How do you spend your evenings?

[Zara445]

My daughter (10) goes on video call and plays computer with her friends from about 8-9pm most nights. I am a single parent and use the time from 8-9:30pm to work on my PhD. However, I feel that I'm missing out on relaxation/ un-wind of an evening. Hopefully PhD is coming to an end soon-ish and excited to one day soon have my evenings back! So - just wanted to ask you how do you all spend a typical evening when kids have gone bed?

I have a 3 year old and a newborn and I have forgotten what evenings are. Currently being screamed at by the baby who is shattered but won’t sleep.

@Ocelotka That's really difficult, I remember those nights, they're exhausting. Everybody tells you they dont last forever which doesn't help you at the time, but it will pass! Being a parent really is the toughest job in the world! Hope the baby sleeps for you soon.

I’m watching Only Connect, good evening for quizzes!

Mine are older now, the youngest goes to bed about 9:30 and then I either go out for a walk or do a little job, sort washing or whatever, or just watch telly, catch up on WhatsApp messages, online shopping, declutter my wardrobe, whatever takes my fancy really. I don’t really watch telly until I get into bed.
I did broadly the same when mine were younger and in bed.
i exercise a lot, so a few classes and gym and swim but tend to either do these early in the morning before work or weekend mornings when everyone is still asleep! Sometimes I’ll go to the gym after work with the youngest but evenings are pretty much home and chill beyond about 8:30.

Marking work.
Planning lessons.
This year making effort to be with older teenagers ie stop working at 9 to watch some tv/ play board game with them.

Mine are older now, so I go to the gym, have friends over for board games, meal prep for the next day, read my book, do crossword puzzles, watch TV, walk the dogs, loads of stuff.

Have a bath, make lunch for the next day. Then watch yellowstone whilst ironing.

No kids - I chill, watch TV, normally have a bath, might play a game. I go to the gym before work so evenings are just for relaxing.

I knit or sew whilst watching violent horror films.

I was just thinking what to do. Once the little ones are in bed I generally tidy and wait for the eldest (13) to get home from clubs. I find I often have 60-90 mins of waiting which I waste on my phone. There’s nothing of interest on the telly so I’d like to start some hobbies! (I’ve got some craft items but don’t want to leave items out as the little one (4) would no doubt grab them in the morning. Following for ideas

I have teenagers. This evening I walked the dogs, went for a run, had a shower, made dinner, now I'm about to do some cross stitch for an hour whilst watching something in the background before bed. This is a pretty standard evening for me.

Drinking wine and watching TV in my comfiest joggers. Bloody bliss.

My daughter is a bit older at 13, so when she is here we watch things together (or sometimes have an evening out at the cinema - we have passes that are really good value).

When she is at her dad's I watch TV, read, maybe do a jigsaw or something crafting. Or sometimes I have a date, or for our with friends.

Good luck with the PHD!

Eating steak and watching Chicago fire.

make dinner, eat dinner, wash up, maybe an hour of tv, make work lunch for next day, sometimes shower/wash hair, go to bed. Repeat ad infinitum. I hate it.

Dinner, Bath for ds, shower for me. Put ds down for the night, cup of tea, TV and early night.

Usual spend time with my elderly neighbours who are 92 and 90. We sew together sometimes or just chat about anything from current affairs, family to recipes or gardening tips.

Do you have a family louderthan?

I live with my mum who needs a lot of practical and emotional support. No kids, no partner and no other family. I feel very lonely a lot of the time! I

I’m 53 and disabled, kids all adults. I love our evenings together just with DH. We have a nice tea on our laps and watch something like Only Connect, true crime documentaries or Gogglebox. In between we chat about our days etc. I smoke a little weed most nights. DH will bring me a little pudding in. Then we go to bed and either watch something funny like It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia or play Bandle through the smart speaker (Bandle is a brilliant app where you guess songs).

Then we either have sex (couple of times a week) or DH goes off to sleep in his own bed (heaven, can’t recommend separate rooms enough) and I watch something like Mad Men.

Might not sound thrilling but I’m very content 😌

I usually finish work anywhere between 5:30 and midnight, but average is about 7pm. So I just go home, have a light dinner and relax on the sofa either watching TV shows I’ve watched many times already (therefore don’t need to pay much attention) or scroll / text DP. Occasionally do an evening exercise class if I missed the morning one for whatever reason. Go to bed around 10pm most nights.

The last 2 weeks work have been unusually quiet at work and I’ve finished around 5pm every day. I’ve been making the most of this and going out in the evenings - to a spa, a sports game, dinner with friends, bar hopping, a BBQ, even a mid-week rave! It’s made me thankful for not having a 9-5 in a way, because I would definitely go bankrupt with that much free time (I can’t sit at home doing nothing for hours).

Knitting/crochet, podcasts, films, language lessons, listening to music, holiday planning.....