How much "time off" from your children do you get?

[YellowAndPinks]

How much "time off" from your children do you get in a week? I have a six month old and I'm with her pretty relentlessly unless I'm staying with my parents who will then watch her for a couple of hours here and there. DH is supportive but works full time so in a week I'd say he might take her out by himself for an hour, then on a week where I'm seeing my parents my mum might have her for two hours and the rest of the time I'm with her. I love spending time with her but find it so so relentless and very tiring.

Would be interested to know what time off other people have and how they manage and feel about it. I will go back to work but not until she's one.

Have an 8 year old and a toddler - I always get at least one morning (until about 10 or 11ish) on a weekend to lie in in peace but nothing else is regular, probably a few hours a week on average, usually while I take a walk in the evening when OH is home with the kids.

When on maternity leave there was a local, council run gym with a low cost creche, it was amazing! After returning to work (PT) I really missed it.

Sounds like your DH could do more sole charge parenting at weekends.

My dh did bathtime most night for 45mins and then took ds out Saturday mornings for an hour or two after his first feed.

I had no down time, I was a single mum with no relatives nearby. I didn't find it hard, he was such a good baby and very good natured.

I’ve 4 under 6 and I do a hobby 3 nights a week. They are in bed for some of that time but it’s a full break from being mum. I sometimes take a day and occasionally night to travel and see friends or my sister (spa night or whatever). I also work from home with a nanny so if I really want to do a private message or get lunch with someone, I can go alone during the week. I’ve started also leaving all kids with DH to go do little things like pick up milk or meet someone for coffee on the weekend because for the last 6 yrs I’ve always tried hard to bring all kids (or bump and kids) everywhere with me morning, evening and weekends.

The last but most important thing is I’m very strict with bedtime. All of them are in bed and quiet by 8pm latest. I’ve then up to 4 hrs to watch TV or garden or whatever I want.

DD is nearly 2. I SAH. Since she was 8/9 months DH has taken her for an hour each morning before work, and we split weekends evenly. But I'm working for about half that time.

I don't think you get time off with children, even when you aren't with them your mind is always thinking/planning around them. Until I was back at work there was no time away from them, my (D)H would help if I was very ill and my mum was available for a couple of hours a week usually, but on the whole its a 24/7 job

I can remember going to the loo and sitting there just a little bit longer than needed just to get a bit of me time :)

I was the same as you until I realised if I wanted time away I needed to plan it, it had never occurred to DH. Now I run two weeknights with friends and have a morning or afternoon kid free at weekend, he does the same. We both have a night away with friends every few months too. I am a much better parent and wife after I’ve had some time for myself.

I have a 3 year old and 1 year old. I rarely get much free time but can get out on an evening when dh not on late shifts.

Just started couch to 5k, is fab and I love the 30 mins of "me-time" I get!!

Very little. No family nearby, husband works long hours to provide for us. He is very good when he is here but with a baby and a just turned 2 year old it is pretty relentless. At the weekend he will sometimes take them out and is happy to look after them if I go out for a few hours. I was in hospital with appendicitis a couple of months ago and he was fine looking after them alone.

Mine are nearly 15 and 12 respectively. Years, not months.
Not a single hour of 'babysitting' (either paid or from family)
Now a single parent (3 years since). Their Father doesn't do EOW.
I think he had them for 3 days last summer?
It's relentless. They both have ASD and only now are getting meds for sleep. As youngsters they were very clingy. They still can be.
I love them but I don't know how I've not gone round the twist.

My DD is 6 months too and I am EBF. Since she was born I have had about half a dozen breaks from her of 1-3 hours each while my DH or MIL look after her. I can't leave her much longer than that as she won't take a bottle.

It's exhausting but I do love being with her and I keep telling myself it's not forever. I'll be going back to work in 6 months and then I'll be missing her like crazy! (While delighting in lunchtime trips to M&S and going to the loo on my own etc.)

I had Saturday afternoons off from about 2 till 6 from when they were 6 weeks old. Dh had them..he had the morning off. Worked for us. Came back full of love for everyone.
I went to cafes, bars, library, shopping, met with friends in a similar position for a long lunch.

Apart from when I’m at work - most Sundays between 9.30am & 5pm

And one weekend in 7

At first I thought you were a lone parent. . So, your husband works ft in the week?.what's that, 8-6 ish? Why can't you have a break in the evenings or at weekends? Even bf babies don't need constant feeding at 6 months.

Find something nice to do a couple of evenings a week on your own and tell your husband that you will be doing them. And yes I do mean tell. Don't ask permission. Huge generalisation (I don't care) but men are very good at getting out of extra work, and unlike women, will rarely offer to shoulder more of the domestic responsibilities.
Time off is important. to those not able to get any.

Apart from going to work, I had one weekend away from my kids in 18 years. I was widowed when they were babies, nearest relative 250 miles away.
Being ill was a nightmare. I remember crawling downstairs with flu, trying to fill a kettle and then vomiting in the sink while my toddler kicked my legs, shouting for chocolate.
I joined a book circle when they were a bit older, so I had an evening out once every two months.
I’d recommend making some social contacts and having a support network. It should be easier these days with the internet. I was stuck alone in a small village, where I knew hardly anyone - Id been working 80 to 100 hour weeks before the kids, and only came home to sleep.
Still, we survived, and they’ve grown up and got their own homes now. I’m retired and trying to make up for all the lost “me time”!

Oh, and if you're ill with flu your husband can take leave from work and look after you both!

I didn't come out the other side until ds started nursery.I felt much better then!

When my kids were really not a lot tbh I was either looking after them or working it gets easier as they get older

Work (ft Mon to fri).
They go to bed at 7 so every evening.
Dh and I are both hands on and pretty equal. I have a weekend away coming up. I can say to dh "I'm off out to the shops this eve, if you are in" and he the same.

My dc are 7 and 4. I've had a weekend away at least 1 per year since dc. Dh and I get maybe 4 nights a year together without them.

Even just taking one of them out at a time feels like a break so we do that a fair bit

DS is almost 9 months now. The only time I have away from him is when he's sleeping, pretty much. Then I need to do things that are quiet and in the house (luckily sewing fits the bill!). DH does long hours at the moment (6.30-6.30, 6 days a week) so it's just me and baby most of the time.

I’ve had 2 days a week since dd was 3 months old to go to work. That’s my time off.

Since my kids were babies at nursery I've always had days where they've been in childcare or at school now they're older andd I've not been at work.

Dh & I rarely get time off together though. He has to book a day off work. We don't often have ovenight childcare. As they're getting older and more self sufficient that seems to matter less though.

None. Unless you could work, in which case 8.5 hours a day 5 days a week. But free time? None.

When DS was a baby my DH used to have him on Saturday morning so I could have some free time. Usually I just went into town for a coffee and read my book, but I used to love it. Now DS is 11 I don't really need it as he's got school and hobbies.