How do you balance your time?

[Awakeagain]

Returning to work after 10 months off with ds
How do you balance your work and family? I used to just work as and when but can see me having very little time - what are your top tips please

Will be really interested to hear what people say - I have a full time job in September after luckily being off for 2 years with ds. Am dreading it and feel like I am never going to see him! Ds is going to nursery so will leave early with hubby so am hoping going in early I can get loads done and not have to stay too late! Hmm wishful thinking I fear!

I am dropping ds at nursery near to work (early) and picking up after work
I am hoping I can learn some self control and work at work rather than chat
It was fine when all my time was mine but I'm that ds is going to miss out on my time

I have 2 dcs ( nearly 6 and 8) and work full time.
I leave at about 7, drop at cms and get to work about 7.40. I get as much done as I can before school and try to mark in class or at lunchtime as much as poss.

I leave at 5, pick up dcs, do tea, reading, bath, story etc , a bit of house work, own meal ( dh in about half 7) and then finish off school work til about 10pm.

at the weekends, dh takes the dcs out for an afternoon and I get my work done then, but I always try to get all planning done in PPa time.

The holidays make it all worthwhile, I only work in the evenings during the hols so I can see the dcs and ease some guilt!!

It is hard, but once you are in a routine, it all fits ( until one of them is ill of course!!)

Oh and sorry to say I am never in the staffroom anymore, chat has gone!!

I work full time and have 7 yr old DTDs. It's fine. I drop them at their school breakfast club at 8, get to school for 8.15 (am lucky to live v close to where I teach) and pick them up from after school club, depending on what day it is, by 5 at the latest. They have activities on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so I get them earlier on those days. I always pick them up from the playground on Fridays - again, very lucky because my school finishes at 3 and theirs is 3.15.

I work hard during the day, and whilst I will go to the staffroom at breaktime, I rarely do at lunchtime. I run school activities Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday til 4 and have to be strict about getting out straight away afterwards.

I work most evenings, and most Sunday afternoon/evenings. I have a very understanding DH.

I make sure that I have time for myself (I'm in a choir - one evening each week is for ME and I am not going to give that up!) which keeps me sane.

Holidays are great, though I still use holiday clubs when I need to. This holiday, the DTDs have had a week with my parents and a few days with my sister so that I could be in school for A Level/GCSE results and get some work done.

You just have to be kind to yourself. It's manageable.