need of a routine

[Shaz2011]

Hi all I am a mum of 3dc my dh works full time so I am a stay at home mum my dc are 8,2.9 & 13 months I am in desprate need of a routine where I can spend time with the kids together & one on one but also get my housework done ( my dh is a neat freak) any ideas on how can do this would be appreciated

If your DH is a neat freak I would suggest forcefully to him that he does the tidying up and housework himself. You've got your hands completely full with two toddlers and a school-age child. Occupy your time with the children - nobody dies wishing they'd kept up with the housework.

I would sit down with a big piece of paper and start jotting down any key times/things that you have to do. i.e. kids up, breakfast time, leave the house, pick DC up from school, bathtime, bedtimes etc. Then you will quickly spot gaps in the day when you have time to fulfil all the time with your children 1x1 etc. i.e. your 8yo will be at school so his 1 x 1 time for homework will be say 4 to 4.30. Your youngest will presumably have nap times which means you can then spend 1 x1 with your middle one. Then 4.30 to 5 can be teatime and so on.

My dh thinks that I should be able to do all do housework school stuff & spend time with kids plus do dinners etc

Your DH should try it for a week and see how much flipping housework he gets done.

Well I am planning on going away for a weekend & leaving him with all kids & see how he gets on

I have a preschooler and an older baby and the housework just isnt done to any great degree during the week, day to day basics sure but when DD is napping DS wants / deserves some one to one time etc so I've taken to do doing a blitz on the weekend when DH can take the kids to the park or just muck around in the backyard - but then we dont have busy weekends socially speaking!

My dh works 5 days a week & than helps his granparents on a saturday so it on sundays left but than I am doing sunday roast for everyone I am more of a single parent when it comes to the kids so my routine will have to be for a single parent

We all work, Shaz - looking after children is work and it's seven days a week - it sounds like your OH needs to appreciate that. Unless he gets home at 9 every night and goes to work at 6 I think he could sling a duster in the evenings. My DH goes to work at 7.15 but he still manages to dress at least one of the children and often puts a wash on before he goes.

Well he leaves the house at 7 & it depends on what time he gets home it could be from 5 onwards the latest he has got home is 9 but like said it all depends on how busy they are as for the washing machine bit he don't know how to use it lol