Long Day!

[Two Princesses]

I've just worked my first ever 11 and a half hour day and I am shattered!
Hats off to all you ladies who do this day in day out with far more children than I've had today :thumbsup: :clapping: :thumbsup:
I started this morning at 7.30 am with a 10 month old mindee, 4 yo schoolie at 8.30 (school run - dd1's assembly till 10.30am - free play with dd2 and mindee followed by lunch and pick up at 12.30) short walk to the local children's centre to pick up an ad hoc mindee (14 week old little girl = adorable!) then back up the school for 3 pm (children's centre attached to dd's school) to swap the 14 week old for 1x 4 year old girl, 1x 5 year old boy (birthday today!) and his 8 year old sister along with my 4 year old DD and a fellow class mate for cake and play time for the birthday boy. Birthday boy went home at 5 pm along with 8 year old sister and class mate and the other 4 year old went home at just gone 7 pm!
It's the first full day I've done as my 10 month old is still only mornings until mum goes back to work in July. It's highlighted some areas I need to work on so things run smoothly but basically I've realised that I need to be a lot more organised! I seem to have missed breakfast (no time) and lunch was half a sandwich at 2.30 and just picked on various pieces of the children's food! I suppose I should be grateful I've had a bottle of water in the buggy for hydration as apart from that I've also only had my morning coffee!!

So come on ladies, share your time saving and organisational tips with me!

Ps - My house is a tip! :D

[md0u0131]

I do 7am -6pm regularly, it is knackering, the key is to do as much as you can the night before! Make lunch/ prepare tea etc. Set out breakfast, fill the kettle. I make tea in a thermos mug so it keeps warm. As for tidying, do as much as you go along, get the kids to help too :)

[miffy]

Decide your menus and prepare as much in advance as you can. I make good use of my slow cooker (not on days like today though, too hot!), it's great to just throw everything in in the morning and have a hot meal at the end of the day.

Have a quiet time after lunch, colouring, jigsaws, tv to give you chance to grab a sandwich yourself and tidy up the dinner pots.

Half an hour before home time get the children to help you tidy up the toys so you don't have to do it when they've gone then read everyone a story or let them play a game together before parents arrive

Miffy xx

[funemnx]

I used to get my lunch ready and make a flask of coffee too - I used to get up at 6.30 and give myself time before they came to get ready :thumbsup:

Having said that, now that I'm an old lady - I couldn't do it again!! :blush:

[Helen Dempster]

I do 7.30am-6.30pm Mon-Fri and some days I'm soooooooo shattered (actually, it's usually by Tuesday!) :blush: I find though that things runs smoothest when I've actually prepared things the night before - even if it's just all in my head! Some days I'm too tired the night before and just 'play it by ear' the following day, but those days are my most stressed! LOL.

[sarah707]

I always sit and eat with the children - I prepare as much as possible in advance, put it on plates and we sit together.

That way I get a big glass of water to rehydrate and some proper food inside me.

being organised is vital as well - i have my planning in place ready to go in the morning and even if it doesn't go to plan it's in the background ready to come out if we need it.

Keep tweaking and you'll get there! Enjoy :D

[VeggieSausage]

I do 7.30am-6.30pm Mon-Fri and some days I'm soooooooo shattered (actually, it's usually by Tuesday!) :blush: I find though that things runs smoothest when I've actually prepared things the night before - even if it's just all in my head! Some days I'm too tired the night before and just 'play it by ear' the following day, but those days are my most stressed! LOL.

Me too by tuesday am usually knackered :rolleyes:

[Two Princesses]

Will definitely remember to eat with them next week! I really enjoyed it though, it was the first day I actually felt like a cm iyswim :blush:
I don't normally work passed 5.30 so it was a bit of a shock to the system for me, DH and my 2 DD's :) I'm glad it was a Friday though:D
We now get to enjoy the weekend and a trip to the seaside tomorrow for DD1's 5th birthday :clapping: