Daycare Moms

Hi Daycare moms. About what time do you get home from work with your kids after daycare? I tend to get home at 6:00 and feel like I'm rush rush rush. Anybody else feel the same way? I try to get them into bed at 8:00. What's your routine during the week? My kids are three and almost two - so still picky eaters. Any creative dinner ideas?
I'm also in school part time (thankfully online) so I'm not usually in bed till about midnightish and up again at 6 (oi!)
Thanks!

Daycare Moms

I pick up about 4:45 and we are home about 5. I get about a half hour with my son (11 months) before the rush begins. Then it's go go go until I get him down for bed at about 8. We eat dinner between 6:30 and 6:45, then clean up and prepare his lunch for next day, in the bath about 7:30 and then bottle, stories, and bed. Once he's down, it's my rush to get my stuff together for next day and to grade some papers and work on lesson plans. I try to be in bed by 10:30 and sleeping by 11:30. He's not really STTN so I could be up twice between then and when I'm up for day at 5:30.

As far as dinner, he's a great eater. Not picky yet. Sorry, no help there! You are not alone in the rush feeling. I just try to savor my weekends with him right now.

Daycare Moms

I pick up at 545 and we are home a min or so later. My daycare is walking distance to my house.

We eat at 645 ish when DH gets home. The bedtime is 830-9ish.

Some days if feels rushed others feel like I have all the time in the world.

Daycare Moms

DH and I usually get home around the same time, 545pm. DD is at daycare on site where my DH works, so she gets home whenever he does.

I almost always feel rushed, unless we are only having leftovers or put a meal in the crock pot for dinner. DD will pretty much eat anything that's cooked in the crock pot (she's still only 10mo, with only 2 teeth, so she needs soft foods).

But yeah, it's get home, nurse, keep DD occupied and start feeding her real dinner while DH gets our dinner on the table, eat, story time, bath time, nurse again, bed at 8pm. Then we finish cleaning up, sit on the couch zoning out for maybe an hour and we're in bed by 930pm, up at 5am for work. I would give anything for an extra hour or two in the afternoons, but I'm sure I'd still feel rushed!

Re: Daycare Moms

Yeah my DH works nights. I tried the Crockpot thing but my kids eat nothing but pasta and a few other things (no matter what I do). Maybe I'll give it another go. Glad to hear I'm not the only crazed person at the end of the day!

Re: Daycare Moms

I pick up ds between 4:15 and 4:30. It is a rush as his bedtime is 7pm. We eat around 6, than shower than bed. I try to do a lot of cooking on Sunday so that it's just a heating up and other small prep that I need to do. Dh isn't home til after 8pm.

Daycare Moms

Daycare mom over here - I feel like we are always rushing 7 days a week..
We get home around 615 - if I make no stops and go straight home. We try and give DS dinner around 630-7pm however he sometimes doesn't want food or a bottle so we will give it to him after his bath around 830. He is usually asleep around 9... if not a bit earlier. Weekends are not as stringent...

Re: Daycare Moms

We're home about 5. I make dinner, we play and DD will watch a little tv, and then it's bath, books, singing and snuggles, and then bed. She's in bed by 7:30 the latest. I go to bed probably around 12, sometimes later, and am up at 5:45am.

Daycare Moms

Home around 6...I start dinner right away and we eat around 630. Bath is at 730 so we can an hour of play time or go for a walk. DS watches his favorite show at 8, then we go to sleep and he is asleep around 9. the night goes really fast and I fall asleep usually when he does so i have no time to myself which sucks. But i plan out meals for the week and that is a big help, i always have what i need for dinner and come home knowing what i'm making.

Re: Daycare Moms

on a good day, we are home 545/6ish if we are having leftovers we will go for a family walk, if not I cook, we eat, play for 1/2 hour or so, bath at 730/740ish, bottle at 8 and he goes to sleep between 8-9. he is only 7 months old.

I can't even imagine what busy season will be like when I am working late

Re: Daycare Moms

I or DH will pick her up at 6 pm.
I usually leave work at 5:30 and it's about a half an hour to get home.
If I am going out after work or working in NYC that day, DH will get her at 6.

In terms of routine after that- we really don't have one.
She will eat when we get home if she's hungry. Sometimes she isn't and refuses dinner.
DH and I like to eat on our own later on- like 7:30 or 8 pm while watching TV
I am very lax on schedules and routine.
I don't like added stress and keeping myself to a schedule every single night would stress me the heck out.

Message edited 10/4/2013 3:37:38 PM.

Daycare Moms

Leave work at 5, pick up dd by 5:45, home by 6.

She usually gets dinner shortly after we get home - I prepare most things on Sundays, or if I'm lazy she gets frozen chicken tenders and broccoli, or a quesadilla. Then bath, pjs, play for a bit. Sometimes we go for a short walk outside. Daddy gets home around 7. She's usually off to bed around 7/7:30.

All of it gets done in about an hour and I never feel like it is rushed at all - it seems like a lot, but it's really not for me.

Daycare Moms

Yes - it's super hectic.

If I am doing the pick up - we get home around 6:45 (which usually means DH is working that night so it's all me). We eat quick and do baths. DS 2 goes down around 8 (thankfully he will stay up that late now so it gives me more time and it's less of a rush) and DS 1 goes down at 8:30.

ETA - Thankfully DH picks up earlier and has htem fed by the time I get home a few nights a week and I work from home on Fridays so we get home between 5 and 5:30 depending on how many kids are leaving at the same time (sometimes they play outside of daycare for a bit - there's a pond and grassy area there).

Message edited 10/4/2013 10:39:59 AM.

Daycare Moms

When I was commuting I was home by 6:20, through dinner on the table (I always had it prepared in advance so DH can just put it in the oven), play with DD a little bit, then bath then bed by 8pm. After that was prepping all her stuff for daycare for the next day. Cleaning bottles and prepping always took up so much time. I never sat down until at least 9pm. Then an hour later I'm ready for bed. I definitely think that since she is older I'm not as rushed because I don't have to do as much prep for her.

Daycare Moms

I get home by 620. Dh has picked her up by 430. He gives her a bottle when he gets home. He finishes cooking while I start feeding her. He eats and finishes up feeding her while I eat. We play for about 30mins. Bath time is at 715 in bed by 745. Then I usually sit down and pump. They make lunches and pack her bottles for daycare. She just started eating solids and we like to feed her at the table with us.

Daycare Moms

I get home by 620. Dh has picked her up by 430. He gives her a bottle when he gets home. He finishes cooking while I start feeding her. He eats and finishes up feeding her while I eat. We play for about 30mins. Bath time is at 715 in bed by 745. Then I usually sit down and pump. They make lunches and pack her bottles for daycare. She just started eating solids and we like to feed her at the table with us.

Re: Daycare Moms

We all get home btwn 5:30-6 & bath/bedtime routine starts at 8/8:30. I do sometimes feel rushed trying to get a healthy meal on the table since they are always more time consuming. A friend recently suggested prepping the night before when you can which I felt silly for never considering on my own! I know you said you are taking classes at night but maybe DH can do some veggie chopping & storing, or marinating the night before while you're busy w school work? Would cut down on cooking time.

We don't eat meat so I'm not sure how helpful I'd be w recipe sharing but another suggestion is, for nights you want to get extra time in, why not paper plate & cup it? Even if dinner takes a while, it's a quick cleanup & would give you a little more time w LO.