To find working part time hard?

Same! It is hectic.

Op not easy you out house 5 days too. Kids are busy ages. Takes alot out of you.

Yes it's hard having young kids. Depending on circumstances (contribution of partner, other family help, ability to pay for help) it can be equally hard whether you work full-time, part-time or not at all. I've mostly worked full-time but did not find part-time easier when I tried that.

That's a lot of drop offs and pick ups you are doing relative to the number of hours you are working. I'd try to arrange things if possible to reduce that, either by your partner doing some of them, or by doing a smaller number of longer days. In fact, I think you might find it easier to do you hours over 2-3 days rather than spread over five. It would be good to have some days when you don't have to rush around thinking about work, and other days when you can just get into the flow of work.

I think that women in particular can often find part-time work hard as they get left with almost all the burden of house/childcare AND the work too. If they work full-time it is more likely that the burden is more equally shared. Though to be fair on my husband, that wasn't really the problem when I was part-time.

I used to feel exactly the same when I worked these hours.

Now self employed which obviously helps a lot because I choose my own hours around nursery etc. I usually do 2-3 longer days and then have 2 weekdays free to decompress & catch up and get organised.

I would try and find something that allows you to compress your hours a wee bit more.

I used to be like this. One in nursery and one in school. I started getting up earlier - I get up now between 5.30 and 6.

I work out before the kids get up too which helps my MH

I get as much done the night before as I can - lay out uniforms, outfits, make lunches etc.

I recently put my eldest into breakfast club a few days a week which is a dream as I get an extra 30 minutes to myself.

The waking up earlier really works for me though

Also preparing any meals in advance as you can!

Sounds like you’re not coping well and need some support.

pregnancy can take sooo much from your body. Get to a naturopath and dr and get the full spectrum bloodwork done. Then whatever vitamins or whatever they recommend. IF they suggest a diet change (beyond like, eat better and stop the fast and fried food) open the conversation further, say you really don’t want to (that’s a lot to handle right now when you’re already depleted) and ask for options. Some ND’s or DR’s jump to that, but often there are other things, with a more gradual diet change.

and then look for another job. Get something that fits better. Ask this one about dropping at least a day a week and moving the hours.

it shouldn’t be this hard.

Solidarity here. Parenting is very hard. I did shift work when mine were young, i had days off in the week to get on top of jobs. I planned meals and organised everything needed for the next day in the evening. I do online shopping and take short cuts with meals when needed.

That said, mine are teens now and I am full time, and, whilst they don't need constant supervision it is still really stressful. I am lucky I still work shifts so I am around for my 16 year old, who is suffering from severe anxiety and panic attacks whilst taking GCSES. I begin to wonder when I will get some downtime it is all consuming and really gets me down. Luckily ds 15 is so far a breeze.

It is so hard I can’t believe it myself…and that is when they are well. God forbid they get sick. We currently are going through norovirus and it has been hell, by the time we all recover from this there will be another cold/cough. We are always tired. I have no idea how two FT parents do it. If I went full time pretty sure I’d collapse. However, we have physically and mentally demanding jobs. In hindsight I would have had a working from home more flexible type of job.

I was finding this and reduced my days to 3 a week 9-3. My daughter goes to breakfast club at 7.30 and I drop my 2 year old to the childminders but she’s 25 mins away but I don’t have to worry about sorting breakfast. I then get to work for 9 (it takes me about 1 hr 15 / 20) I find it much easier to get things done when I have the 2 days at home sorting the house out etc. I do have my 2 year old with me those days but my 6 year old is at school

I found working hours like that chaotic- I work longer hours now but I have a day off - one or two days a week the kids go to their grandparents and it lets me focus on work fully and I have a day off for what I need to do.

I don't know what your works like but I find it hard to do my job in the hours I work, I end up with as much work to do in less time.

This reads like The Man Who Has It All - you missed off 'drink more water', 'eat a handful of almonds' and 'smile more'...

OP, I work similar hours to you and it does make you feel like the ball in the pinball machine flying from one location to the next.
My DCs are 7 & 9yo now and it does get less hectic in the mornings IME as DCs learn to do more themselves. This is what I'd invest the time into. It's more work short term but really pays off once they've learnt the task. Things like dressing themselves, packing their own bags (you can verbally direct this one item at a time whilst doing something else), and making their own breakfasts (even the 3yo can be trained to get a bowl of cereal. At 4yo both of my DCs were making toast using bamboo tongs to extract it from the toaster) take the pressure off you a bit.
Does DC1's primary school not have a preschool attached? That would at least make that part easier. I currently have to walk DC1 to the bus stop then, an hour later, walk DC2 to school and that is bad enough, I miss not simply dropping them both off at the village school - two drop offs in the car sounds very stressful! I am ticking off the days until DC2 goes to middle school in Sept '25, where I can wave them both off at 7.30am and they arrive back on my doorstep at 4.30pm 😌 The upper school uses the same bus, so that'll be me on much easier morning duties for the remainder of their school days! 🙌🏼

Could you do different hours to allow yourself one full non-working day a week rather than working short days every day? Sounds like you might also need to look for a new job x

I feel the same !

I will be in a similar position too, though I only have one and he will turn 3 in January. We get UC too and I suppose to go back to work (or at least start looking for one) when he turns 3. I do want to homeschool him till he is about 6 or 7, though. I'm now doing IT courses, planning to specialise in some niche IT program to be able to work from home permanently. I came to stay with my parents for next 6 months so I can do tge courses and they can look after him, as I can't do both, he is very active and never still and for last two weeks he stopped napping, so he is basically up from 7am till 8pm. By 8pm I'm dead so getting help from my parents was the only option for me to be able to do the course. Not sure if this helps you in any way, but maybe gives you an idea what you'd like to do. Hope it gets easier for you. All the best momma ❤️

So you're getting a lot of replies along the lines of 'this is just life with kids'. And that's true... To an extent.
But also, everyone's life looks different and there are lots of reasons why you might be having a harder time than another parent who on the surface is in the same situation.
Some kids sleep easily and lots, some don't. Some play happily by themselves, some want or need your attention all the time.
Some spouses help a lot, some don't help at all.
Your home, your financial situation, your own health and energy levels all have an impact
So even though it's 'normal' don't compare yourself to others and don't feel like you are doing anything wrong if you are struggling.

Unfortunately that's just how it is with kids. Could your partner help more in the mornings or evenings, even just with things like preparing clothes for the next day? It'll get a bit easier as they get older and need less constant attention.
Whatever you do don't give up your job. Gold dust jobs with those hours don't come up often, so yours would be snapped up if you left, and you'd likely struggle to get the same hours elsewhere.

Think it’s just life with kids, and it’ll settle a bit as they get older, but the reality is that life with kids is busy!
help yourself by prepping the night before, batch cook etc.
You get no time to yourself though neither does your husband, and as the kids get older time will emerge naturally.

You need to approach this in a more structured way and to be laser focused on being organised ahead, including allowing yourself some downtime and time together with your DH.

Write down everything that needs to be done each day.

Separately write a list of the other general jobs around the house - washing, ironing, cleaning, gardening, admin etc.

Work out how long it takes and who is best to do it.

Write a timetable of what you do when, but focus the mornings on just get up, wash, dress, breakfast, leave. Set a hard stop leave time of 15 mins before you need to. Have everything else ready - uniforms/outfits out, lunches made, gym bags done, coffee cup ready and have a specific box/hook/place for each child and you by the front door.

What time is there when you get home before school pick up? Use that time for you - sit, drink a cuppa, meditate - set a timer on your phone.

Use the time you get home with the kids until early evening to prep dinner and prep for the next day - involving kids where you can. Batch cook /plan meals.

Let DH supervise and have some quality 1:1 play time with the kids when he gets home. Share bedtime routine at a sensible time, then both clear up kitchen and sit down for some downtime - tv, food, whatever.

Organise laundry so its sorted into baskets, chuck a wash on last thing at night on a delay to finish when you get home.

Weekends: one morning for cleaning blitz of house and ironing. Share chores around.

Build in the other half of the weekend for proper family time and social.

Keep Friday night strictly date night.

Working 3 full days (using wrap around care between 8 &6) with 2 full days off is much better in my experience than working 5 days during school hours.

Can you look to change how you complete your hours to gave at least q day when you're not working?

I would definitely try and condense down to 3 days or even 4. You'll save money on fuel 1 day per week, you would have time to do all the housework and shopping do when you're children get home you can concentrate on them instead of having to do it all while they are with you. It's an absolute game changer! You might find you even have half an hour to have a hot cuppa and read a chapter of a book. Also, when it comes to school holidays, you're going to have to find childcare for 5 days which is just more money, whereas if it's only 3 days you would get to have time with the children too. Your OH can do afterschool club pick up and start prepping dinner, you do 9-5(ish) 3 days a week, hours are almost the the same. Look into flexible working for both of you.

You're just describing normal life with kids. Just wait until they want to go to after school clubs etc...!

I'd re-look at the hours you're doing, and perhaps do 3 longer days rather than 5 short ones.

I am a teacher but do 3 days a week. My kids are all at school now so I use the 2 days off to do all my lesson planning, marking, admin etc... and get some housework done.

Once the kids are home it's manic. Support with homework (particularly the one at secondary school!), trying to get dinner cooked, taking them to activities, washing uniform/PE kids... it's never ending!

Do you have any option to do 3 long days instead? I find it much easier doing fewer, longer days and paying for more childcare those days - I can properly focus on work those days, and I know I'll have the full days off.

Not always the case. I work FT, but I still do school drops/pick ups, so still have the same deadlines to get into and out of the office on time (if I am there).

I feel like we can't win either way. I have a flexible role so switch between working 5 short days and 3 long days - both have positives and negatives.

When working 5 short days, I don't feel like I am the best employee and am often frazzled. I have to be really organised with having lunches and my food prepped, drop the kids and straight to the office/my desk. Literally work until the last possible second I have to leave for pick up and it is hard to really get into something when working a short day. But positive is us doing every pick up and drop off, not relying on wrap around so I get time with the children and I do find they tell me far more when we have that extra time together.

3 long days are better for work. I am more efficient when I have the extra hours to get into it. But then kids have a long day with wraparound - when they get home they are exhausted and it is simply dinner, relax a bit and bed. They don't get as much out of little things like daily reading with me and I don't know what is happening in school/with friends etc

I don't know what the best option is. I am very lucky I can switch between the two so do a bit of both

Yes, all those "I just need a second" as you're trying to get out of the door, and never any flexibility to stay and finish something