SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

I'm home with Marron about 5 days a week. I don't seem to have all the time that everybody else seems to have to do activities with her. I find that by the time I prepare and feed her 2 meals, get both of us bathed and dressed, occasionally run a few errands or grocery/Target shopping, and finish cleaning (and of course checking LIF for a little bit), there really isn't that much time left in the day.

What am I doing wrong? Please tell me how you do it.

Re: SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

Re: SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

we do about 4 playgroups a week and do them in the morning. when we get back i give olivia lunch and nap her. then i take time for myself. when she wakes up we play watch tv go shopping and do fun stuff. i try to cook dinner if shes in the way i give her a bowl with spoons and she helps. i guess we have a routine now. once the new baby comes along i know my routine will go to hell.

Re: SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

Re: SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

I would like to know as well. I feel so guily sometimes because I feel by the time I feed them breakfast, drive my oldest to school, come home clean then it's time for lunch. Next thing you know I'm cleaning up from lunch and it's time to go pick up my son from school. After that I start cooking diner, Then it's clean u time from that and given baths. In the long run I feel like I do nothing that great with the children. One day a wk I squeeze in a mommy & me class but that's only 45mins and now my 2yr old started speech which is 3x a day for 1/2 each. Oh and not to mention during the wk my son has practice with sports and weekends games. Sometimes I feel when I worked I had more time with the kids because I would feel so bad that I didn't spend all day with them I would save all the cleaning for when they went to bed. But then again only one of my kids go to bed early now . So I need to know as well "where is all the time".

Re: SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

Re: SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

Re: SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

Re: SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

I have a cleaning lady that comes twice a month. Before Talia was in school I did something with her every morning. during naps or at night I prepared food/did laundry etc...

For me, having a cleaning lady helps me put Talia in front of cleaning and laundry. Even though I still clean every day and do laundry, it helps lighten the load.

I also get groceries delivered when I can - and cook in bulk too.

Re: SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

I do so many things at night.

Showering, laundry, cooking, cleaning.

It makes the TV that I watch seem guiltfree if I am folding clothes or cleaning.

I also go to the park, then stop at Target on the way home.

Or go to the library, then stop at the grocery store.

Even if he insists on not going to sleep, then he knows he is being put in the pack and play and watching me clean a bathroom while he reads...anything after 7 PM bath and dinner, I am done with playtime and entertaining.

Re: SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

Re: SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

I was just thinking this last week! I feel bad that John doesn't get out that much between getting ready, feeding three meals a day and then cleaning up after that, taking showers, giving him a bath. I feel like there isn't much time at all. I think when he gets older it will be better.

Re: SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

I have a cleaning lady - well it's 4 people who come once a week, so I don't clean too often.

I do a lot of errands to or from our activities - Target after Gymboree, etc.

I get a lot of meals at Super Suppers (there, I said it) so I don't have to go grocery shopping all the time, nor does it take me much time to fix dinner.

Alex gets a bath every 2 days. I often shower at night.

TiVo my favorite shows so I can watch an hour show in less than 40 minutes, when I have the time.

Alex plays in her jumperoo every day for about a hald hour while I make dinner.

When she naps in the morning, I put laundry in, prepare coffee (set up the night before) and breakfast, read paper, answer email, run my business.

ETA - I make 32 oz of formula at a time in a pitcher. I keep 3 filled bottles in the fridge. I keep my diaper bag stocked and restock when I get in the house. This way when I want to go out, I grab a bottle, the bag, baby and go.

Message edited 1/10/2008 4:33:55 PM.

Re: SAHMs spinoff: where do you find all the time?

Reading all everyones answers really helps me too! & I got some good ideas! Thanks for your info ladies!!