To wonder how you structure your evening?

[Krakant]

When you're working full time with kids, but no money to outsource tasks, when do you get housework done? When do you get them to do homework? When do you play?

I'm only just starting to tame the house after Christmas and with the kids going back to school, I've realised that I've no idea how everyone else structures their time to get it all done - I'd love to know what a typical evening looks like for you.

I'm barely keeping my head above water to be honest.
DP and I work full time, 2 DC in primary school.

DP starts work early so I sort DC in the morning and drop them at school on my way to work.

DP collects them from school and by the time I get home at 6:30pm he has usually given them tea and made their packed lunches for the next day.

I flap around doing a bit of washing and tidying up, feed the pets and make sure DC and I have everything ready for the next day. I get them bathed and ready for bed and listen to them both read. I try to chat to them whilst doing this, but usually end up ranting at them to do stuff or stop doing stuff!

DC are usually in bed (or at least in their rooms) by 8pm. I catch up with my emails etc, DP and I make, eat and tidy up from dinner and then we tend to collapse and watch TV for an hour or so. I go out to choir once a week and DP plays football once a week. We tend to go up to bed at about half 10 or 11.

All proper housework and homework is done at the weekends along with catching up with relatives and friends and trying to make time for some fun. Not easy. I spend most of my time complaining I have too much to do!

I get home at the same time as the kids and start dinner while kids relax or go outside. Hubby gets home at 5:30 and we eat. After dinner, dh and ds clean up the table and the dishes, then they leave for one of ds’s activities (3 nights a week). We always had a no homework policy, so me and dd have time for her music practice and more relaxing. Ds is in an IB program, but he mostly finishes his homework at school.

Dd’s activities are mostly on weekends- and I do the driving. Dh does the shopping. I also do the washing when I get a moment and dh straightens up the rooms if he has time. Kids clean their bedrooms weekly and ds cleans the upstairs bathroom every two weeks.

It helps tremendously that we don’t have to deal with homework. Also, we kind of fell into our niche and having set chores for the kids helped as well. When everything is predictable, there’s not much fighting. And we had to let some things go. My priorities are: kids’ activities, then cooking, then family time, and finally- a spotless house.

I'm usually home at around 4p.m. so I empty the washer and spin it. I do any washing up that needs doing (though we usually do that as we go along) and a quick Hoover up before I get the dc from the childminder. After they're in bed (they wash and put away their own supper pots and put their own clothes to wash and try clothes away) we tidy up.

On the weekend we Hoover the house, change andy beds that need doing, do more laundry and tidy bedrooms.

We tend to do things as we go along and don't let the house get actually messy or dirty and that way housework doesn't take too long. The worst task is laundry. I hate laundry.

@Tomatoesand what is a no homework policy?

I start in the morning. I get up at 6, and do all the chores by the time I leave the house - which is between 7:30am and 8:45.

Evening is just cooking and tidying up kitchen after, getting school bags ready and a quick wizz around the house to tidy up if something is not in the right place.
When I work from home, I get the kids around 4:30 - 5pm, we do at least 30 minutes homework then it's playtime until diner, which is at 7pm.
The days I come back from work, between 7 and 8pm usually, I read a story in bed with the youngest, have a chat with the oldest and that's pretty much it.

I sort the laundry if I fancy watching tv once they are asleep.

It's the reason why there's a "no chore at the weekend" rule in the house, it's all done in the week and we have more time together - or just taxi them to various places

@spud it’s a name I made up myself lol.

Basically it means we opt out of homework. I have a chat with dd’s teacher at the beginning of the year just to let him/her know we won’t be doing much homework (this year we haven’t done any).

Ds is 13 and in IB so he does have quite a bit of work, but he handles it himself.

My evenings are manic. I have DS1 (9) and DS 2 (4 - at nursery until September). My DH works away all week so it's just me doing all the chores in the week. DS1 has climbing on a Monday and cubs on a Thursday so we don't get any homework done then. On the other days I tend to let them relax for an hour then while I get LO ready for bed DS1 does his homework and violin practice, then I do something with him (a game, lego, maybe just watch something on TV he wants to see). I don't do any chores until they are both in bed, then I spend a crazy hour making packed lunches and hanging up laundry and so on. It's not easy x

I start in the mornings too - I get up at 6:30 and leave at 7:55. There's not much time in there for housework once I've helped DC with breakfasts and getting themselves ready for school plus basics like washing up and putting on a load of washing. And getting ready myself.

I have outsourced much of my housework to my DC. DD keeps on top of downstairs and her bedroom and prepares a meal every night for 5e family. Mainly something very simple or from the freezer as she is only 14. DS who is 12 must keep on top of trash, recycling, and has to thoroughly clean the bathrooms weekly.
For this I pay them a modest amount (less than professional would charge) but they’re learning to pull their weight too.

I have outsourced much of my housework to my DC. DD keeps on top of downstairs and her bedroom and prepares a meal every night for 5e family. Mainly something very simple or from the freezer as she is only 14. DS who is 12 must keep on top of trash, recycling, and has to thoroughly clean the bathrooms weekly.
For this I pay them a modest amount (less than professional would charge) but they’re learning to pull their weight too. This is awesome. At what age did you start this? I'm thinking handing my 4 year old bleach might be frowned upon but I'm sure my 9 year old could do more. He currently helps with the dishwasher loading and emptying, making beds, putting laundry away but I really want him to learn more!

Tomatoesand please tell me more about this no homework m'larky. Is there a philosophy behind it? What did the school say? To answer OP, evening are just about getting in the door having picked up DC at 6pm. Feeding them, flinging washing on, manic tidy up, unloading and loading dishwasher, panic shopping on amazon (weekend birthday parties etc), then bath kids, stories and bed. Usually 8:30 before DH and I eat, hour of telly then 10pm I go to bed and set alarm for 5:50am yawn.

blimey

I’m now more interested in the no homework policy.

How does that even work?

Thanks everyone who has posted - we're similar here. We both work full time, I start early so I can do the school pick up, and DH works regular office hours which allows him to do the drop off.

I try to get a load of washing done every night (hanging it up early in the morning), and the rest of the housework is shared between us. We often feel like we're barely keeping it all together - it's good to know we're not alone, you know?

TT I’m not telling you anything because you’re being an ass.

I work all day, at home.

My son is 16 and at college.

Dh is out at work all day.

My husband and I keep the house clean. We clean it every day, which is less hassle than doing a weekly clean.

It's not ideal - the house is not as perfect as I would like.

You just opt out of homework? Also what is IB? So many questions as my DD is only 19 months and I can't bear the thought of her going to school then bringing school work home to do as well (genuinely never understood the need for homework)

Was that to me Tomatoesand ?? So sorry if that came across arsey. I'm genuinely interested. If i could cut homework out I'd be on cloud nine! Please don't be cross. Come back and explain how you got to that decision so I can copy you!

Both work full time. DS is 15 so fairly independent.

DP is works 6am - 2/3pm so I tend to do a bit of tidying/hoovering before we leave for school/work at 8.15am.

We use the slow cooker a lot to try and minimise cooking. Most cleaning/shopping is done at weekends. We go for a walk/gym a couple of times a week in the evening. Homework is down to my DS although I do check he's doing it.

We tend to chill listening to music or watching TV - bed by 10 at the latest.

I suggest u follow teamtomm
She's on Instagram and has a blog if u Goode her! Absolutely awesome!!

www.theorganisedmum.blog/tag/tomm/

I work 40 hours a week have 4 children an my house is spotless! Try it. You won't look back!

Do pots in a morning and put load of laundry on get in at 415 sort laundry cook tea walk dog and let hubby wash up I empty bins dry up before bed deep clean bedrooms one weekend bathroom next weekend and hubby puts Hoover round downstairs on a weekend dontiron anything and food shop one night per week to save trip out on a weekend always knackered !!!kids 17 useless!!!

I also like theorganisedmum.

But am also more curious about how you opt out of homework.

topystervy - when do you do the cleaning - do you follow the daily schedule?