Working moms - time to yourself?

[eddy]

Working out - 3-4 times a week. That is on my own without anyone in my fam.

That is my main "me" hobby

Out with friends without H, maybe twice a month.

[scarletbandit]

What's that??? Kidding. I need to make more time for myself but sometimes it's just a dinner out with the girls every few months.

[Deleted]

I wake up early to work out and get some "me" time. I also plan lunches with friends frequently. One night a month I send DH and DS to the movies without me and I do whatever I want. I did this tonight and I am binge watching outlander And drinking wine alone. I also schedule happy hours with my girlfriends every few weeks. I also try to go to the gym one night a week during bath and bed time. I run on the treadmill and listen to a pod cast.

[nancybotwin]

I'm not good at being systematic about it, but I try to find time. I have a group of girlfriends who I go out with at night once/month or so. I'll run certain errands on my way home from work and come home later that evening. I'm trying to take one night/week when I do nothing at home except what I want (my kids are in bed by 7:15 so I have time at night).

[cville]

Occasional lunches and dinners out with friends. Once a week exercise class. Staying up way too late many many days since when everyone is asleep I'm finally alonnnnnnnne.


And I make appointments for haircuts and massages whenever I feel like it. We have a shared Google calendar and I check it first.

[isabel]

Hmmmm. I workout on my lunch break. I also go out to lunch with coworkers occasionally. As far as appointments go, I generally try to make them for Fridays because I work half days. I don't really have me time necessarily, but H and I tend to do our own thing in the evenings after DS is in bed. And by that I mean we sit on separate couches on our computers and share tv time. lol

If I want to go do something with a friend on the weekend, I do. Same for H. I don't think either of us really require much alone time though.

[cbwm1]

DH is amazingly fantastic about making sure I get whatever time I need. He takes Will to swim lessons twice a week, so I get an hour and a half those days.

He encourages me to go get pedicures, hang out with friends, and enthusiastically supports me doing overnights with girlfriends whenever possible.

Basically, he's the best.

[scarletbandit]

Jan 29, 2016 23:00:50 GMT -5 cville said:

Occasional lunches and dinners out with friends. Once a week exercise class. Staying up way too late many many days since when everyone is asleep I'm finally alonnnnnnnne.

I need to do that, stay up late. But most of the time I'm so tired. 

[ssmjlm]

When E turned 1, I went back on a 5-4-9 schedule and have every other Friday off. E still goes to daycare that day. It's my day to do whatever I want basically.

[cville]

Jan 29, 2016 23:03:03 GMT -5 scarletbandit said:

Jan 29, 2016 23:00:50 GMT -5 cville said:

Occasional lunches and dinners out with friends. Once a week exercise class. Staying up way too late many many days since when everyone is asleep I'm finally alonnnnnnnne.

I need to do that, stay up late. But most of the time I'm so tired. 

Oh, no. It's bad. I have chronic insomnia so it's not often good staying up. It's just that I'm finally alone when it's happening.

[scarletbandit]

Jan 29, 2016 23:06:20 GMT -5 cville said:

Jan 29, 2016 23:03:03 GMT -5 scarletbandit said:

I need to do that, stay up late. But most of the time I'm so tired. 

Oh, no. It's bad. I have chronic insomnia so it's not often good staying up. It's just that I'm finally alone when it's happening.

Ughh. That sucks (insomnia). I'm sorry. 

[miso]

Weekday lunches
Nighttime TV

[noodleskooze]

I don't really get alone time unless my commute (~1 hr each way) counts.

[Deleted]

By myself? Never. Maybe an hour a week while DH goes to the grocery store assuming he does it while the baby sleeps.

I just read more closely. About 3 hours a week to go to a movie with friends or get my hair done or whatever.

[mrsjuleshs]

My time is after 9 but I tend to stay up way too late. Dinners done, lunches are made. Dd is usually in the bath getting ready for bed and Dh is out cold on the couch. Now that dd has her license and a car I get more me time since I'm not having to take her to practice. I've been sick and today was a totally me day while sneezing and hacking up a lung. A day of lounging in my pjs finish in up American horror story did me good. She's off to her dads and Dh is out cold so time to catch up on more TV. I plan on sleeping in as late as I can tomorrow before errands to get ready for our out of town trip for cheer next weekend.

[floridakat]

I have the house to myself for about 15 minutes every morning while H walks the girls to school. This is a recent development as a result of a job change, and it's glorious. DH does bedtime routine one day a week, so that's about 45 minutes to myself. And I "suggest" he go play video games at least one night a week so I can watch Downton Abbey and HGTV.

I do happy hour with friends about twice a year. Not enough.

[starlily]

Appointments -- Saturday mornings, maybe once a month, for spa-type stuff. I schedule doctor and dental appointments during the workday.

Exercise -- I do classes 3-4x a week

Quiet time -- The weeknights that I don't have an exercise class, I have about 1-1/2 hours to myself before H and the kids get home.

Going out with friends -- It's been so hard to coordinate once we all had kids, that if an event comes together, I go.

Hobbies -- I read after the kids go to bed, or during lunch at work. But ice skating has completely fallen by the wayside. Public skate hours conflict with dinner and bedtime. I may start again soon on Saturdays though, now that DD1 has shown an interest in taking lessons.

[redwino]

Saturdays are basically daddy days. I make plans with friends or just veg in front of the TV and he does most of the child wrangling. We do our own thing a lot of evenings after dd goes to bed but I don't know if I'd call that me time.

[spellingbea]

DH and I alternate nights "off". DD has always been a problem sleeper, so whoever's turn it is gets her ready and stays with her until she falls asleep. While neither one of us is going out every other night, scheduling appointments or dinner with a friend is much easier when you know in advance what night is your night. It started as a survival technique when DD wasn't sleeping at all as a baby, and it still works for us.

[honeychai]

I really need it get better about this.

I have no "me time". I have three kids under 6, and they don't STTN. So I'm really on 24/7.

My H works long hours, so it's usually just me holding down the fort.

I'm usually so busy that I don't even notice that I'm missing out, but reading these posts I realize I probably should find a way to recharge.

[thebreakfastclub]

We have gotten into a little routine with taking DS to run errands or go to the library on Sunday afternoons.

One week, H will take him and the next week is my turn. It gives the other person a couple of hours alone on the house.

[frkls]

my h works until 9 a few nights a week, so i chill in the time between bedtime and when he gets home

[looksgood]

I have a coffee date with my girlfriends every Friday morning.

[cabbagecabbage]

I work pt, so I'm not even sure I count but my main alone time is:

afternoon preschool: when I'm off. It's 2 fast hours but it means I can shop alone!

gym: I chose a place with childcare. It's more expensive but I need it.

actually going out: maybe every 6-8 weeks. Book club every other month and I try to meet a couple friends for dinner or drinks when we can.

It's DH who never gets his own time. He works 6 days a week with a long commute. I need to get him a massage or something.

[papie]

I work half the time from home so that's my time alone. I'll go for a walk or a run during the day, have coffee quietly, go for lunch with a friend. A lot of my friends also negotiated a once w week or every other week to work from home one day.
Otherwise I'd probably join a gym and go spend my Saturday mornings there.

[WOUNDTIGHT]

I only work 4 days a week most weeks, but the price difference between 4 or 5 days/week for daycare is negligible, soooo . . . Off he goes and I get to clean in an empty house, which is luxurious.

[madringal]

I SAH now, but my me time is the same as it was when I was working. I get up before the kids to work out, and usually 2-3 times a month I meet some friends after we all put the kids to bed. We will meet at like 8, or 830 for coffee, a movie, or just chill at someone's house. When I was working I would get a day off during the week a couple times a month, I'd still send the kids to daycare and that's when I'd plan appointment, shopping trips, or enjoy the house to myself.

[Deleted]

I get a few times a week to work out.

I go out maybe once a month with friends.

Time alone is rare for me.

[jenna]

I used to do monthly massages, but that fell to the side the past couple of months due to the craziness of the holidays and the cold weather.

This thread reminded me that I need to make an appointment, so I just booked my next 3 massages.
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Nightly, I try to take a few minutes to myself between the "coming home from school" routine, and the "dinner, bath, and bedtime" routine.

Once E is in bed, I also spend about an hour to myself. I rarely stay up past 10 since I get up for work so early.

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I used to have Wednesday's off, and that was my day to go to the gym and run errands/goof around while the kids are at school and H is at work.

I miss my Wednesday's off. :/ I am back to working M-F.

[anyastroud]

Dh and I work opposite shifts so we don't have to pay out of pocket for child care. I get up AM get them dressed and out the door. I go to work. While I'm at work dh does some of the household chores. I get home we do dinner DH leaves for work. Bath bedtime at 8:00 So from about 8:00 10:00 is my "Me time" I go out with friends rarely. Most the time I have company over to my house while the kids are sleeping. On the occasion that I do go out it's when ever DH has a night off. It could be a weekday or a weekend. It's hard to plan stuff. appointments and shopping are usually a family event. It drives me nuts but that's the way it is. Can't leave the kids by themselves.