I am sure that someone has a similar set up... DH leaves home at 6.30am and gets home at 7.15pm if we are lucky although been 8pm this week. So, DS1(8) and DS2(3) never see him in the morning. Boys have tea at 5.30 or earlier so I sit with them and then clear away while they watch TV, play on DS etc (not together, we are lucky enough to have a playroom). I try to get DS2 into bed at 7pm and sometimes DH will be home in time to do a story. Bed time can take til 7.30pm or later so DS1 is often downstairs on his own (feel v guilty but cant see alternative) for 45 mins. Then we have our meal (DS1 on his own again) and then DH reads with DS1 (new routine: TV off at 8pm unless we are still eating). DS1 has trouble getting to sleep so he can be bouncing off walls til 10pm. We never seem to sit down til 10pm, there is always washing up as I do 2 meal sittings every night. DH has just phoned to say problem with trains and wont be home til 8.30, so I will read with DS1, we will eat 8.45 but that means DS1 will not start the going to bed process til 9.15. DS1 is not the easiest child, everthing from getting up, going to bed, cleaning teeth, using cutlery to doing homework is a battle. It feels like every night we are "hitting a moving target" and everything has to be crammed into the weekend .I would just like some reassurance that this is normal for most families with a commuter and some meal suggestions for things that DSs could eat at 5.30 and would be OK to reheat at 8.30 (for a DH who is in his 50's and just done a 14 hour day!) Thanks