How much time 'off' each evening?

[Olive30]

Just wondering how typical i am. I generally stop and sit down after working, cooking, putting kids to bed, tidying up etc...etc...at around 9pm. Feeling a bit peeved tonight that it's so late. Hour's downtime before bed at 10pm.
Not sure what i am expecting and welcome to the real world but just wondering if i should count myself lucky or try to work out how to squeeze in a bit more time somehow... what is your situation?

Same here really, eldest normally in bed by 9 although i can sit down while she's still up as she is not as demanding as younger child. Then i watch tv for about an hour or so before going to bed.

That does sound tough going although unfortunately probably not that unusual. I usually start my downtime between 7 & 8. I was gutted tonight when there was no Celebrity Masterchef on when I turned the tv on.

I think that’s quite normal unfortunately. It’s hard to get everything done and tidied up. I think the only way to get more time would be to have lower standards, but that depends on how stressed out you’d get by an untidy house!

Yeah 9 o'clock here too. From 7 am. Non stop.

get up get kids ready for school, take them to school, clock in for work, walk dogs at lunch or tidy up/sort laundry, DH picks up kids and makes them dinner while I work then I finish up (early if lucky, late more often than not) and bath the kids, talk to them about their day/play with them as well as more tidying up/putting laundry away (DH cleaning up kitchen after dinner and walking dogs during this).

Youngest goes to bed around 8, spend an hour with my eldest until he goes to bed at 9 and finally I can do what I want for an hour before I go to bed and start again.

It's just life and generally I don't mind.

Self employed here so a lot of evenings are spent working to free up a bit of day time as I have stuff to sort out for my elderly parents. My DC are both teens so don't really need me in the evenings.

Bedtime for me is normally 11pm-midnight so i normally get an hour or two downtime.

If I do bedtime, dinner and tidy on my own- sit down at 8pm. Tonight dh did bedtime - sat down at 9.30pm...

At the moment I don't have any time because I have a 6 month old who won't sleep without me. But generally yes that sounds about right. It's tough isn't it!

Finish work at 4, sit down/down time between 4-6, watch tv and DD will play with her toys etc.
6-7 cook and eat dinner, dd goes up to bed to read/watch kindle etc and lights out at 8pm, then more down time between 8-10 before bed.

I generally finish at 8pm but am in bed by 9.30pm as one of my children starts the day at 5.30am. Often my oldest is still awake when I fall asleep.

I'm usually able to sit down about 8pm. Kids get sent upstairs to their room to entertain themselves from 7.30pm. Lights out at 9pm.

Should say I WFH so no commute and I can do a few five minute jobs during the day. We eat with the kids around 5-6pm. DH pulls his weight too.

I pick kids up on way home from work around 5.15pm, home for snacks and prep dinner for me and DH. Sort washing up/laundry. Husband home 5.45 and continues sorting house stuff. Kids in bath at 6.30, DH puts youngest to bed whilst I cook dinner and we usually eat around 7.30 then I put eldest to bed whilst DH washes up and we get to sit down by 8! Usually go to bed around 11 so get 3 hours to ourselves to chill.

Non really. Even if I get the chance to watch tv I'll be doing the ironing or house admin etc. The only time I really get is when I eat dinner 🤣

Not much. I work about two hours in the evening after the kids are in bed.

Depends on activities. Usually from 8 , they read/ draw but are in their rooms and I do a quick tidy up then get a cuppa.... but if they're out until 7 then need a bath it can be closer to 9 by the time I sit down.

Yep, about an hour here too. Or less, if I’m wiped out then I’ll go to bed as soon as the children do.

@Lazypuppy

Finish work at 4, sit down/down time between 4-6, watch tv and DD will play with her toys etc. 6-7 cook and eat dinner, dd goes up to bed to read/watch kindle etc and lights out at 8pm, then more down time between 8-10 before bed.

How old is your dd? When do you fit in housework/ life admin etc?

Dd is 3, we have a cleaner which covers most housework. Don't really have much life admin, but i might do some emails etc whilst i'm watching tv if something needs sorting, but can't really think of much that takes a huge amount if time

I think it is part and parcel of having dc and being at work.

Obviously it will depend on how many dc you have, on how old they are, on what hours both you and your partner work, what your commute is like, whether one or both of you do other things for yourself each week (be that a hobby or volunteering or going for a run or a swim or an exercise class, etc)

About 8:30pm up at 5:30am plus in the night. It’s hard work isn’t it?

Thank you, everyone. Kind of reassuring to know i am not alone!
It is part of my 'season of life' with work and children.
Doesn't help that i keep waking up about 4.30am right now...going to work on that! If i go to sleep at 11 instead, that might work better and could get up at 6 to do a few things. I can't get up at 4.30am time and get chores i normally do in the evenings done as will wake everyone up! Also, will be an exhausted shell of myself. Seen the videos on YouTube of the mums getting up at 4 to do yoga, meditation, home working etc... great but that's not my world!

DH works very long hours and i work almost FT and that is a bit tough with family and household stuff too...going to try to stay in routine myself, positive and squeeze in a bit more relaxing time each day or at least a few times a week.

Sorry for the ramblings! Good luck, everyone. X

I have down time for an hour or so during the day while DD naps. Then she is normally off to sleep by 10 or 10:30 and I go to bed at 12 so I get 1.5 - 2 hours then as well. I cook and clean with DD when she is awake or for things I can't do with her around like mopping the floor I only do at the weekend when DH is playing with her.

My time is my own after dinner time, so by about 6.30pm to when I go to bed. Girls are in their rooms doing homework or occasionally we watch TV together. A couple of nights a week we collect them from their activities. Sometimes I walk the dog later if it's a nice evening. One evening a week I go to yoga. Last night I just read my book. I don't do any chores, those get done at the weekend or say, laundry gets done during the day when I'm working from home.

I'd say about 9pm, that's when the kids go to bed. I follow about 10 minutes after that and read or go straight to sleep.
Generally I have a cup of tea with DH when he gets in before starting dinner.
Something always needs doing.

But, it does seem much better than when the DC were tiny, say 1&2. That was much more exhausting even though they were in bed much earlier.

I generally go up with the kids about 9pm. Mine (even the 3yo) just don't go down before then.

I find they settle quickly when I am on the same floor and I tend to read for an hour or so recently made a concerted effort to read as opposed to Netflix or browse online

Weekends I tend to have a few glasses of wine so will stay up a bit later and watch a film / some TV. That's the only real time I "sit down"

I WFH so don't have the kids 9am-6pm 3 days a week but I am usually pretty busy and other than a quick walk and doing a few chores, I'm actually working.

Cooking is done in advance, either slow cooker or batch cook, evenings mean no cooking other than reheating food.