How do you manage with working and family life?

[MUM2BLESS]

I thought I would start this thread, spin off from the average amount of children thread.

I have four kids and I am also a childminer of five. Life can be busy. I am working from home as I need flexibility with family life.

My husband is very helpful as he is a trained chef,he cooks lovely mouth watering meals (yes, i still have to cook also)he washes up, shops, cleans etc and helps out with the kids, This includes going to school meetings etc at times. We work together concerning what needs doing.

I gave up work just before my 2nd was born.

Would love to hear from anyone who has 3 or more kids and also working, whether from home or outside the home. Is everything balanced?

I would love especially to hear from those who work outside the home. If you have a partner, do you get help?

I have 3 (always contempleting no 4). I work p/t. I have 3 cleaning jobs and teach 2 piano students on a Wed pm. I also do a lot of voluntary work for our church. The balance is always precarious and I daren't ever let any of my cleaning clients see my own house - they'd probably think there'd been an alien abduction: my cleaning standards in their houses is impeccable. In my own house, sadly less so!

I've done childminding in the past so don't ever say you gave up work before your dc2 was born - it's really hard looking after the children of other people. Don't do yourself down!

I guess it's all a bit of a bargaining / balancing act isn't it? If I wanted an immaculate show home then I should never have had any children, no? But I'm happy with the way things are and the balance we have. It works for us.

I have 4 dc's, trying for dc5 (with no luck).
I currently work outside the home on a labour ward, so really busy and stressful.
I have just cut my hours down to part time (from 50 - 70 hours a week to 20).
Now I have cut them down I can't imagine how i ever managed!
I am soooo exhausted all of the time, so I am going to be giving up work altogether at the end of the year and hopefully going back to uni to do an MA in my first degree.
However, dh is going back to uni in Sept to do nursing, so no idea how we are going to cope financially, but he seems to think we can manage on money in the bank and NHS bursery . It will be the simple life for us for the next 3 years.
But I am so looking forward to giving up work and studying again.
I definately find my dc's more manageable since giving up work, and i am a lot happiier - but then, I dont love my job, maybe if i had a job i loved it would be different.
sorry, this is probably not what you wanted to hear at all!

I have 4 and work full time in a highly stressful job. People are always shocked if it comes up that I have children but I agree with tummytickler when you are in the middle of it you do it but if you stop and look back you think how on earth did I ever do that! There are times when I think I just can't go on but I have worked sooooo hard to get where I am and I do love my job (most of the time) and the positive impact it has on upon other people's lives.

As to is life balanced, well I am not sure it ever is, suppose its about what suits you as a family.

I have 4 children too and am a single mum. I work nearly full time (31 hrs wk) but term time only, purely because I can't afford to pay for childcare for 4 every holiday. I dont have any family to 'help out' so thats the oinly way i can work at the moment. When the kids go to their dads I seem to spend all my time organising and cooking meals to freeze for the next wk. But its all good- I get to spend plenty of time with my kids and work!

I am a mum of 5 and work full time as a childminder with 9 part-timers.
My husband works shifts and although he is a good provider and a lovely Dad he gives me no help at all around the home or in practical ways with the kids.
I am exhausted with it all, too tired for a social life and really want to train as a teacher. I know this will never happen though as I know my husband wouldn't "pick up the slack" if I was to go to uni and I feel that if I did so ultimately my kids would suffer.
However that said I would never be without him or the children. You really can't have it all and I am so lucky in so many ways.

I have four DC's and work 12.5hrs/wk. I find that definitely enough! I do an awful lot in the home but my DH would willingly help me with anything. I think I'm a control freak though so I'm my own worst enemy!

Sorry for not giving more info Buttonmoon78.

I gave up work just before my second son was born. (1998). At home fulltime. I did not start childminding until 2008.

I also have four DCs and work (allegedly) part-time. Also have very time-and-emotion-absorptive hobby. Can only achieve this with a fully co-operative DH who can, as and when necessary, do the school drop, remember to buy stuff for lunch boxes etc., whilst holding down a full-time job. Was in lift today on my way home (to do school pick up+after school routine) with new colleague who, when hearing the answer to her casual inquiry as to my weekend, said that she used to do XYZ but there are times when you have to make choices etc etc. I never did. In the words of the old expression, if you want something doing pronto - ask a busy woman. Mind you, I couldn't half do with a holiday.

I have 4 dc, and work full time, as a teacher though so have all the school holidays off as otherwise childcare costs for 4 over the holidays would be unaffordable. Termtimes are manic, mine are all at school but it is still really hard work in the middle of term. I try to do a bit of bulk cooking eg on sundays when coking roast do a giant pan of mince or stew that will last for 2 meals and freeze half for the following week.
DH tries really hard to be supportive but has all encompassing job that pays very much more than my teacher salary, he does cook tea on mons etc, and as the boys get older i get them to help more and more around the house - i find this really helpful.
Over the year everything is balanced - I love having all summer off with the boys, but sometimes in the depths of november it feels far too tipped in the direction of work

5 kids - 3 school age + toddler twins, work 3 long days in central London in professional job. Have a nanny 3 days (my wonderful mother - paid!) and also a lady who does cleaning laundry and makes tea over 20 hours a week. Just about balances out financially, but keeps me sane and we all seem to enjoy the arrangement.

Thanks everyone

Oh forgot to mention that today i managed to attend my sons year 6 leavers assembley this morning, after doing the school run. Then with after childminding I managed to go out to his leavers bbq

I find that I have to plan ahead with the parents I deal with so that I can also make time to do things with my family also.

I can appreciate that not everyone is able to have this flexibility with work and family life.

I have also taken 2 weeks off in August to spend with my family and also catch up with things.

What plans have you made for the summer holiday period?