Dh and I can't agree on how much "quality time" he should spend with dd1 (3) and dd2 (11 months) after work. He comes home about quarter to six, gets changed while chatting to the girls, then we all have dinner together, then he helps with the bedtime routine (bath every other night, otherwise only into pyjamas). Sometimes he'll mess around with them a little bit, playing hide and seek or whatever, but mostly it's quite rushed, especially bathtime - he'll just get them in, wash them, get them out again. In the end everything's done by about 6.35 to 6.45, when dd1 watches a video for about half an hour to 45 minutes (on her own, I might add - we are those terrible parents who uses the TV as a babysitter ), and when I put dd2 to bed - who often isn't tired then yet and I'm at a bit of a loss what to do with her (just want to get on with going on mumsnet ...) After the video dh will read a bedtime story to dd1.
Dh feels that the routine is good as it is and doesn't need changing, and that he's doing a lot, much more than other men who get home later or do other things and therefore aren't as involved. But I feel that he could spend some time just playing with the children, just interacting, if you know what I mean. What's it like in other families, I'd be interested to know? Am I being too harsh on dh, or should he do more?