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Parenting

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Original poster

Question for working parents...

13 replies

mumtosp · 26/09/2013 09:30

Hi all,

DS is almost a year old and although I've been back at work for almost a month now, things have been easy as my parents are visiting. This allows me to get up, breastfeed DS and then just hand him over to my parents while me and DH get ready for work...

DS is starting with a CM next week and I have no idea how to manage mornings once my parents go back..... how do you and your partner get ready in the mornings? Do you put your LOs in a playpen while you get ready ?
Or should I not expect for me and DH to leave home at the same time?
Sorry if this sounds stupid, but I have no idea how to manage mornings when my parents are not around to help !

TIA :)

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itshowwedo · 26/09/2013 09:40

Does DS have breakfast with the CM or at home? Mine used to have breakfast there, which made life easier. Parent 1 would get up first and shower, while Parent 2 got DD up. DD would sit on the sofa and have a snack with Parent 1 (fruit, usually, or a biscuit) while Parent 2 got sorted out. DH had to leave slightly earlier than me so he'd then head off, leaving DD and I to brush our teeth and then leave the house a little later. DH and I both eat breakfast at our desks, which simplifies the morning routine somewhat! I don't see any reason you can't all leave the house at the same time if that's what's required. It's amazing how quickly you get into a routine - just figure out when you need to leave, work backwards for when you have to set your alarm and add five minutes for emergency nappy changes!

SleepyFish · 26/09/2013 09:52

I don't have a partner but when ds was a toddler i just used to put him in his cot or highchair with some toys if i needed him to stay out of mischief whilst i showered or he would just come into the bathroom with me. I also used the all too useful 'electronic mother' otherwise known as the tv if i had to. I did get a playpen at that age too for a few months which was a godsend. Also you learn to streamline your morning routine so shower 5 mins max, hair/make up etc if you bother with that, again 5-10 mins max. I actually find it harder now that ds is an independent 5 yr old as i now have packed lunches/homework/school letters etc to sort.

stowsettler · 26/09/2013 09:55

Yes to playpen / cot (any type of baby prison!) while you get showered. I have a very quick shower before DD gets up, then I get her up and dry my hair downstairs while she plays where I can see her. The days of straightening my hair are in the dim and distant past / future. Then I get myself a coffee and her a bottle. After that we take the dogs for a walk. On nursery days we then just get in the car and I take her. I usually have breakfast in the car or at work.
Ohhh I love my life....

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ifyourehoppyandyouknowit · 26/09/2013 11:00

We sort of trade off on days I work (I work three days, DH does five), so he plays with toddler and I get ready, then I look after toddler and he gets ready, then we leave the house. DS eats breakfast at nursery, though I give him a piece of fruit if he's hungry before that (not often). When DH is away I just try and do everything the night before (shower, get clothes out, pack bag, make lunch etc), so then DS just runs around while I have a wash, put make up and clothes on and then wrestle him into clothes.

Boobybeau · 26/09/2013 11:07

We sometimes shower and do as much as possible the night before and you'll probably find you just have to get up earlier to allow for more 'pacifying' time. One of you can do breakfast with dc while the other gets dressed then swap over. I often do make up etc with my little helpers emptying my make up bag. Don't panic you'll be fine. I was the same as you and thought I'd never be able to juggle school run, childcare, getting to work but you kinda just find a rhythm.

MrsBungle · 26/09/2013 11:10

I have a 16 month old who goes to nursery and a 4 year old who goes to school.

I get up before them, go down stairs and get them both milk, bring it back up. I then have a shower.

Then I get both kids up and they sit in my room and drink milk while I do hair and make-up.

All clothes are laid out the night before. Dd starts getting dressed on her own. I get ds dressed, change nappy etc. I clean their teeth.

Then I get dressed and do dd's hair.

Go down stairs, dd has breakfast while I sort stuff out, get shoes, bags, coats etc. ds plays.

Into the car. Drop ds at nursery (he has breakfast there), then take dd to school.

I get up at about 6:45 and I leave the house with them at 8ish.

ThePippy · 26/09/2013 12:15

I have always got ready (shower, dry hair, makeup and dressed) before getting DC up (I have one in a cot who has no choice, and one in a bed with a gro clock and bribes of reward chart stickers for staying in there until the sun comes up on the clock) as I just find the getting ready plus demands of kids too much to deal with in the morning, so I split it like this for my own sanity. It does mean getting up earlier (my alarm goes off at 6.20am), but the payoff for me is I get to spend more focused time with them once they are up.

This works 95% of the time - only problems is when younger DC is crying/awake early and won't just play, or the rare occasion my older DC wakes early and decides she doesn't care about her reward chart!

Ehhn · 26/09/2013 12:48

This is why it annoys me when men (and childless women) write into metro newspaper complaining about people eating breakfast or doing make up on the train! Sometimes it's the easiest place and best use of time...

Mumof3xx · 26/09/2013 12:56

I find as long as I am up an hour and half before I need to leave the house I can get myself and 3 dc ready alone. They are 4, 5 and nearly 6 months

I get up with baby make a brew bottle and her porridge while she's in highchair. Feed her both and drink my brew takes about 15-20 min. Wake older two up and sit them down with breakfast. Put dd in bouncer or activity center. Get dressed while all are occupied. Constantly nag older two to get dressed while dressing dd. check everything is in everyone's bag. Brush everyone's teeth. And off we go

Tigresswoods · 26/09/2013 12:58

However much time you think you need add half an hour on and work back from there. Also get what you can dine the night before.

In a couple of weeks it will all be 2nd nature.

Scrounger · 26/09/2013 17:36

However much time you think you need add half an hour on and work back from there. Also get what you can dine the night before.

^^ This absolutely, we get all the clothes out the night before, bags packed and even bowls etc on the table for breakfast (we have three pre-schoolers / schoolies).

gotadifferentnamenow · 26/09/2013 17:47

Am lone parent. I do as much as possible (bags packed, clothes out, lunch sorted) the night before, then 18mo DS just wanders around with me as I get ready. We get up at 6.45, I wash and dress myself first, change his nappy, eat breakfast, dress him, then run around like a headless chicken doing makeup etc and leave just before 8.

He just gets it, I think - before I went back we used to faff around for ages in the morning bfing every twenty mins etc, but he totally understands there is no hanging about in the mornings somehow and we get it all done!

Original poster

mumtosp · 27/09/2013 15:06

Thanks for all your replies !! You've all been very helpful :)

I have to say you all sound like super women :)

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