Hi Dry, no worries! Answer is complex. Dh and I are in the same industry but do different roles. His job is all M&A and his job pretty much feels like 24 hour 5 days a week ie if he's awake then he's on call. He has global responsibilities so liaises with one lot in Hong Kong and another lot in New York (mostly the latter). He's a key person of the deal teams so lots of responsibilities on his shoulders, and very stressful. Only one other colleague has a working wife so the rest leave it to the wife to maintain the homestead, hence they simply haven't understood when I have insisted he does his fair share and come home in the evenings. Or if one of the kids falls sick our nanny is under strict instructions to call us both, not just me.
I am my own boss so have been able to flex my time with the dcs. I aim to work from home 1/2 times per week, and therefore eat all meals with the kids on those days and take breaks, come out of study and play with them. I usually took them out every one morning a week (so started work in the afternoon) but have been less good the last few months. The other 3 days I am in office.
Our dcs are up at 6.30am, we play with them and have breakfast together as a family till 8am, although that's now 7.45am with preparing for school. Our nanny then washes and dresses them while we get ready (but they are usually running in and out of our rooms
) I used to leave home at 9am, but now it's 8.30am. At the other end of the day, on time means by 7pm, where dcs have had their bath. We do milk, stories, bed till 8pm.
If I am not busy eg last few weeks, then the evening is my own but I am answering emails right till I go to bed (eg have had 20 of them since 6pm and this is a lazy day).
So long answer but in short on time means by 7pm, so we can have quality time with a dc each in the evening as well as the morning. They love their stories and songs but dc2 can get disruptive if he doesn't get one on one, so that's why I have been getting cross with dh.