Practical advice for full time working parent

[Steelesauce]

So I'm a lone parent of 3. I've always worked 12 hours shifts so have always had days off in the week while the kids are at school to get things such as shopping/cleaning done. I am moving to a management role and will be working 8-4.30 mon-fri.

Shopping, I know I can do online but I do prefer to shop in aldi really. Cleaning, does anyone have any advice on getting it all done? I don't fancy dragging 3 kids (9, 6 and almost 4) shopping every weekend and spending all weekend cleaning. Any tips or time saving ideas? All the practical advice needed!

There is still no online grocery shopping where I live (rural area not in the UK) - I never "go shopping" as a separate trip though, I always do the weekly shop on my way home from work. Is that an option with your childcare or are you rushing to get there before an after school club closes?

Dc can help daily with tidying things, dishes, hoovering, and dealing with dirty clothes into laundry bin, clean clothes into the cupboard.
My friend gets the dc involved to do a Friday after school clean so they have a clean house to relax in for the weekend. Uniforms are all washed then too.
Pizza and film to relax with afterwards.

food always delivered and ordered to a meal plan seven days at a time.

We threw money at the problem and hired a cleaner. Couldn’t stay on top of it Otherwise and kept arguing / feeling resentful over losing a day of work (self employed) or weekend day to the drudge.

Slow cooker or even better air fryer - cooks a whole chicken in 30 minutes. Expensive but worth it.

Washing put this on at night and hang it up - do it religiously.

School stuff - wash and repack a bag and keep it in the car - swimming /sports kit etc

Give each child a coin purse with a couple of £’s incase you miss cake sale days etc

Shopping - order a big shop once a month - loo roll kitchen cleaner flour tins etc from a big supermarket so shopping is limited to fresh stuff only.

I am also working full time lone parent if 3, I do my food shop midweek evening, it's much quieter.

Cleaning wise I do the bathroom in the evenings just before bed every day so it doesn't take long.

I do mop and hoover in the mornings before I start work. I also got myself a eufy robot hoover for upstairs which is brilliant, I wfh and leave it on when I am working.

Dusting etc is weekends and kids have to help as I hate dusting skirting boards for example.
Younger kids have to help with tidying and putting things away every day before they head up to bed.

My children are older now (14, 12 and 9) but I've been a lone parent for 7 years and this worked well from when they were little.

I am usually working 8am-7pm most nights so now they are older all are also expected to help with dinner or make it themselves some nights. I'm also considering getting some Hello Fresh meals organised but haven't done it yet.

I also limit cleaning to one weekend day (Saturdays when they are out at clubs) and then Sunday is always kept free.

Ft working parent here.

• enough uniform for a week. Launder all uniform Saturday morning (Inc the first Saturday of any school holidays)

• Tesco click and collect do the order on Mondays lunch break to collect on the way home Tuesday. Use Aldi straight from school pick up /childcare pickup for fruit bowl/bread/milk top ups if needed

• used childcare which fed the dcs their evening meal at 4pm so I just did bowls of cereal at about 6.30pm.

Some really helpful tips here. I could afford a cleaner but I had one before and found the pre-cleaner tidy more stressful then actually cleaning

My Mum will be doing most school picks up so I suppose I could ask her nicely if she would let me do a food shop after work one day to save dragging the children.

Keep on top of household tasks daily, one load of laundry, dishwasher etc, don't let it pile up. Do all the main housework on one evening each week, I do Thursday evening, dust, hoover, clean bathrooms.

Meal planning and online shopping to be delivered one day after work.

This system mostly keep the weekend free for relaxing and fun stuff for us.

Aldi you can do a click and collect for just under £5, which when you consider it is cheaper isn't too bad, but as PP suggests you could do that once a month/ fortnight to pick up on the way home from school, with frozen/ tins and then a small additional shop alternate weeks for fresh food.

In terms of cleaning are you saving money on childcare which can be directed to a cleaner? Or getting them to do more, or drop your standards.

My Mum will be doing most school picks up so I suppose I could ask her nicely if she would let me do a food shop after work one day to save dragging the children

You could always offer to do her shop at the same time so she's saving time for herself by allowing it

I found getting a robot vacuum helped as could set it going while we were all out a couple of times a week, though this did require the floor to be clear (also may not be a great idea if you have pets).

Plus you save when doing Aldi click and collect because you are less likely to come out with a pet teepee, kyack and Egg chair .

This is such a good thread.

I agree with washing machine and dishwasher on every night and emptied/hung out first thing.

One basket for ironing and one for 'none ironing' so non ironing can be easily sorted and kept on top of (sports kits, pjs etc)

Meal plan - including accepting 'beans on toast' or Omelette is fine some nights in the week, especially if kids have activities.

I have a weekly planner stuck on the fridge that I do on a Sunday with what kits/extras each child needs to take to school and then will include anything like books days etc - that everyone can look at each morning- this is in addition to a calendar and diary. Note down any school dates straight away.

I read in here too, to always fill up with petrol on your way home, it was a great tip. However much you I don't want to, I'm always grateful in the morning that I've done it.

I have to be super organized and do a few things religiously every day such as laundry, washing up, packed lunches.

I also prepare a tray bake the night before for the next day's dinner, so it just needs to be put in the oven.

Put all outfits out the night before.

I also have a robot vacuum cleaner and robot lawn mower which has made such a difference

Aldi click and collect sounds perfect! I could grab it on the way home!

I don't think a robot vacuum would work as I have a house rabbit he would be riding it around.

I've ordered a fridge planner so we can all see whats needed on which day.

Op

Please please please say you can afford a weekly cleaner?

@Landedonfeet

Op

Please please please say you can afford a weekly cleaner?

I can, but I had one before and I found it really stressful. Making sure the kids rooms were clear enough so she could clean on a specific day etc.

paying for a cleaner; doing online food shop even if you dont like this much; get a slow cooker; batch cook and freeze spare. stop doing anything that you dont like thats non essential

@fitzbilly

I also have a robot vacuum cleaner and robot lawn mower which has made such a difference

Robot lawn mower??? Any recommendations because that would literally save my life!

@fitzbilly

I have to be super organized and do a few things religiously every day such as laundry, washing up, packed lunches.

I also prepare a tray bake the night before for the next day's dinner, so it just needs to be put in the oven.

Put all outfits out the night before.

I do a lot of that already, tray bake however sounds amazing. Any recipes?

Re cleaning, I used to like to do a big clean all in one go but since becoming a working single parent I now split it up and do small jobs every day so I can try and keep the weekend for doing nice things (whether that be trips out or spending proper time with DD at home).

While DD (4) is in the bath, I clean the bathroom, hang laundry up, put clean clothes away etc.

Empty the dishwasher while waiting for the kettle to boil in the morning. All clearing up done as we go. I do washing up while DD eats pudding.

I occasionally spend an evening batch cooking so that I know there's stuff in the freezer for days when I don't have time to cook.

I get DD to help with dusting, sweeping the floor etc. while I do other jobs in the same room. That way we're spending time together rather than me feeling crap that we've not seen each other much and now I'm ignoring her while I clean.

DD responsible for putting dirty clothes in laundry and folding unscathed clothes to be worn another day.

I have to say though, if you can possibly afford it, I'd get a cleaner! And someone to do the ironing (Having said that, I just don't bother most of the time).

Re shopping, I know you don't want to, but shopping online is hugely convenient and efficient and saves a chore.

Whilst still on your current work pattern do some decluttering.

We got the DC to tidy their rooms on the cleaner day.

• Fill the car up at the weekend.
• Always keep a full spare school uniform for each child.
• I iron all their shirts at the weekend and have everything hanging up ready to go on a weekday morning.
• School lunches, not packed lunches
• Have a "service day" once every school holiday, a whole day set aside for things like dentists, MOT, haircuts, car service, chimney sweep, boiler service, school shoe buying etc. Book things six months ahead.
• An emergency bottle of wine and some frozen pizzas stashed away for when it all gets too much.