Anyone work full time with kids and no cleaning help?

amother

Brickred

Sat, Nov 16 2024, 8:52 pm

I have 4 kids, small house. husband and I work full time, but not 9-5 hours. mess doesn't bother me. I focus on sanitary and clean. dh usually stays up later than me to clean up the food areas. I wake up early to get the kids ready for the day, prepare food, and start working.
Although, I don't have no cleaning help-I usually spend a couple hundred dollars for one full day of help for pesach.

amother

Mintcream

Yesterday at 8:41 am

DH works 8+ hours a day and I work 5+ hours a day. We have 6 kids from babies to lower teens. I didn't have cleaning help for a few months and I was drowning. I have a few kids with ADHD and if the house is a mess, they get very wild, so it was really hard. I was so stressed and was snapping at everyone until I finally found cleaning help for 3 hours a week. Let me tell you, it's a lifesaver - it's cheaper and works better than therapy!

I still need to clean every day, but at least it's just sweeping, clearing counters, dishes and laundry. The cleaning lady does the bathrooms, a deep clean in the kitchen, washes the floors and dusts. My kids know that they have to clean up their rooms the day before she comes if they want her to dust their room, clean the floors and do their linen.

amother

Dahlia

Yesterday at 12:23 pm

Wow this thread is really giving me a complex. I have 2 little kids, both who are full of energy and make a huge mess. I work from pick up to drop off, so not full time but I'm never home without my kids. When I come home I focus on making supper ,giving the kids attention, baths and bedtime. Very little energy after that for cleaning. I have 4 hours of cleaning help a week and still my house is usually messy!

calvinhobbs

Yesterday at 12:39 pm

Op, how we do it?
You read about the lower expectations already so no need to reiterate. Then there were mentions about husbands pitching in but I wouldn’t bet on those.
I would say the tricks I employ to keep this ship sailing are
Menu planning once a week and making a large order
Dinner prepping a day or two in advance
Buying everything online and keeping guesswork and subsequently returns to a minimum
Not hosting guests
Going to sleep as early as possible (I know longer pull all nighters, or long nighters, cause then I’m snappy with the kids and it’s not fair to them)
Keep healthy snacks on hand (hungry mothers are the worst) things like Greek yogurts, cut up inexpensive vegetables like baby carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes on hand with chunmus
And super important but often over looked: make yourself feel pretty! Be it makeup, new tops, new shoes… whatever it takes. Don’t walk around (your house!) shlumpy and ugly with stained clothes.