To ask how many kids you have, their age, and how many hours you work a week?

I have four ages 12, 10, 8 and 5. I work 4 half days (20 hours) in a professional role, WFH 3 days a week.

DH works 14 hour days and travels at least one week a month so I can't work any more hours at the mo moment. I plan on upping my hours when my youngest is around 9/10.

My role was administrative.

One DC (now grown up). I worked 25 hours per week during school hours and term time so I didn't need to pay out for child care. Once DC in their mid teens I moved from term time to having a day off in the week so I could help my parents. I was lucky that at the time my employers were very flexible.

2 primary ages kids and work part time from home 26 hours a week, have done so since I had the first. The vast majority of my mum friends are part time too, with most having a day or 2 off work per week. I would say we all consider ourselves to have careers and be successful despite being part time! Most are a mix of professional services, teachers.
I use wrap round care on the days I work and the kids have school lunches.

DH shares school runs, we each put one DC to bed each evening. I do all cooking but he does most of the housework. If I was doing all of that myself I would definitely be struggling!

Kids are DD9 and DS5. DS ASD/ADHD/ODD and very hard work.

I work 9-5, M-F, from home and I do an in-call rota which is a week on-call 24/7 every 6 weeks.
DH works F/T hybrid.

I find meals quite draining really, especially as everyone is so fussy. Often end up making 2 things! I go for quick during the week and anything more time consuming at the weekends.

Life is pretty relentless at the moment but I keep reminding myself that things will change. Neither child is very independent and DS needs a lots of support.

Full time, 3 kids in nursery and primary. I've done a mix of part time and full time but find this the most manageable. When I was part time my role didn't shrink so I was constantly do over my hours anyway, when I worked compressed hours I found my kids were worse as in after school club so long days for them too.

For me what makes a difference is my husband is a fully equal parent. Beyond that, I'm in a senior role so control my diary to an extent, I've done it a while so can coast a bit, and I work from home regularly so I'm not knackered from the commute and can do a few things during the day.

I've also cut back on the bits that aren't necessary to reach an equilibrium of kids having what they need whilst I'm still relaxed enough to be a decent parent. It was a journey to get there, driven in no small part by the number of people around me breaking themselves to be seen to be succeeding.

The people I know who are really stressed have all taken on far too much pressure in some part of their life or are basically parenting solo because of the other parent being mediocre/absent.

I have a 5 year old and work full time.

To add, one child ASD and another awaiting assessment

22.5h. 14 and 15. Both complex needs, eldest is severely disabled. I don't have that much time for cooking despite working only a few hours but do a lot of stir fry stuff with rice which is quick. Or roast chicken with tons of veg on a tray. Leftovers get turned into soup.

And curry style things which we can eat on 2 consecutive days - just cook new rice.

Not a fan of batch cooking and freezing.

FT professional services hours. So 10 hour days. Some travel away.
Two kids 8 and 10.

We have a lot of slow cooker foods, batch cooked meals, air fryer meals. I'm super organised. Laundry is done at night and hung up when the kids have their breakfast.

Organisation and efficiency are key.

I used to do 4 days but unless it's a paid by the hour job, everyone wants 5-6 days work for 4 days pay.

4 (although eldest is now an adult). Others are 16, 10 and 7. Work approx 40 hours p/w across 5 days.

Both work FT 5 days a week Monday/Friday- I also have an additional position that I cover and can do anywhere between 20 and 60 hrs of additional work per month.

2 teen DC , one working, one still in secondary school however both are professional athletes (county and country level) which means we are out the house from 5am to 9/10pm 5/6 days a week.

I meal plan everything and use the slow cooker alot . I do most of the cooking while ds ferries the boys to their schedules.

it’s hectic and exhausting however they boys are thriving and happy.

1 child. 1 on the way. 37.5 hours a week. Will have 1 year mat leave and then return.

I mostly wfh so I can do things like stick the slow cooker on or do laundry during working hours. Makes a world of difference.

2 kids age 2 and 7. I work 20 hours a week over 3 days. When littlest goes to school I'll prolly do another 6 hours on another day.

now... none and both myself and DH work part time hours.

before the kids flew the nest, i worked full time hours for about 3 months after my first was born and i was exhausted, so i reduced to Pt hours (20 a week i think) and this continued after 2nd was born. I told my DH that i would not be returning to full time work and we managed on what money we had.

2 DCs and always worked f/t. I cook dinner when I finish work. Sure it used to be stressful when they were younger but that's life. They are teenagers now and we've survived.

I have a 13 year old and 9 year old and i work 28 hours a week over 4 days although my commute is an hour each way so out of the house from 8-6 on office days. Have done same hours since they were babies.

When they were younger they used to eat dinner at childminders which was much easier but now we generally have it quite late as they have clubs etc after school . Try and do quicker things during the week like breaded chicken and chips, Bolognese, tacos etc.

4DC- 3 x teenagers and 1 adult. I work 30 hours over 4 days. I need my Fridays off!

I have a 3 year old girl who recently started nursery 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. I've been down to 2 x 10 hour days each week since I went back from maternity leave at 14 months. I could technically increase my hours now that she's at nursery, but I'm pregnant with number 2 so it hardly seems worth it as I'd just want to go straight back down to my current 2 days after my next maternity leave. So for now I'm enjoying having a bit of free time while it lasts. The pregnancy exhaustion is hitting me hard so that free time is mostly spent asleep on the sofa rather than being productive right now.
Once both kids are in school I will increase my hours a bit, but I don't think I'll ever work full time. My husband works full time and I think it's hard to juggle everything when both parents do. We are in the fortunate position of being able to afford for me to work part time, which I'm very grateful for.

We have 2 DDs under two, my DW and I both work full time, 37.5hrs each but compressed over 4 days each having a different day off during the week.
We manage evening meals by meal prepping in advance, cooking 2 meals and freezing one etc.

All my friends have secondary school aged kids now and only one works full time with some wfh. Her dh works in education so was always off to look after dc in holidays.
I wfh mostly and have Fridays off. Makes a massive difference.
Almost all my friends do the same with one working 2 days a week.

One child, 8 years old. Work 14 hours a week over three half days.

Of course - that's why I said 'can be' as opposed to 'are'.

Oh and I'll add they do karate on Tues, Thurs, Sat and Sun. beavers on Weds, and swimming on a Saturday.
Food wise - chicken fajitas in air fryer, freezer tea, eggs/beans on toast, anything I can throw together last minute!