Time to yourself again

[crikey456]

What age was your child when you had some time to yourself again?

I have a (just turned) 4 year old and a 17 month old so I get it's going to be a little while. I kind of thought by 4 years old I might have time to do my nails again or have a bath alone or work out etc, but my eldest doesn't leave me alone and asks me to play all day, if I tried to do my nails I would have to do hers first and then she would want to do mind. She wants to come in the bath with me. If I workout, she jumps around in front of me.

I haven't had time to do nice make up since she was born, I've painted my nails about 3 times in 4 years. I did start to work out again but then had another baby so my own fault!

When did you feel like you could do things for yourself again? Just feel like I would love to look after myself again.

When DS1 turned 1 and started going to nursery and then got into a better sleep pattern , so from about 1.5years old after bathing and putting him to bed, me and DH pretty much had the evenings to ourselves.

My mum also looks after him at her house if I need her to. I was more reluctant when he was a baby, but he's 3 now and goes there all the time.

Mine are 7 and 5 and I can read a magazine, workout every day, see friends for lunch and actually have a conversation. It depends on their personality but also being to play by themselves. I tried to force the situation earlier and failed and we were all miserable so I made my peace that they would dictate when they are happy for me to do my own thing. I actually miss the baby days lounging around playing with them so time does go by quick. Sorry I know that might feel ages away but yours might be more independent than mine and that time will be here before you know it.

I'm watching with interest, mine are 4 and 2 and we're not there yet either.

@crikey456

What age was your child when you had some time to yourself again?

I have a (just turned) 4 year old and a 17 month old so I get it's going to be a little while. I kind of thought by 4 years old I might have time to do my nails again or have a bath alone or work out etc, but my eldest doesn't leave me alone and asks me to play all day, if I tried to do my nails I would have to do hers first and then she would want to do mind. She wants to come in the bath with me. If I workout, she jumps around in front of me.

I haven't had time to do nice make up since she was born, I've painted my nails about 3 times in 4 years. I did start to work out again but then had another baby so my own fault!

When did you feel like you could do things for yourself again? Just feel like I would love to look after myself again.

Do you have a partner? Can he not have the DCs while you work out etc?

I just do my 'me time' in the evenings, and my DD goes to Grans house every 2nd Saturday. That works well for me, although 39 weeks pregnant now so it'll be back to no time soon haha

Mine are 5 and 3 and we’re not there yet. I thought we would be by now.

My DS goes to bed 6:30-7 so everything after that is for me. However, he’s only 18mo and has a younger sibling on the way, so I know it won’t last! Hoping his sibling will be an early sleeper too!

Ok so maybe a couple of years off then 😂.

@namechange30455 I have a partner but we both find it quite hard to have time to ourselves. We both work full time, get home around 5, play with the Girls for an hour or so, I tidy downstairs, do the washing up etc, put both to bed and then it's 8 o clock. He helps massively. He's very good luckily and we are both too knackered to work out etc in the evening.

I'm hoping when I have a bit more energy that I can attempt to workout in the evenings!!

Make the most of your evenings. Mine are 7 and 10 and it's rare that they are in bed before 9pm. I miss our grown up evenings!

My little boy is 3 and a half and he isn't great at playing by himself and he will often whinge if I don't play so I try to balance our days by telling him I will play cars for half an hour (I set a timer) and then mummy needs to do her nails or do the online shop or whatever task I need to do. He actually likes having a timer set for things and generally this works for me. Also if he is in the bath I can get a lot of bathroom cleaning / washing put away as he plays for ages in there by himself. I think its all about setting boundaries early for time to do things you want to do.