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Original poster

What do you do when your kids are at nursery?

16 replies

Chinchilla · 05/03/2004 19:25

Yes, this should be in the 'Relationships' forum, for reasons too long to go into.

So any SAHMs out there, what do you all do when your kids are at nursery/pre-school/playgroup? Do you spend all the time doing housework? Do you use the time to relax? I need to know as dh is under the impression that I should be using the time to do work.

OP posts:
iota · 05/03/2004 19:30

ds2 is at nursery for 3 days a week - I go to the gym, go shopping - both food and fun, do mumsnet, read the paper, have lunch with working friends, have coffee and lunch with SAHM friends, watch telly, sit and stare into space, read books/newspapers. I also fit in a bit of housework.

It's a nice life and I deserve it after spending the last 5 years being a working mum.

iota · 05/03/2004 19:31

Forgot to add that dh is more than happy to pay for this, as I am a much nicer person these days - less stressed and not constantly nagging him to help out

carla · 05/03/2004 19:45

Glad you brought this up. Up until last term, DD2 was at a Montessori nursery, three days a week, 9-3. She complained that 'all the other children are in nappies', and this made me apply to the local state nursery. Trouble is, this isn't the nursery where she'll end up in school (a local RC one). Consequently.... my ad dd2's day went as follows: mad hour and a half getting ready for school, dh cycling dd1 to school, me trying to coerce dd2 to get to nursery, her telling me she didn't want to go ...... so, much to dh's chagrin, I haven't taken her this week. And I don't intend to ... till she starts reception in September. His 1st dd came over last weekend and took dd2 to nursery with us and explained how unhapy she was, so he's (till now) been 0k about it. Things might change on Monday, though ...

carla · 05/03/2004 19:47

Forgot to add - main problem: drop dd2 off, collect at 11.30, have to collect dd1 at 2.30, NOTHING we can do in between.

CP · 05/03/2004 20:00

Do the grocery shopping, a little housework, washing, reading, catching up on tv dh has recorded for me (I go to sleep early these days!) and generally relaxing as much as I can before the next one arrives. Before I was pregnnt I met up for lunch / coffee with working friends, had beauty treatments done (ok - waxing) and my hair cut. Mostly caught up on reading though.

collision · 05/03/2004 21:15

Tidy up, housework, watch TV, work in the restaurant if anyone comes in, have a nap, read... why dont you set up your card business and work from home? That will keep dh quiet!

Evita · 05/03/2004 21:40

Haven't got dd to nursery yet but I dream of spending the time lying on the bed or in the bath with a novel. And doing all the practical things I never have time to do when dd's around so that when she is I won't feel stressed out!

Original poster
Chinchilla · 05/03/2004 22:58

I mentioned the card 'business' Collision. He said that, and I quote...'It's a hobby. I would love to make a business out of snowboarding, but that isn't going to happen either. OK, you might make some money, but it will never be a business.' That really hurt.

Basically, dh seems to think that being a SAHM and housewife means that I should be doing one or the other ALL the time. If I am not looking after ds, then I should be doing housework. Yes, I do agree that I must not leave the house totally dirty when I do now have 5 hours free. However, Today and yesterday I did the following:

Change
Hoover upstairs
Empty dishwasher about three times, and re-load
Several loads of washing
Clean the kitchen floor
Clean the stainless steel sink 'properly'
Make home-made soup

Is that not enough? Yes, the bathroom is in terrible need of some TLC, but I think that I deserved the half-hour that I sat down and made a few cards in. Is it just me, or do we now live in 2004, not 1954?

OP posts:
Original poster
Chinchilla · 05/03/2004 22:59

Should read 'Change bed'

OP posts:
Demented · 05/03/2004 23:59

Enjoy the silence (DS2 sleeps when DS1 is at nursery), bliss.

ponygirl · 06/03/2004 00:02

Chinchilla, as one SAHM + housewife to another: YES YOU DO DESERVE THE TIME OFF!!

toot · 15/03/2004 12:49

I`ll second that!

Hulababy · 15/03/2004 12:58

I only get this time in school holidays when I am off and I still send DD to nursery. I use the time for myself, not for housework unless I decide that is what I want to do - not often!!!

I don't use my 2 days off work to do housework either. That is time for me and DD to enjoy together.

jac34 · 15/03/2004 13:12

I'm not a SAHM, I work 3days outside the home, but I'm home 2 days in the week.
On these days I used to be looking after my twin DS's, and catching up on housework.
They went to full time school in September, so now I have two days to myself. Well, they are suppost to be mine!!! DH now gives me a list of DIY chores to be done, which I hate.
I've just spent a morning rubbing down and varnishing skirin boards......Oh well, peace tomorrow I'm back at work !!!

coppertop · 15/03/2004 13:13

Chinchilla - I bet your dh doesn't work all ady without ever having a single break!

Ds1 is at playgroup for 2.5hrs. I use the time to:

  • Have a coffee and a sit-down;

  • Give ds2 some of the one-to-one time that he doesn't get when ds1 is around;

  • Tidy up a bit and do any little jobs that I couldn't do if ds1 was here.

coppertop · 15/03/2004 13:14

oops! meant "all day".

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