Working Moms and "early" sleepers

I work till 5pm and by the time I pick up DS and get home its just about 6pm. He used to want to sleep at around 830pm which still gave me time to cook and have a bit of play time with him. Now that he wants to sleep at 7-730ish it leaves me time to EITHER cook OR play...and of course, I want to play! How do you do it??? I feel like I'm torn because either way, if I do one and not the other I feel horrible!

Re: Working Moms and "early" sleepers

My DS is exactly that too, I usually take out what I'm going to make the night before (today I did not and now I'm clueless) but normally I take it out the night before & gather what I'm going to make, so when I get home with him, those 10 minutes he'll stay asleep in the car seat I can begin. Once he wakes sometimes I'll put him in his exacauser as I'm cooking and sing and dance around him, sometimes I put him in his bumbo. If I'm making something that doesn't splatter (oil, hot sauce..etc..) I would put him in the sling....

then when we eat, he's in the exacauser and lately we have put him in the bumbo on the table b/c he gets mad when he's lower then us and we're ignoring him We have to put the highchair together, he'd like that so much better and it's much safer!

Then we play on the floor after dinner but I'm always near him entertaining him somehow & then of course there are the nights where he is just DONE and only wants to be held, that's when we do take out

Re: Working Moms and "early" sleepers

we get home with DS at 6pm from daycare and hes in bed by 6:45 the latest! at first i was upset cause i dont get time with him. but now its a little easier. we get him home. ill bathe, DH makes the bottles. we'll take turns feeding the bottle and then DH and I have our alone unwinding time. now we've been cooking and cleaning together and get a chance to relax at night before bed.

it makes the weekends more important to spend time with DS.

Re: Working Moms and "early" sleepers

When DS went to bed at that time and I got home at 6, we'd just eat a very late dinner (I'd just make really quick things).

Re: Working Moms and "early" sleepers

get a crock pot! Seriously!

That way you can prep dinner after DC goes to bed and start it the next morning, when you get home, dinner is cooked already and you can play.

Re: Working Moms and "early" sleepers

One DS is in bed at 7...his brother by 8:15

I try to cook the night before or on weekends

Re: Working Moms and "early" sleepers

Ds bedtime is usually 7-730pm. So my new bestfriend since i have gone back to work has been my crock pot. I use that at least 3 times a week.

Re: Working Moms and "early" sleepers

Re: Working Moms and "early" sleepers

Re: Working Moms and "early" sleepers

Re: Working Moms and "early" sleepers

Re: Working Moms and "early" sleepers

Re: Working Moms and "early" sleepers

I was dealing with this since I went back to work nine months ago. Me and ds are home by 6:15. Bed time is between 7 and 7:30 and includes a nightly bath. This is what works for me.
I work on Saturdays, so I do all the cooking for the week on Sundays. We use to go to church, food shopping and cooking started at 1pm. Too much time on Sunday was spent cooking so now I have groceries delivered on Sunday or we go shopping after work on Saturday. I get up when DS wakes up on Sunday (6am) and start cooking. I will marinated some chicken, make cutlets, meatballs and some sides. Rice and mash potatoes are some of my options. I go to church at 10 am, and come home by 11:15 and finish cooking the sides and cooking anything that was marinated. By 2 I'm done and can spend the rest of the day with my family. During the week, I microwave dinner and make a salad (I use the premade ones) after DS is in bed. I can sit and eat by 8pm.