Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can *everything* be fit into the 6am-6pm working day?

237 replies

Whiskaspie · 19/02/2018 02:32

And I mean everything bar putting dishwasher on after dinner and putting kids to bed. All house/food/bills/kids/garden/planning etc etc...if one were a sahp.

OP posts:
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 19/02/2018 02:38

Yes.

Snowysky20009 · 19/02/2018 02:44

Yes

correctpiece · 19/02/2018 02:46

Depending on sleep deprivation, yes.

Battleax · 19/02/2018 02:49

Yes but it’s a strange way to think about SAHPing. Most people who escape from set working hours (self employed for example) arrange things more flexibly. As a SAHP you want to spend time focusing on the DC during the day, rather than think all chores must be done in daylight hours.

Emily7708 · 19/02/2018 02:51

Well yes theoretically, but sounds bloody exhausting and depends on how many kids you have, and their ages.

HicDraconis · 19/02/2018 02:55

Yes. And does, in our house (DH is the SAHP, all I have to do is go to work and cook a meal occasionally).

AltheaorDonna · 19/02/2018 03:20

Yes, easily. Depends how many kids you have I guess, I only had one.

mamaryllis · 19/02/2018 03:27

You lot all had kids fed, bathed and in bed asleep by 6pm?

Grin

‘Course you did. Grin

mamaryllis · 19/02/2018 03:28

Ah misread. I was wondering how long the halo polishing was going to go on. BAR that.

Still. Nah. I made dh do it all when he got in.

SandLand · 19/02/2018 03:37

Some stuff that needs both of us gets done after the kids are in bed (holidays, and banking mainly), and food shopping gets done on the weekend with all 4 of us (I cant drive here, and online shopping doesnt exist). But in general, yes.

Original poster
Whiskaspie · 19/02/2018 03:42

Hmm, have to admit I'm a bit dubious. I doesn absolutely every little thing you could possibly imagine, so that includes banking and all shopping. Is there anyone who honestly never lifts a finger (or their partner) after 6pm apart from kids to Ned and dishwasher on? (so no clearing of surfaces, quick tidy up, bill paying etc)

OP posts:
Original poster
Whiskaspie · 19/02/2018 03:43

Ned = bed, obviously.

OP posts:
S0ph1a · 19/02/2018 03:46

You lot all had kids fed, bathed and in bed asleep by 6pm?

Nah. They had their kids picked up from school, taken home and fed a snack, taken to after school activities, brought home, homework done and bathed, School uniform ready, bedrooms tidy and in bed by 6pm.

Easy Hmm

Honeycombcrunch · 19/02/2018 03:46

Yes it could but the reality of being a SAHP is that kids get ill or something in the home needs more attention on a particular day (washing machine breaks down etc) so nothing else gets done. You definitely need to have the attitude of hoping to fit everything in 6-6 on a good day but knowing there will be quite a few times when things go wrong.

FlouncyDoves · 19/02/2018 06:53

Why would you want it to be like that? SAHP, although hard, isn’t an actual job.

NancyJoan · 19/02/2018 07:01

Depends entirely on the age of the children. If you’re at home with a baby and a toddler, there are things you can’t do until they are both in bed.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 19/02/2018 07:04

Cleaning of surfaces surely goes alongside putting the dishwasher on???

I imagine the vast majority of people have a quick wipe and tidy before bed but the bulk of the jobs can be done during the hours you state.
And banking and bills Hmm I will forever be mystified at how much they seem to feature in sahp list of things they do.

stickytoffeevodka · 19/02/2018 07:06

Of course it can be done in 12 hours, but the reality is children don't run to schedule!

But as a SAHP presumably you can have down-time in the day when your kids are napping or at school or activities? Your working day is longer but it's not necessarily go-go-go for 12 hours straight.

However I would expect the working parent to chip in when they got home - they can help with bedtime, cooking dinner and washing up after. I wouldn't expect there to be loads of extra work to do in the evenings, tbh.

Troika · 19/02/2018 07:08

I rarely do anything after 7.30 pm. Although that doesn’t mean it’s all done! I’m definitely someone who likes to keep busy in the day and then completely stop in the evening.

I prefer it that way, means I’m ‘working’ the same hours as dp and then we get to sit down together in the evening. (Although we are renovating which means dp has been wanting to do stuff in the evening too and then I get the guilt for wanting to just sit Blush)

stickytoffeevodka · 19/02/2018 07:08

bill paying etc)

I've never understood how this is a task that needs doing regularly! Surely everything goes out on direct debit? I certainly don't spend any time paying bills unless it's renewing car insurance or whenever, which is maybe 30 minutes once a year? It's certainly not something that needs to be considered as part of a daily or even monthly list of jobs for anyone!

Olga81 · 19/02/2018 07:08

And banking and bills hmm I will forever be mystified at how much they seem to feature in sahp list of things they do

Me too, I don't remember the last time I had to physically do something to pay a bill. Direct debits all the way

Raver84 · 19/02/2018 07:14

No. I have 4 and work evenings so need to be leaving for work at 6pm. I get most done in te day and I get up at 5.15 to work out or i don't have any time. When I leave for work in the evening kids have been fed and are in pjs but the kitchen needs clearing again and dishwasher put on . The kids then chill out with books or dvd which needs putting away after they finish at 7pm

PotatoesOfTheCarribean · 19/02/2018 07:19

Yes, as a SAHP it would be perfectly possible.

I'm a lone parent and work, and I absolutely refuse to do anything house related once the kids are in bed.

Spikeyball · 19/02/2018 07:21

No I can't get all of that done when ds is home.

Afreshcuppateaplease · 19/02/2018 07:22

Not in my house

Sahm woth 4dc between 1 and 10