Anonymous
Post 01/26/2020 18:57     Subject: Free time
Zero. I get kids to daycare, commute, work, commute, get kids in bed, work, sleep.

Not sustainable.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2020 18:52     Subject: Re:Free time
I have one 7yo. Until she was 4 it was 0 time. We both do shift work and spouse adjusted hours when DD turned 4 so we could do pre k. Those hours on my days off are the only free hours I have. Now she is in 2nd grade I get 2 days a week from 930-330 to myself. Spouse works evenings and I work every other weekend.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2020 18:46     Subject: Re:Free time
I have a 3 and 4 year old and am expecting my 3rd. I get zero hours by myself.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2020 18:15     Subject: Free time
My kids are 5 and 7. I got one hour of free time this weekend to go for a run —- and the second I got in the door I was bombarded with requests and had to rush to get my kids ready to go to the “fun” family activity that my husband planned for us. I didn’t even get to stretch. I’m cranky and I dream of a day off all to myself.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2020 18:10     Subject: Free time
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:1 kid, 3.5

Somewhere between 10-20 hours a week?

Up to 2 hours per weekday regularly; more occasionally. Up to 10 hours on weekends. And typically I take a personal day from work every few months just for me.

Weekdays, I almost always leave work by 3, with an occasional 5:00 day. 50% of the time I go home and relax for an hour before picking DS up. Sometimes I run errands or do appointments. Sometimes I pick him up right after nap, usually if it’s raining because I don’t want to go back out and I know his class won’t go to the playground.

Maybe once a week I’ll meet up with someone in the evening or go to an event.

Weekends— On Saturdays, DH takes DS out of the house 8-1. Sundays, we sometimes have occasional 3-5 hours alone time, though it’s more likely a family day.


What does DH do on saturdays? Does it vary or do they have a routine? Do you have DS exclusively from 1 to bedtime then? I’d love to do something like this but it seems unfair to have DH be the one to wake up early every Saturday.


I usually am up early with him at 6, DH comes down and they get dressed and go by 8.
They will go have breakfast together, go to the park, museum, any birthday parties, special events, sometimes just go look st tractors or run errands.


Forgot to say that we still get a nap 80% of the time from 2-3, and then sometimes DH gets a couple hours alone, sometimes not. I have more weekday time / child care responsibilities, so this seems pretty fair to us.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2020 18:04     Subject: Free time
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:1 kid, 3.5

Somewhere between 10-20 hours a week?

Up to 2 hours per weekday regularly; more occasionally. Up to 10 hours on weekends. And typically I take a personal day from work every few months just for me.

Weekdays, I almost always leave work by 3, with an occasional 5:00 day. 50% of the time I go home and relax for an hour before picking DS up. Sometimes I run errands or do appointments. Sometimes I pick him up right after nap, usually if it’s raining because I don’t want to go back out and I know his class won’t go to the playground.

Maybe once a week I’ll meet up with someone in the evening or go to an event.

Weekends— On Saturdays, DH takes DS out of the house 8-1. Sundays, we sometimes have occasional 3-5 hours alone time, though it’s more likely a family day.


What does DH do on saturdays? Does it vary or do they have a routine? Do you have DS exclusively from 1 to bedtime then? I’d love to do something like this but it seems unfair to have DH be the one to wake up early every Saturday.


I usually am up early with him at 6, DH comes down and they get dressed and go by 8.
They will go have breakfast together, go to the park, museum, any birthday parties, special events, sometimes just go look st tractors or run errands.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2020 14:29     Subject: Free time
Mine are 8 and 6, and I go out with friends once a week (DH is in home) after work, and DH and I go out twice a week at night (nanny/babysitter).

If DH is traveling I'll leave them home alone while I walk the dog for 5-10 minutes but the dog knows it's just a walk to get her business done, not a real walk to enjoy being outside for an hour.

About once a month DH will take the kids out on a weekend morning and I will sleep in, read magazines, watch Netflix, etc. I'll re-join them around 2 or 4pm or something.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2020 14:25     Subject: Free time
Anonymous wrote:1 kid, 3.5

Somewhere between 10-20 hours a week?

Up to 2 hours per weekday regularly; more occasionally. Up to 10 hours on weekends. And typically I take a personal day from work every few months just for me.

Weekdays, I almost always leave work by 3, with an occasional 5:00 day. 50% of the time I go home and relax for an hour before picking DS up. Sometimes I run errands or do appointments. Sometimes I pick him up right after nap, usually if it’s raining because I don’t want to go back out and I know his class won’t go to the playground.

Maybe once a week I’ll meet up with someone in the evening or go to an event.

Weekends— On Saturdays, DH takes DS out of the house 8-1. Sundays, we sometimes have occasional 3-5 hours alone time, though it’s more likely a family day.


What does DH do on saturdays? Does it vary or do they have a routine? Do you have DS exclusively from 1 to bedtime then? I’d love to do something like this but it seems unfair to have DH be the one to wake up early every Saturday.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2020 14:24     Subject: Re:Free time
DS is 3. He goes to daycare 9 hrs a week so with travel time I guess I have around 7 hours. But I usually spend that time running errands, at medical appointments, cleaning the house, or cooking. But no complaints, this is why I put him in daycare. I do feel like I get a little time alone now. And he gets some socialization.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2020 13:54     Subject: Free time
1 kid, 3.5

Somewhere between 10-20 hours a week?

Up to 2 hours per weekday regularly; more occasionally. Up to 10 hours on weekends. And typically I take a personal day from work every few months just for me.

Weekdays, I almost always leave work by 3, with an occasional 5:00 day. 50% of the time I go home and relax for an hour before picking DS up. Sometimes I run errands or do appointments. Sometimes I pick him up right after nap, usually if it’s raining because I don’t want to go back out and I know his class won’t go to the playground.

Maybe once a week I’ll meet up with someone in the evening or go to an event.

Weekends— On Saturdays, DH takes DS out of the house 8-1. Sundays, we sometimes have occasional 3-5 hours alone time, though it’s more likely a family day.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2020 13:44     Subject: Free time
Kids are 4 and 7.5 months. I'd say I have about an hour a day. I could probably ask for more on the weekends (and have DH take them) but I miss them during the week and want to spend time with the weekend. I probably spend 5 hours with both of them every weekend morning while DH is doing a bunch of errands. Sometimes I leave them with him and go for brunch with a girlfriend etc. The key to this is that we very consciously don't yet have them in any weekend activities.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2020 13:41     Subject: Free time
DD is 3. Zero hours.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2020 21:15     Subject: Re:Free time
^^^so hang in there! It gets better!
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2020 21:15     Subject: Re:Free time
I haven’t added it all up, but I just want to chime in to say that mine are 5, 8, 10, & 11, and I can leave for a few minutes whenever I want to, and I definitely have minutes or hours that we are all home together, and I feel pretty free.

Also, I absolutely do NOT count grocery shopping as free time.
Anonymous
Post 01/25/2020 19:57     Subject: Free time
How old are your kids and how many hours per week are you not either working or taking care of them? If they’re asleep but you’re still stuck at home not able to leave the house don’t count this time. If you are out doing other productive tasks (eg grocery shopping) DO count this time.

I guess what I’m kind of getting at is how many hours a week is your time not controlled by a “boss’s” needs - whether that boss is your children / work boss/ or client