General help needed! After-school routine, bath times etc...

[newmumma32]

Help please! FTM here with 6 month LO however DSS 6 now stays with us 50/50 so I need to quickly learn how to parent an older child as DH WFH until 5pm in the week.
What are your after school routines? Loosely it's snacks, play, homework, TV/ipad, dinner, little more TV, bath, book, in bed by 7.30 but we just can't seem to grasp timings - so often he's having his teeth done at 8ish and you just know he'll be tired for the morning so any routine or tips would be greatly received. Also it's such a juggle splitting the time between DD and DSS when their needs are so different at the moment.
Another ask; what are your go-to quick dinners? So far this week with him we've had Sunday roast. Quiche, jacket pots, salad. Chicken korma. Mushroom risotto. Could do with more quick dinner ideas please!
Thank you so much for any advice you have!

Homemade soup and any slow cooker stew laced with paprika go down well with my kids.
Two primary children here and six month old baby. One in a wheelchair and with attendant issues. Home at 3.30pm, snack, homework, play (home or at park), dinner 5.30, they help wash up and clear the table etc, bath at 6-6.30pm. Deal with long hair x 2, then reading, teeth and bed by 7.15. Oldest reads for an extra 15min.

Routine really helps us keep on top of everything. That and slow cooker/batch cooking for freezer. We have quiet activities like jigsaws and books readily available if everything is getting too loud, and both older children love fetching nappies/making baby happy with silly faces etc.

Firstly I'd question why it's now 50/50 but wasn't before. You don't have to actually answer this question to us but be sure this is what you want? Step mums do play a roll in parenting but if the responsibility is dumped on you you need to be willing. My ex has contact to reduce his maintenance and kids step mum does all the parenting there are a lot of men like this out there don't be taken advantage of.

My practical tips are batch cooking. You can make and freeze risotto pasta sauces curry shepards pie fish pie etc then get them out to defrost in the morning and just have to cook the rice or pasta or veg at dinner. I get the shop delivered for the week then do a big cook session at the weekend.

I brush teeth after dinner so I don't have to fuss at bedtime as much. Same when it's bath night do it earlier not at bedtime.

We used to do homework whilst I was cooking dinner. So homework at the dinner table whilst I cooked and could help, ready to eat at 5.30pm. Play or TV time for 30 mins Then upstairs, wash, teeth (didn't bathe nightly, no need), story, in bed by 7pm at the latest.

If you both work full time then why are you taking on the mental load and bulk of planning and childcare?

Thanks all that's really helpful. I think it's our meal planning letting us down so dinner sometimes being later than we want has a knock on effect with bed times. I'll start being more organised with that and aim for 5/5.30 dinners.

@ThePoetsWife I'm on maternity leave so it makes sense at the moment but the dynamic will change again once I go back to work.

Good but make sure that he is involved in the planning and is aware that he will have to take over when you return to work.

Also if you doing any of the batch cooking, chores and childcare etc at weekends, make sure you both have equal amount of leisure time.

@ThePoetsWife oh absolutely, he does understand I'm mainly doing the household stuff until he finishes work. Just when we have DSS I like to have it that we all sit down and eat together. The nights we don't have him we cook together later on and he does a lot of chores at the weekend which helps massively