working mums - how do YOU do it?

Ok so I think you should find a cleaner!.     
Anyway I have to say to all you fulltime working Mum's you are amazing so much respect for you all I could not do it.   I was thinking about it a while ago then relised its not prwctical for us as it would cost more in childcare then I can earn I nanny or cheeckout girl so not high enough paying. and to be honest I don't think I would cope.   Anyway jsut wanted to say you guy's are amazing.

lizzle - thats me that has a fortnightly cleaner! It is great as at least you know that your house gets 2 really good cleans a month! We pay $40 for about 2.5 hours -cash obviously.

I have a an awesome father in law that helps in the mornings with looking after Mattias and then a nanny in the afternoon (was not able to get childcare as the waitign lists are too long and once I return to work after this bubba it is cheaper with a nanny than daycare)
I also have started getting a cleaner in as the house started to resemble a warzone!
I approached student job search they have lots of people with experience and that are happy to do littl ejobs aroudn the house.

I work 40hours a week and have a partned that is away every second weekend so sparetime is a valuable thing to me.

I was stressing quite a bit about the housework until I decided to bite the bullet and hire someone to do it for me and I am a much happier person now.

Hi all

DH and I both work full time, he from 6-4.30 and me normal business hour. My boss is pretty good and I do lots of work after hour and sometimes during weekend (from home) so my time is flexible, though you end up working more than 40 hours per week. But it's the price for flexibility I suppose.

My baby is usually up around 7.30-8 am. I've got her to drink milk then watch her reading, math, art lessons in my laptop with some songs in between for breaks (max to 1/2 hour). Then changing clothes, nappy if need to, then off to her daycare (in time for the morning tea). When I get to my office it is usually 9-9.30 even 10am.

I work during lunch hour, stay late, bring work home, you name it to get work done. On the day I have to be at work early than 9-9.30 then I will drop the lessons to do it at night before her bed time.

DH pick DD up after work, cook her dinner, feed her, bath her, get her watch her whole brain lessons on DVD (8 min for 1 lesson), Chinese lesson on DVD (1-2 min for 1 lesson), listening to some music depending on the day and their mood. Of course DD play with lots of toys in the evening as well, usually while listening to music or French tape.

I usually get home while she is eating or when she is off to bed reading some books before sleeping (ranging between 6.30pm - 8pm).

Then I usually take over because DD wants me when I'm around. DH cooks our dinner while I look after DD, usually until she sleeps.

DH and I hardly have dinner together, we usually take turn to eat dinner.

After DD sleeps, we do the household chores that can not wait til weekend: cleaning dishes, DD bath, clearing toys, sometimes washing clothes. We leave other things to weekend (grocery shopping, real cleaning of bathroom, big loads of washing etc...).

Sometimes I still have to work after DD sleeps so DH will do these things himself. He's really wonderful.

When we wash clothes at night, I will hang them up in the morning when DD is still sleeping. I usually get up at 5am same time with DH. When he prepare lunch for us (meaning putting left over from dinner into 2 boxes for us to carry to work) then go to work, I feed DD 1st milk of the day (while she is still sleeping - yes otherwise she would get up for feeling so hungry - and yes she lets us know it's time to feed her since she is rolling around making noise with eyes still closed). When he is out (just before 6 am) I hang clothes out (we have the clothes air dryer inside house, it's good especially when it rains outside), clear toys (if not done it the night before), have breakfast, then work from my laptop or do some research on early learning for DD until DD wakes up.

My husband can work longer hours but we think the time like now suits us more. Less money but he can have time with DD and help around the house.

Saying that, my house is often in a mess as we leave lots of things to the weekend. Then we want to spend time with DD during weekends, taking her out having fun, etc.. so not much time left during weekends either. Not to mention we have to worry about 3 meals, 2 snack time for her each day of the weekends. But what's more important she is only little once and time flies.

Then I have not seen any of you mentioning about sick days. My DD is sick a lot since going to the daycare. DH and I take turn staying home looking after her during those days. That means DH actually takes time off work nearly every week. It cuts into our finance quite a bit as he does not get paid while off work. I've been trying to find some other families to share nanny as with nanny kids get sick less, but to no success alas. So DD still goes to daycare and still get sick nearly every week.

Needless to say we hardly watch TV these days, nor going out to cinema or dinners. Actually I found that cutting out the dinners and lunch bits saves heaps on money, which then gone into investment for DD education and toys (both expensive).

In the future we will need to make time at night after DD sleeps to prepare learning materials for DD like flashcards, lapbook, etc... Just another thing to add on the list.

I am in CHCH so not sure where you are but at the moment my cleaner is coming weekly (dropping back to fortnightly at the end of the month).

She is at my house for about 2.5 hours and I pay $40.

For this she:
Makes our bed with clean sheets - I strip the bed and put sheets in the washing machine.
Irons clothes - usually about 10 items.
Usual cleaning like bathroom, toilet, kitchen etc.
Dusts and polishes.
Vaccums - moves all furniture out to do this.
Cleans wood and tile floors.
Usually hangs out a load of washing as I have left it in the machine.
Puts the rags in the washing machine and turns it on when she leaves.
Wipes out pantry for us.

Our house is always tidy on cleaning day as don't think she should have to sort out our untidiness before she can clean so that helps.

Lots of other little things that I can't think of. Much better to get a word of mouth recommendation than go thru a company as you pay less and can set the requirements.