How much downtime do you get on an average weekday?

[Bumpitybumper]

I only get about an hour (maybe two max) and I find that it's not really enough. I do have two young DC so suspect that this is probably average given the circumstances but would love to know how much downtime everyone else gets.

I get about half an hour whilst my husband does bedtime stories with our son. Then we get about 1.5 hours together before bedtime. Though some of the time is usually taken up doing random household things.

I get plenty. My child is 11.
I work pt.
When my dd was tiny i never got any.

Only about 30 minutes tbh. It used to be more when the kids were younger and went to bed earlier, and DH and I would eat a grown up meal and chill out together for an hour or two. Now we both work ft, the kids (we have 3) are staying up later and have more homework and activities that need support. DH and I get up at 5.45am so we have to go to bed earlier than I'd like or we just end up shattered. Oh well!

I get an hour 'chill out time' when I put DCs in front of the telly early afternoon. They go to bed at 7pm and generally there's only a bit of tidying and or laundry to do after that.

On my three working days. None really. My 10 yr old doesn't sleep well.
The other two I do get school time as downtime for tidying, errands and gym session.

I agree with cheese that I had more downtime when my dc's were small. Th had daytime naps and went to bed at 7. My dd stopped sleeping when she was 2.6 and it's been downhill ever since .

None on a weekday, maybe an hour or two at the weekend

I get a 1-2 hours most days, unless I’m working the evening (usually once or twice a week but bloody five this week!) in which case literally none.

Yeh an hour. Not enough is it. I'm an introvert and only child too and love my quiet me time.

What do you mean by downtime? I have a 4month old and a 4 year old and both are very clingy so i get very little alone time but i can park 4yo in front of tv when baby is feeding and get a short mental break.

DH usually takes them when he gets in from work so i have 2 hands free to cook dinner but that's not really downtime either

I get none at all. 3 children all with sn one doesn't even sleep though the night. Dh is always at work. I wish for down time but never get none.

School hours really and then a few hours in the evening, kids go to bed about 9 and I go to sleep about 12/1.

I'm on from 7am when I put the little one on the potty to 9.30pm when I sweep the kitchen floor.
I get 1/2 hour down time before bed.

I'm writing this on the loo!

3 or 4 hours, usually. Having no young children helps immensely.

I sit down about 8/8:30pm and need my bed at 10. So an hour or two but I’m so brain dead by then I can barely even watch tv.

I usually sit down around 9:30pm, bed around 11ish. So 1.5 to 2 hours a day. 2DC, 10 and 13 who need driving to activities 3 evenings a week, I work full time and DH away 3 nights a week. More time at weekends.

It definitely makes a difference with children's ages. Mine are grown up so I get tons of downtime, as either they are out or busy. Or, when they are at home/free we'll chat or watch a movie together (so still down time). So I get 5 or 6 hours a day plus the whole weekend (there are also very little chores nowadays for the same reason).

When they were little I always had them in bed by 7ish (if they slept later they still needed to be in their rooms quietly reading or suchlike)and deliberately didn't do chores in the evening. Before bed/bath I always used to get them to tidy their toys while I whizzed round the living room or kitchen. Cleaned the bathroom while they were in the bath etc so that I kept on top of things. But once they went up, that was "my time". I think downtime is hugely important, otherwise you just get burnt out.

We also had dinner together around 5:30/6. I've seen here lots of people have what I'd call late dinners, around 8 or so. Which I imagine must really squash your downtime a bit if you're the type that then wants to clean the kitchen after eating etc.

TBH, lots.

DC at school and I work from home for 1 - 2 hours per weekday, during school hours, as an adults' tutor.

All-in-all, my only busy times are from 7-8.30am, getting ready for the day, then 10-11.30ish am teaching, then after-school 3.30pm until DC bedtime at about 8pm. When DC are at home after school, it's pretty relaxed too. A couple of clubs during the week, but not a huge amount.

During the daytimes, I walk in nearby woods, always have an afternoon nap. I read a lot too. For some reason housework doesn't take me long, just a quick whizz around each day, and I seem to stay on top of things.

Thanks for the replies. For those of you saying you get less downtime now the children are older, is the time you spend with your DC still as intense?

Definitely not as intense, no, and that's a really important point. Well, homework etc is a drag, but we can also spend time together which is actually relaxing and enjoyable rather exhausting and enjoyable iyswim. So although we have a lot less downtime than when they were small, I find I don't need it as much so it's all ok.

Depends if DD is with her dad. On days she's with me I get nothing before starting work (I work FT at home!) and then a couple of hours when she's in bed.

On days she's with her dad I get a couple of hours in the morning before starting work - I walk the dog and go to the gym. Then all evening after work (but I go to bed very early).

And my job isn't hugely challenging so I'm not rushed off my feet in the day.

I do OK I reckon.

I haven’t had any time at all over the school holidays. Now they are back to school I’ll be having the two weekdays I don’t work during the school/nursery day.
The eldest doesn’t go to bed much earlier than us but he stays in the playroom on an evening so it’s not like we can’t relax. The toddler goes to bed at 7.30 so by the time tea is cleared up I probably get about two hours.
I really don’t feel like two hours is enough as that’s also the time to do admin, bill paying, booking holidays, housework etc.

Loads now. I work part time and kids are 13 and 11. I do volunteer and clean a lot so depends what you mean by downtime. Obviously when they were little I had virtually none.

When kids were small I didn't really get any me time. Now they are at school so I get the time off when they are at school. My already bad mental health suffered a lot when kids were young. Now I am trying to rest and get truly better. I am planning to find some sort of part time job next year.

Loads really.
Dc are 14, 12 and 6, I work school hours so it’s not EVER ‘alone’ time but they are very content at home and chill out.
So I got home with the youngest today at about 3:20, same as every day, sorted him out a snack and drink, we had a chat about his day. Then he went off to play with his toys, the older 2 came home and got some food, chatted with me for a bit and went off to do homework.
I ran myself a bath at 4:30 as I was feeling a bit grotty. dp came home at about 5 and he sorted dinner.
Basically, since 4:30 I’ve been having downtime and will do (other than doing some reading with ds and either dp or I will do bedtime with him) until I go to sleep.

It does vary with dp being self employed, he doesn’t have a specific finish time but generally is home by 5:30/6 and prefers cooking to being cooked for.
But he’s not home every evening and I do cook from time to time! I also do most of the little annoying housework chores in the morning before I go to work, put washing on, run a hoover round (although I often do this again after dinner) so I know when I get home there’s nothing urgently pressing to do.

I used to get little to no downtime when the dc were young so I’m reaping the benefits of them being older now!