how much time a day do you spend without your kids? (Poll)

wife2

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 4:34 pm

I told dh that I wish I could have 1-2 hours a day without any kids at home - leave kids at daycare longer so I can have some time to myself or get stuff done in the house. He thinks most people don't have that time every day. So please answer the poll. How many hours a day do you have with no kids at home while you are at home? The time you are home (not at work) alone

when responding, please also include the ages of your kids, if you work full or part time, etc

Last edited by wife2 on Wed, Jan 07 2015, 4:42 pm; edited 1 time in total

imaima

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 4:36 pm

Do you mean not working and not with kids? Many people will answer 8+ hours because that's how long they work

luppamom

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 4:42 pm

I work from home and stay home w/ DD (6 mos.) all day. I think your idea is good. It's much cheaper than cleaning help. I've thought about doing it sometimes. (For a period, I was sending her to a babysitter b/c I had too much work to accomplish when she was home.)

heidi

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 4:52 pm

Until last year I never had any time alone at home without kids. I went back to work when my baby was 10 months old. I worked 4 days a week from 8-2 and he was in daycare 4 days a week from 7:55 till 2:05. I didn't not send him the other days for financial reasons, but bcz. I felt if I wasn't working I should be with him. I did that with all my kids until they started preschool.

Hashem_Yaazor

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 4:54 pm

1/2 an hour (as of this year, never had any time before)

But I have some time in the evenings after they sleep too

Ema of 5

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 4:56 pm

I answered none because I work in a playgroup and take my son with me. The only time I have without kids is if I go out at night (rarely) and/or once they are sleeping.

animeme

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 5:02 pm

I used to have a babysitter in the house while I went to work. I would keep her for an extra half hour after I came home a couple days a week. So I could eat dinner or do a chore because she was in charge, but the kids did know I was home, which sometimes made it hard.

seeker

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 5:06 pm

For me, it's basically after they fall asleep. Which is why I am chronically sleep deprived, because I crave that time alone/around the house but can only get it late at night.

I think your husband is correct that the majority of mothers probably do not have much if any time at home alone, however that doesn't mean you shouldn't either. If this is something you feel will add significantly to your quality of life and you have the means somehow to make it happen (even if that means giving up something else, you need to figure out your own priorities) then why not?

amother

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 5:07 pm

I work FT outside my home. my kids (preschooler and toddler) are with me from when we wake up till we leave for the day and I pick them up before I get home. after they are sleeping (between 7:30 and 8) I usually have time to myself.

I have a neighbor that used to send her toddler to a sitter a couple days a week for a few hours so she could take care of errands and cleant the house without having him messing it up right behind or or missing his nap due to in and out of stores. she is a SAHM.

Miri7

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 5:15 pm

Oops I replied "4 or more" before reading the post. I didn't realize you meant time at home without kids.

I have zero time at home without kids. Both DH and I work full time and kids are dropped off and picked up on our way to and from work.

I would really like to work 4 days a week so that I had some time to organize/clean/run errands. I feel like our life is devolving into chaos. Our house is clean but my list of projects and tasks is growing longer and longer.

I'd really love a week of no work, no kids, no DH to tackle our basement clutter and my to-do list!

allthingsblue

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 6:02 pm

Your dh may be right that most moms don't have that time alone, but I bet most moms wish they could have some time alone!

Zehava

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 6:03 pm

I am a sahm. I stay home with my 14 month old all day. I do plan on sending him to playgroup next year so I'll have that time to myself.

morah

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 6:05 pm

Generally, when im not at work, I'm with the kids. However, sometimes I have a day off when they don't and admittedly, I take full advantage and send them in...

amother

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 6:08 pm

I work full time but it's shiftwork so I have full days off at home with my baby. DH is home other days with the baby as he also has similar schedule. The days I'm home I have her all day and the days he's home for somehow end up needing to send her to the babysitter. Go figure. We seem to only get things done on days we are both off so one of us can run out while the other is home. She's impossible on errands.

amother

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 6:26 pm

My toddler is in playgroup for 4 hours a day however I work two full days per week (out of the house from 8-7:30). So on the days I work- zero. Other days- four.

rainbow dash

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 6:32 pm

I have 8 hrs alone time. Im a SAHM and my kids are ages 10,8,and 5 yr old twins. They are in school form 8 till 4.

Raisin

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 6:34 pm

about 1.5 hours while my baby naps. And a few hours after they all are in bed.

ra_mom

Wed, Jan 07 2015, 6:38 pm

6.5 hours but it is NOT alone time.
I drop the kids off, walk 10 minutes more to work, work work with no break for lunch etc, then run back (seriously run because work is so pressured that I always end up staying until the last second) to pick them up on time.
I am desperate for me time which I do not get because once they are in bed I have laundry, organizing, cleaning, next day food prep and personal showering to take care of...