Anonymous wrote:OP here -
My question is more how to handle the evenings and get stuff done, including time with DH, when I am tired from waking up at 5.

You just do it. There's no secret formula. At this stage in your life you either try to do it all and become a zombie in the process. Or you prioritize. If exercising is a priority then just accept that other stuff that normally would get done at night will have to slide. Lower your standards for housekeeping type stuff so you can prioritize your health and well-being. I think it's a good trade off.

immediate PP here. We have sex at 10 pm, still asleep by 10:30. or weekends!

OP, I could NOT get it together to do more than the occasional yoga or walking when I was nursing. Kudos to you for this. I also used to like to exercise in the evening, but not possible with kids--esp as I try to be there for dinner, baths, bedtime, etc.

I am only now, with a 2 and 4 year old, getting into a routine because they sleep through the night, and because I'm not exhausted/sleepy from breastfeeding.

Here's the schedule: and note that my gym is 2 minutes from house!

tue and thursday: Up at 6, I get everything ready for school, make breakfasts for kids, get younger one dressed, drink some coffee and a green smoothie myself. then DH takes over and I exercise from 7 to 8 am. Come home, and he takes older kid to school at 8, I shower and dress and leave by 8:20 and am in by 9:10--I pick out clothes the night before, don't blow dry my hair, minimal make up, and have breakfast packed or a smoothie ready to go before my class. Sometimes, if I can get it together, I take a 6 am class, and then leave with DH at 8 and get in by 8:45/9. My goal is more 6 am classes, but right now, I enjoy having that quiet time in the house first thing.

saturday mornings: DH takes kids and I do my thing.

I would love to exercise more, but 3 intense classes a week is good for now, with the occasional yoga video.

Oh, I go to bed by 10 pm. I used to stay up to surf web, "work", errands, cook, etc. I don't know. DH's job is laundry. We do pea pod or groceries on weekends. I don't have high standards. Prefer to have exercise and family time than trying to maintain the perfect household.

But let me stress once again--that I could not do this when I was nursing and when the kids were waking at 6 am--it was hard for DH to manage both, get his stuff done with me out. We've gotten in a better routine.

I work full time (between 40-50 hrs/week) and have 3 kids in elementary. Commute is about 25 minutes in pre-rush AM and 30-35 minutes in PM.

Wake up at 4.
Do a few things at home/light clean up.
Gym (in my office building) at 5-5:30
Work at 7
Leave work at 4:30 or 5 (4:30 if I need to stop at the grocery store/gas station; a little later if there's something I need to finish at work)
Pick up kids from aftercare 5:45
6-6:30 Let them watch tv while I make dinner. Throw in a load of laundry.
Eat dinner with kids (DH and an older kid may or may not be there if there is a sports practice pickup)
7-9: clean up after dinner, get lunches ready for next day, help with homework, fold & put away laundry, yell at kids to get ready for bed
9:30: usually they're asleep by now and I get my own stuff (work and workout clothes) ready for the next day. Try to do some reading/internet surfing. A little work if I have to. I don't watch tv anymore
10:30: usually I'm asleep by this time.

Anonymous wrote:Get up at 6
Go to gym 6:15-7:15
7:15-8:40 Get kids (2, ages 6 and 9) dressed and breakfasted while also getting myself dressed and breakfasted and make kids lunch and myself lunch
8:40 out the door to bus
8:45 bus pick up and I head to work
4:15 arrive home
4:20 kids arrive home on bus
4:30 onwards: shuttle kids to afterschool activitites. Maybe have time to cook a nutritious family dinner, usually not
8:00 6 year old to bed
9:30: 9 year old to bed
10:00 me to bed

I don't do any chores during the week, not even laundry. Would rather just do it all on the weekend than constantly everyday.

It looks like you work from 9:00-4:00 at the most, assuming a 15 minute commute. I am envious of your shorter workday.

I have never been able to get it together to exercise in the morning. I really need to.

Sounds like a lot of you have small children or only one.

Wait until the sports get into full swing. I am WAYYY busier now that my boys do sports. With two of them amost all nights of the week I have to be somewhere by 5:30/6 for a practice or game. I also have to jam homework in there somewhere.

I never had the inkling to SAHM when my kids were little and now it feels like I need to SAH more than ever. Much much busier now that they are older. When they were little, all we really had to do was watch them, play with them, and feed them.

Also, having two boys, the dinners and breakfasts I have to prepare. Wowsers, they eat so much. I spend a ton of time in the kitchen.

This is SOO true!

I work a full time (35 hour work week) with one telecommute day. I live 4 miles from my office, so 2-3 times a week I jog home. the other days I get up early and do something (yoga, short run, weights). I like to work my workouts into my commute-- kill 2 birds with 1 stone. But I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea. I'm home by 5:3-5:45 most days, then pick up kids.