Mumsnet users share with Sky Kids what they could get done in 30 minutes

[EllieMumsnet]

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It’s fair to say that once you become a parent your efficiency skills reach their ultimate potential...gone are the days of spending spare minutes procrastinating about the million-and-one things you need to do. Now, when your DCs are watching a bit of telly you can complete the work that previously would have taken you five days of faffing. In half an hour you've changed the beds for the entire family, responded to your important emails, cooked a meal for four people (with dessert), and painted your toenails an exotic shade of blue. With that in mind, Sky Kids would love to know what you can do in the 30 minutes your children are having some down time.

Here’s what Sky Kids has to say: “The Sky Kids App is the perfect solution to keep your kids occupied during their (and your) well-earned downtime. …..With thousands of shows on demand including Paw Patrol, Ben 10 and Horrid Histories and interactive games for all ages like Art Studio, you can buy yourself some free time (enjoy that home pedicure!) safe in the knowledge that the available shows and games they're watching are age-appropriate and of course, entertaining.”

Do you have a to-do list ready and waiting for when you get a spare 30 mins so you can zap through it all? Perhaps when the children are watching Paw Patrol you manage to call and check in with family members whilst simultaneously preparing for a meeting you have the following day? Or maybe you sneak off to another room, finally able to treat yourself to a relaxing bath or watch your favourite TV show while the children watch theirs?

Whatever you’re able to get done, share it on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where one winner will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

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Oh my 30 mins is great! I manage to get the dinner on and underway, kitchen tidied, table laid, washing on and underway and have a quick coffee boost too! The rest is then done once they are in bed

30 Minutes of Molly free time(!) would see the pots washed, the washing I'd put on before she got up hung up, the house vacuumed and the surfaces cleaned, perhaps with an attempt to fold and put the clothes away. I know this, as when I was working I would rush home on my lunch break and do this, by the time I got back it left me just over half an hour.

It's amazing what can be done in even just 5 minutes, I find you are a lot more productive if you are going against a clock because you know you don't have hours of it ahead of you so you don't feel as bad doing it

In 30 minutes I would probably spend the time taking one load of washing from tumble drier and washing maidens and fold, washing from machine to (now empty) tumble drier and maidens, new load in to the washing machine. Could probably also take the folded stuff and put in ironing piles and away in bedrooms

I can usually wash the dishes and do some washing

Usually it would be to unpack dishwasher, fold clean laundry and have a rummage through the freezer to find something for that evening's dinner

I am so efficient since having kids. If I had 30 mins without them I could do the dishwasher, put a load of laundry on, feed the cats, prep lunch and even make a cup of tea!

30mins is usually used for cooking dinner and various kitchen chores. In an ideal world I would have a cup of tea and read, but that never happens!

Depends if I am feeling productive then
Put a load on to wash/ hang load out
Put away clean washing
Hoover downstairs

Otherwise make a cuppa and drink it while it's hot!

Have a shower in peace, apply body cream, dry and brush hair and feel human for once!

I could do loads of house chores but when I do have a half an hour spare I'd rather have a power nap!

In 5 minutes I can write a list of jobs and assign them amongst the family. Leaving me 25 minutes to read a book.

Put the tea on (never cook anything that takes more than 30 minutes), bring in the washing, reply to emails, clean the odd window or 2.

I've got multi-tasking down to an art and I much prefer to rush around and do jobs quickly (and thoroughly) rather than take my time, it means jobs get done quicker and I can spend more time with the children.

While the children are having breakfast I hang out the laundry, put on another load, prepare lunches and dinner, wipe down the surfaces in the kitchen, fill the mop bucket with hot soapy water and then I mop the floor quickly before we leave the house.

Put dinner on
Check emails
Vacuum and sit in another room and enjoy a couple minutes of peace and quiet! Lol

Hoover upstairs rooms and hall stairs and landing. 20 minutes and then a 10 minute coffee break

listen to a book, probably in the kitchen whilst cooking or washing up or hanging washing etc.

In the 30.mina after school when my kids are chilling out it can usually..
Put the pots away from the morning
Empty lunch boxes
Sweep sides/ floor in kitchen
Get tea started.

Do the crossword in bed before anyone else is up.

Relax and have nice coffee and cake;)))

It really depends on what needs to be done. Off the top of my head, 30 minutes could be spent

• ironing uniform
• put on wash while cooking tea, doing the recycling and preparing lunches for the next day.
• Giving each room a five minute tidy and wipe.
• having a cup of tea

I usually do most of these with the radio on, often in the language I am learning. Helps the time pass in a less boring fashion. Not the cup of tea though. This is sacred time.

Make supper - have recipes that I've honed over the years to need minimal input to get great results but need monitoring in the kitchen so while I'm in there, the dc are usually playing ps4/watching youtube videos/playing in the garden/in their rooms/reading the Beano/etc and I get to have a favourite tv show on in the background while my phone is at the ready to multitask and spend plenty of time catching up on Mumsnet too, while giving the spag bog/etc a quick stir occasionally so it looks like I'm busy cooking!

My current 30min rush around focuses on sorting the babys bottles, loading the dishwasher and if I'm feeling truly brave trying to peg out the washing before the k8ds start searching for me

cutting the grass

I usually make 2 meals in that time. One for that particular day and one for the day after. Can do this a couple of times a week depending on shift pattern.

In 30 minutes? Well I will normally: put a load of clothes in the washing machines; changed the bed sheets; washed several dishes and pots by hand and a bit (more like 3 minutes) of time left over to enjoy an espresso.