunches for the next day and set out all breakfast needs. Fold laundry. Work on crafts or other projects.

10:30 go to bed and set alarm for 5:50. Baby will be up about 2.

[mog]

I don't have a kid, but I want a nanny anyhow. (Is it ok that I lurk AskMoxie? I dig her.)

Grad student: 3 days at field placement; 2 days at school.

School days: leave school (after class, printing documents, or chatting) at 7pm
Drive-thru dinner, get home at 8pm (long commute!)
Think about laundry, messy house, printed but unread documents
Play on laptop while watching TV
Go to bed between 9pm and 10pm
Wake up at 6am, get to field placement by 8am

//
Placement days: leave placement at 5ish
Get home at 6ish (another long commute!)
Repeat above
Dream about placement (spinal cord injury unit)
Wake up at 6am, get to school by 8am

[janisfan]

2 WOH parents of a 3 yr old in full time preschool in San Francisco.

5:00 hubby picks up dd at preschool. Stops off at grocery store to pick up needed dinner items if needed. Brings daughter home and either has her play or watch PBS while he cooks dinner.

5:00 I get off work and come home by bus. About a 25 minute commute.

5:30ish Spend time with dd while dh finishes dinner. Yes, I know I am lucky. Look around the house and think about all the housework i should be doing but decide the house will still be around but my dd is onloy going to be this age the once so I keep playing.

6:00 eat dinner together as family.

6:30 try to get something in the house done but usually spend time talking with dh while dd plays.

7:00 bedtime for dd. DH does all the bedtime routine: Potty, teeth, brush hair, pjs. Then we both do her star chart which decides how many books she gets before bed (each star she earned=1book). Daddy reads all but one of the books. Then it's my turn. She then gets boob (still!) and cuddle time and goes to sleep with the encouragement to earn her bedtime star by sleeping all night long in her own bed.

7:30 dd in bed and we are generally on the couch watching tv and/or on the computer. We ought to be exercising and/or cleaning the house.

10:30ish bed.

[Meredith]

Dying to know, what is SATI and BWO?
Thanks!

[kfan]

Parameters:

2 work-at-home, parents who run a theatre company and a 10 month old boy, in a two-bedroom apartment (one is office)

9- 5: trading off parenting/who's in the home office with lots of exceptions ('nursels', snuggle, 'its too beautiful outside, lets take a walk', meeting consult/playtime) We EC our boy, so lots of 'pottytunites' and some puddles.

5ish: Husband cooks dinner, a passionate gourmand. Boy extremely upset that he isn't allowed in kitchen. Tries to jimmy open gate with set of measuring spoons. Mama tries to entice boy away with 'Bunny Foo foo' and other songs.

6ish: Feed boy first then hopefully he plays on floor while we scarf gourmand food very quickly.

6:15ish: forget to EC boy, puddle

6:30ish: boy in bath, often with Mama, although sometimes with Papa. Boy refuses to sit in bath and walks around the bathub. (in general boy is prefers vertical) Vertical shampoo.Vertical pee in the tub.

7ish:dramatic reading of books on family bed. Usually both parents, funny voices. Boy does some vertical listening, or has a crawlathon. Papa plays goalie on the 'big drop to the floor' side.

7:30ish if boy is still on the move turn off lights and turn on flashlight. Shadow puppet show on the headboard. Bunny Foo-foo gets eaten by crocodile. Boy stops roaming to watch.

7:35-8pm depending. Finally Boy gives up and goes to boob. Feeds down in 5-10 min. During nurse down Papa straightens the family room and sweeps (when he remembers)

7:45 Mama makes coffee and starts 'workday #2' . Papa works till midnight, no coffee, how?

3am. Mama to sleep. Papa will take boy in morning until 10am