How much time do you spend with your children, and how old are they?

Question

I am asking because I recently returned to school and I have class 2 nights a week (plus I work full time) and I am starting to feel guilty about my lack of time with my 2 y/o. He doesn't seem to care (he gets to hang out with his grandparents while I am in class) but I was wondering how much time most parents spend with their children? I think I may have been overdoing it before...

Thanks.

Answer 1

I work full time also and because of this, I spend every waking moment with them outside of work. Some people think I have no life of my own, but they ARE my life and I'm happy with that.



Don't feel bad, you're doing what you can to better yourself AND your son! I have a friend who recently went back to school and she works full time also. She is gone 3 nights a week and on Saturdays. She's been feeling guilty as well, but she makes up for lost time during the days she is home. I keep reminding her that her schooling is only for 1 1/2 years and that she can do this! So, you can too!



Oh, I forgot you asked our children's ages... my girls are 5 and 1.

Answer 2

Do not feel bad you are giving your son the best you can possibly give him!

I have two children 3 years old and 6 months, I spend all day with them except when my daughter goes to school which is 3 hours every 3 days a week. Other than this all the time. I am lucky enough to get the job of being a full time mom. However, my husband works full time. Well of course the is the occasional go out to dinner with my friends or my husband. Which is once a week, we make a date to out and we have family day all day on sunday.

Answer 3

Don't feel guilty. The best thing you can do for your children, is to better yourself.





You might hate me, but I spend every second of the day with my kids. I'm a stay at home mom and I am fortunate enough to be able to spend this time with my kids. My husband how ever works full time (I'd get a job so that he could cut back on his hours, but he's in the military and cutting back on his work hours isn't possible!). He's gone for about 10 hours a day at work. The weekend is the only real "family time" we get with all of us together. He somewhat regrets having the job he does have (not being in the military, but just the job in the military he chose) because he wishes he could be home more.

Answer 4

Pretty much every second of every day. I am a SAHM. I have a 2 year old daughter and a 3 year old son. My son attends VPK 3 days a week for almost 8 hours each day. Both of my kids get up at 7am. My daughter does not nap but she has "quiet" time in her room when my son is napping.



We were visiting my in-laws for Easter and I had to go outside to get something from the car. As soon as I walked out, my 2 year old daughter ran to the glass door and had a meltdown because she thought I was leaving her! I'm afraid it's going to be really tough for her when she has to start school when she's 5 because I have been there nearly every second of her life.

Answer 5

The beginning years are crucial for mind development and attachment. I'm sure your child is well cared for by his grandparents but it's not a replacement for mom. The question here is how much time are you *really* spending with your child? You get home from work, have to make dinner, cleanup, maybe clean up other rooms, wash the baby, then off to bed. Is that really spending good quality time with him? Not in my opinion. When's the last time you made a craft with him or playing a game? When did you last take a walk and pick up bugs and leafs? When is the last time your schedule revolved around what he wanted to do and not what you wanted to do? He might not seem to care now but he's 2! When you're going to start noticing is when he's older and has no attachment to you and cares more about what his friends are doing than what you want him to do.



ETA... what about his dad? Does he spend time with his dad at all?

Answer 6

Not enough :(



I work full time everyday 8:30-5, plus a part time job from 9-5 on Saturdays, and occasionally from 6-8/9PM during the week.



Typically during the week I spend time with my daughter from 6-8 Monday- Friday and from 5-8 Saturday and all day Sunday. However- most of that time during the week is spent making dinner, giving her a bath and getting her ready for bed :(



My daughter is also two. I miss her everyday while I work but it's her I am working for, and it's worth it knowing I have her to come home to.

Answer 7

My daughter is 15 weeks old and I certainly don't get to spend as much time as I would like with her. I work every day which means she's at daycare all day. By the time I pick her up and get home, it's 5 or 5:30 and she goes to bed around 7:30. By Thursday, I am itching for the weekend just to be able to spend more time with her!!

Answer 8

About 8 hours a day, sometimes less. The rest of the time, they are sleeping or playing alone in their rooms. I don't work, though. They will be 2, 3, and 5 over these next 3 months.



You do what you can, and he will enjoy whatever time you do spend together.

Answer 9

I'm home with them all the time. That doesn't mean I'm actively playing with them 24/7 though. I don't think you can spend too much time with little kids, but I also don't think it hurts them if you need to work and go to school. Plus he's got his grandma, so I'm sure he's fine. My kids are 6 & 2 1/2.

Answer 10

unfortunately not enough time as far as I am concerned.



I spend a lot of time at work during the week usually 12 hours or more per day.



I have recently decided that the weekend is purely family time. I no longer work on the weekend for any reason (well except last week, lol)



I have 6 kids so getting 1 on 1 time is hard enough as it is. It is the one regret I have about having as many kids as I do.

Answer 11

i'm a stay at home mom so i get all day to hang out with my 19 days old baby. don't feel bad for having a life away from home. plus it sounds like you make more time for your 2 y/o than most people do.

Answer 12

i hope you're not going to let yourself feel guilty over the answers you get. the proof is in the pudding. happy kid=you're doing just fine.



i am home with my kids full-time, but they are older than 2 (4-11) so of course they have school and activities and are often playing with one another or with friends or reading or playing on their own, so it's hardly that i'm their full-time every-second-of-the-day playmate. if you mean concentrated 100% of my attention on them and vice versa rather than, say, me cooking dinner and making occasional conversation while they're doing homework in the kitchen? it probably averages a few hours a day, somewhat more with my 4-year-old.

Answer 13

I am a stay at home so 24/7 and they are 9 and 25 days!!

plz comment I would like to know what you think