What do you honestly do all day…

[Thechatteringofthebirds]

If your a Sahm with dc at school?

Not a bashing thread, as this is sort of me and curious what others do

My Dd has just started school full time, so those days of being together all day, play date meet ups during the week daytime, days out etc are now gone 😩
I do work, but only two evenings per week and one weekend morning at the moment.
On a day of the week I plan for the times I teach, aside from that, I drop off, walk my dog, some tidying and washing (have a cleaner every fortnight) watch tv, read…then pick Dd up, go to the beach, walks, do her reading, dinner, bath, school things etc. What else do you do?
In September I’ll pick up more days and hours, but for these last few months I want to make sure I make the most of it.
What do you do or would do if you could?

*On one day of the week

As someone who has worked full time continuously apart from two mat leaves, I can only answer hypothetically but I would:

Declutter
Do washing, cooking, life admin so that I didn't have to do these things in the evening or at weekends
Play piano
Exercise
Read and watch TV

I would find it very easy to occupy my time I think! The school day is so short really and the holiday periods are long.

I work 4 days and have Fridays off while girls at school. On my day off I do a variety of bigger jobs and time for myself e.g decluttering and house jobs that never get done, naps, walks and meet ups with friends, admin for my SEN child, housework.

If I had more time, I'd like to start swimming or running, batch cook more and research interesting recipes, possibly repaint some rooms.

I do quite a bit of voluntary work which keeps me pretty busy. Also planning to join a tennis club this spring. I attend a couple of craft groups and I start a short university course next month.

This makes me sad. I’d love to be a SAHP (DDs are 4 and 2) but I’m the breadwinner so work full time and pay huge nursery fees. I truly hate it but can’t quit. You are very fortunate OP.

Clean, tidy, read, rest , organise, bake, I’ve just started gardening as had been feeling stressed that I don’t get out much (I don’t work due to having autism) so looking forward to getting in the garden.

i never have time to watch tv or read!

do the washing up and tidy kitchen
make cakes for school lunch boxes
laundry
gardening
pick up online orders/click n collect
grocery shopping
tidying
cleaning
cook dinner so it can be made quickly after school
mending/sewing (not much, but add labels, take up trousers etc).
walk dogs
life admin - book appointments, telephone workmen etc

its about 5 hours a day for me between school runs. it whizzes by.

Did this for a year.
Used to clean and tidy
Exercise
Play with cats
Top up shops without kids

Not me as I work full time and have since I went back to work after maternity leave, but my friends mum is/was a SAHM. She left work after having her first daughter (we are 37 now).

She has always kept busy - She does a lot of charity work (unpaid) - things like fundraising by organising and running coffee mornings or baking and selling the cakes/pies.
She spent time on various hobbies.
Also looking after the home.

There's more but I'm tired tonight and can't think.

In some ways, I envy SAHP - my DH is semi stay at home (works v p/t, for himself - no complaints, it works for us). I am glad dh is around for our son - can take him/pick him up from school etc. I do sometimes feel sad that I can't do that, but I am lucky to have school holidays off as I am a teacher.
On the other hand, I don't think I am cut out to stay home!

I do a bit of admin, go for a walk on the beach, or yoga, goto a co-work space sometimes to mix it up, browse Rightmove & mumsnet, answer emails, do personal training x 3 per week, play tennis, play table tennis, cook dinner, pick my partner up from work

I have 2 dcs aged 4 and 8 who are now both in primary school. I like to get out and about while I can so I try to get all meal prep and housework done while they're in bed. Leaves my day free for things out of the house. I go to art classes, dance class, the gym, swimming pool, visit exhibitions, visit restaurants, explore different neighbourhoods, park walks, talks, workshops, beauty and health appointments, watch films and theatre shows. We're in London so lots of things going on and both dcs have a later finish some days due to after-school clubs. I guess I'm doing a lot of things that I used to do at weekends pre-dc, but weekends are now taken up with activities with the dcs so it's the only time I get to do that (we never use evening babysitters so we don't go out in the evenings without them).

When i did this i would do all the usual

bit of cleaning
bit of shopping
crafting
walks
lots of reading
watched television
met up a lot for coffee with friends

think thats it 🤔 certainly filled my days

I usually drop the kids off at school nip to the supermarket and pick up and bits I need. I usually grab a coffee and then go home and take the dogs for a walk.
Come home make the beds and tidy up. Do and cleaning/admin/washing/ironing that needs doing. Prepare dinner. Might meet a friend for lunch some days or see my mum.
By Friday I have everything done for the weekend for all the kids (sports kits etc...) and make sure all the boring jobs are done so we can just enjoy the weekend.
We've just moved house so the next year or so will be taken up with renovations.

If I could have been a sahp I would have homeschooled.

I quit work after my mat leave ended in November last year, so have been a ‘SAHM’ since then. My eldest is 10 and I worked FT until the baby came along last year so this is all a novelty still!

The days differ but I struggle to keep on top of things even though I’m home all day. A normal day will be dropping DC1 off at school, then often will nip to the shops for any needed bits or errands that need running. Have breakfast with DS2 when we get in then I’ll try to make tea after that if I can so it’s one less thing to do later as he can get aggy around 5/6pm! Then I’ll wash up and clean the kitchen. Then play, read or do some activity with DS2 until his nap at around 11:30. He then sleeps for two hours when I’ll spend the first hour sticking a wash on, tidying/hoovering usually. If I have time I might clean the bathroom or similar. Then I’ll have my lunch and a brew until he wakes up. Then give DS lunch and after that we’ll usually go out somewhere to a group or the park or library until I pick DS2 up from school. Get everyone home and do tea time, bath and bed.

I honestly get to the end of the day and the house is a tip and I look like a hag and feel like I have done nothing. But the kids are happy and fed in their beds and that’s all that matters. When I was working FT all those years I’d be out of the house 7:30am - 6:30pm and life was such a drudge I don’t know how we did it (out of necessity!)

Things I did:
Go swimming
Go skiing
Take care of the house
The cooking
All admin
Helped out on the family farm
Helped siblings with childcare if needed
PTA
Volunteer at school
Gardening

I work freelance, so I can keep my own hours but also have events & projects & weekend work. I bring DS to preschool in the mornings, WFH. At home, we’ll play (or go to the park or the shops or Granny’s), cleaning, tidying, cooking, shopping, life admin etc… I don’t watch TV, but read if I get a chance.

I'm sahp/work from home fir my own business. I actually don't like it and would prefer to have my own office. I have terrible procrastination and I just find it dull and boring at home

On my week days off I:
Garden
Do laundry
Read
Craft
Do yoga
Volunteer on a rewilding project
Go swimming
Finish off excess work from my work days
Go to see a gallery/ museum/ botanical gardens
Batch cook or make a nice dinner

Maybe start swimming or baking? Could do pet sitting in your spare time?.

On a normal day I went to the gym, met friends, went walking with my dogs etc. Towards the end I used the time to achieve the things I wanted to do such as studying to retrain for a new career and running a marathon. I was never bored as a sahm, I always had something to do. I suppose it just depends on your own interests and what your goals are.

I’m so envious. Was this possible by having a high earning partner?

Technically it was possible as a result of having shitloads of free time Mon - Fri during every term time, but yes, I was a sahm for 10 years while dh worked.

Absolutely zero criticism at all, but I do all these things (everything on this list) in the evenings, for 15 mins in a lunch break, or first / last thing on the weekend days!!!

@StrawberryThief1930 no time to read or watch tv but lots of time for other lovely leisure activities!