To wonder how full time working parents make time to pusue hobbies?

[malificent7]

My lockdown pursuit was painting...lovebit andcwant to carry on.
I am now on placement full time...ngs career. I'd love to paint but evenings am too knackered and weekend i am doing family time.dd 12 so a bit more independent which helps.
Just curious to know if you lot have any hobbies and how you find time for them?

In answer to your title question - from reading these boards, they have wives / female partners who pick up all the slack!

My ex had loads of time for his hobbies because I did all of the parenting.

And now that I'm a single parent, I have hardly any time to myself. I'm shattered most of the time anyway, to do things I really enjoy in the little free time I do have.

You have to sacrifice some of your family time or just crack on in the evenings

We just got organised. We both had one night a week for our sports. On those nights there was usually a slow cooker meal ready for whoever was at home and some left for the person returning later in the evening.

I don’t basically

Single mum work FT
My youngest is football which means driving him about
My eldest is gaming !

I’ve so left that side go , but
Reading and Netflix
Gardening
Cycling 🚴‍♀️
Seeing friends

Main focus is to stay healthy (ha !) as my tween and teen are likely to bugger off at some stage

I’m only part time (4 days) so this is technically cheating.

Make time by not doing other things like watching TV and having a cleaner.

I play rugby semi professionally, have a rugby tots franchise and play piano.

Rugby training twice a week and usually a game a week, I take my son with me usually, but he started dance lessons last year which nicely clashed with Tuesday training so I was able to drop him off at dance and then go to rugby training. Exercise for rugby is generally done at 6am before my son wakes up, I have home weights etc so I only need minimal use of the gym, which was normally happening on a Sunday during his 1:1 swimming lesson.

Rugby tots again he comes with me and I do the admin bits when he is in bed.

Piano, I try to give 30 minutes a day, its usually last thing at night before I go to bed.

You make the most of little bits of time. I used to say to DH, can you take the kids to your mum's/the zoo/for a play at the park on Saturday... I really need some down time. And he used to say the same to me.

We both value having a relaxed partner rather than doing everything together.

I think generally you don’t find time, you make time. Something else has to give. It may be that there is ‘down time’ you could be putting to use on hobbies (scrolling through your phone, watching tv you aren’t that bothered about etc). If not, you may be able to streamline other areas of your life to make space - for example, meal prepping, getting your daughter to help more with chores, hiring a cleaner, etc.

I don't know anyone that does apart from those with partners willing to pick up the slack, and that usually ruins the relationship overtime if unequal.

We also prioritise our hobbies and just build them into the family schedule alongside the children’s sports etc. Both of us enjoy sports and usually take it in turns to go out to train with friends when the children are in bed. Events become family events so say dh has a triathlon event or I have a netball match, the whole family attends with friends from the club and we have a meal, go to the beach or whatever and support each other coming in exactly the same as we go for eg ds’ rugby and football matches or dd’s lifeguarding event days. I think it’s important for the dc to see you devoting time to friends and hobbies and having a full life too. But I can’t lie, life does get very busy sometimes!

I have (largely home-based) hobbies, but I don't work full time. Dh works full time in a very demanding job and has a couple of hobbies (one musical one with a rehearsal once a week, plus fishing and hiking/running). He would never do them to the detriment of family life though. The hiking/running doubles up as exercising ddog, which needs doing anyway.

I think you just have to make yourself walk away from the hoovering and mumsnet.
And remember nobody on their deathbed ever said "that window should have been washed"

And now that I'm a single parent, I have hardly any time to myself. I'm shattered most of the time anyway, to do things I really enjoy in the little free time I do have.

Yep. You have my full sympathy. I'm effectively a single parent as DP is terminally ill and disabled now, so I'm his carer, work FT and parent. It's tough... But I'm sure it'll get easier as the xhukdren get older and have more independence. Hang on in there

@TheSeedsOfADream wise words and I think I love you for writing them ha ha

Very little sleep. At least I have enough hobbies to pick and choose as situations present themselves:

• driving around, then waiting in the car: knitting or reading
• doing chores: watching (okay, listening mostly) series.
• anything that needs my full attention: from 11pm to 2am.

Yes, I used to be constantly knackered

I think you just have to make yourself walk away from the hoovering and mumsnet.

Yy. I'm supposed to be writing a book, but I don't find much time to work on it. If I'd spent the past year's MNing time writing, it would be finished by now.

If DD12 is your only child, then she is old enough to learn that you take time for a hobby. She doesn't need constant supervision and interaction by that age.

So set up your painting stuff wherever you did when you were on lockdown and get on with it. If it works for you, she could paint alingside you, or sew or make whatever is he current equivalent to friendship bracelets. Or she could do her homework on the other end of the table or sit and read or watch TV.

I remember my mum doing caning (of chairs) on the living room floor while we watched TV, and her corn dolly making in the dining room. We would pop in and out to watch or chat. Only a couple of hours a week, but we never resented it. We sometimes joined in and helped or had a go at our own little project ourselves.

A lot of common sense here. My friend who manages a full exercise schedule has her kids in full wrap around school care (think 7.30 to 6.30) so fits it in that way.

For people who have not yet taken the plunge you could skip parenting and have all the time in the world for yourself and hobbies!

@lazylinguist
I often sit and work out how many minutes a day I spend clicking on threads here that I don't even post on then I hate myself

Our kids are much younger and we both make time for hobbies. I run and play an instrument (long runs at weekend, instrument at home in the evening).DH hobbies are either home based or again, he takes a weekend slot.

We don’t have a massive buy in to “family time” at the weekend - we hang out together and take DCs to some activities but it’s not like we plan big days out or go to the cinema etc. Cleaning and house organisation/decoration probably takes a back seat to our hobbies. But that’s fine - hobbies are an important and enriching part of life.

I also like cooking, which I have to do anyway!

DH usually takes the kids for a few hours so I can work at the allotment. I have a day of annual leave on Tuesday so have the whole day to myself. I'm going to spend it gardening and allotmenting. It's not everyone's idea of fun but I like it.

I sew, and I'm lucky enough to have it all set up in the attic. I have a habit tracker app and I check off when I do half an hour to encourage myself.
I most often sew on my day off, after putting DD to bed, or for a quick half an hour while the DCs are watching TV at the weekend.