How do you fit everything in on weekdays?

[Anonymous]

Our schedule is:
7:30 wakeup, morning routine, both kids in school/preschool by 9AM
DH and I work from home.
At 5PM we rush to get the kids, cook dinner, do homework, and eat.
6:30-7:30 the older one does an activity (2x/week sport, 2x/week instrument lesson, and 1x/week instrument practice). I'm with the younger one cleaning up, doing the endless mental load stuff, etc.
Then we have basically 30 min until we need to start bedtime (preschooler in bed by 8:30 and older one at 9).
Then I have 2 hours before our own bedtime.

We want to do art projects, bake together, take a walk, shoot hoops outside, read with the kids, visit the library, watch a show together...but it feels impossible. I don't think we're overdoing it with activities - it's just 2 noncompetitive things (not counting after school activities that are basically childcare during work hours. I'm dreading my preschooler starting activities, because I have no idea how to manage 2 kid schedules.

After bedtime I also feel squeezed between finding some time to myself (to work out, read, etc), spending time with DH, finishing work (esp if I had an appt or errand during the day), planning something for the weekend, calling my parents or relatives. I would like to take a class to have something just for myself every week, but that sounds impossible too.

[Anonymous]

My kids never had HW in elementary school and did 1 activity at a time. Now they are in MS/HS, still have minimal homework (in all honors/AP) but their activities are a lot. Not my choice.

[Anonymous]

Op our schedule is very similar except we don’t work from home. It’s a grind and I am exhausted a lot of the time. I am following for answers!

[Anonymous]

Too many activities, my kids do one activity on weekdays and one on the weekend (2 total per week) and that’s enough.

[Anonymous]

I worked 7-3:30 so I was with the kids by 4 and we would do activities from 4-7. I would pack a picnic so we could hike.

Weekends I usually planned something from 10-1, the zoo or aquarium once a month.

Both of us went to graduate school with young kids but not at the same time.

Classes were 2x a week. The other parent just knew they were on duty those two nights and Sunday morning so we could do our homework.

[Anonymous]

You don’t. Not too many activities.

[Anonymous]

You prioritize differently.
There’s nothing wrong with your schedule if it works for you. But you’re saying it doesn’t, so change something.
You work FT and have 2 kids. Reading on your own is going to be limited for a while.
Do the baking and shooting hoops on the weekend.

[Anonymous]

Too many activities but you’re both lucky and that you work from home.

[Anonymous]

I always said I wouldn't over schedule myself but it's hard. Each kid does one optional activity. But then they both have religious school (at different times) and one has 2 different therapy appointments a week. I've scaled down dinner to sandwiches or something quick and easy that can be eaten at different times.

There's no time for running errands or anything else.

[Anonymous]

You do all the fluff (crafts, baking, library) on the weekend

[Anonymous]

You need to see the forest from the trees dam

[Anonymous]

I don’t work and my kids are less scheduled, both choices we made because we value free time to do all that library/playground/hike/let’s make cookies stuff. There isn’t enough time in the day to fit everything and you have to make choices! We couldn’t have the life we want if I had a FT job.

[Anonymous]

This is all of our lives. Try to do sheet pan dinners during the work day. Listen to audiobooks while you fold the laundry.

[Anonymous]

Lots of energy drinks helps

[Anonymous]

Cocky cocky