[lisac77]

We are switching our lives around next week. DS will start going to Pre-K instead of staying home with a nanny, and I will be going to work at night instead of in the evening. I will be home sleeping while DS is in school and pick him up in the early afternoon.

Essentially the amount of time we spend together in a given day will be about the same. Right now we spend about 5-6 hours together in the morning, and on the new schedule we'll be spending 5-6 hours together in the evening.

I want to build in time every day for me to exercise and get some housework done. On our current schedule I usually do this while DS is at home and engaged in another activity (usually TV). I'm trying to decide if I want to pick DS up at 3:30 PM (right after I wake up), then bring him home and exercise while he unwinds and watches TV, OR I can exercise before I pick up DS, but that would extend his day to 4:15 or 4:30, and would cut into the amount of time he spends at home.

I'm initially inclined to pick him up at 3:30 PM while he is getting used to school, then gradually extending his day to 4:30 PM. He will arrive at school between 8:30 AM and 9:00 AM.

Ideally I'd really like to limit TV time in the evenings, since that will be our time together. I'm not sure if having him come home and watch TV right off the bat is a good idea, because he may bug me to watch after that.

So what would you do?

 

[mistymama]

I'd pick him up earlier, even if that means watching some tv while you exercise.

My son goes to preschool as well, and I do my best to pick him up between 12-2pm depending on my work load. On the days I do have to leave him until 3:30, I can tell that he's tired and we have more potential melt downs, etc. School is hard work (even though it seems like lots of fun!) and it wears him out being there, even though he loves it.

I find he does best when I bring him home as early as possible, even if that means a little tv to unwind while I finish work phone calls or whatever.

I'm sure each kid is different, but that's what works best for us.