If You Have Young Children, How Often Do You Get Time for Yourself?

When I shower. Sometimes.

When I go to the bathroom. Sometimes.

When I go to work.

When I wake up in the middle of the night at 3 a.m. Sometimes. :)

What is this strange thing of which you speak? LOL

Read, maybe shop a little, see a movie, take a class, or be a lump on a log. It doesn't happen very often, sadly. I'm working to change that :)

Never. I am recently seperated and my councilor and chiropractor both highly recommended a massage. I got a great deal on groupon and my dad found out and berated me for it. He said it was irresponsible of me to spend money on something like that when I have bills to pay. Said a lot more than that too. Left me in tears. I have never had a manicure or pedicure. I color my own gray hair and get it cut at Great Clips.
The kicker is: I am 42 years old. It's none of his freakin' buisness.

No wonder I keep choosing jerks. He set such a great example.

I do sometimes go to the grocery store before I pick them up from the sitter so I can shop in peace without chasing toddlers all over and forgetting half my list.

As long as my shower takes. Unless hubby decides to join me...;)

What is this "me time" that you speak of?

Just kidding. When my girls were little (like infants and toddlers) I rarely had any dedicated time for me to go out alone or be home alone without them. I did volunteer once a month, so perhaps that would count as "me time"?

Now that they're a bit older, I go out once a month or so with girlfriends and my husband stays home with the girls. And we alternate weekend mornings. He sleeps in Sundays while I'm in charge, and I get up really early and go to the farmers market on Saturdays while he is in charge. It's my favorite thing to do - so worth more than sleeping in.

I work full-time and I have an 8 y/o and almost 4 y/o and my husband works weird, long hours so "me" time is virtually unheard of.

I stay up and read 20-30 minutes at night (I sacrifice sleep) and that's my "me" time, I guess.

I do meet the girls for a night out about every 3 or 4 months. But a lot of our friends have kids close in age to our boys and we get together quite a bit. That helps b/c the kids all hang out and I get to visit with the adults :) it works for me!

I have 3 kids 2 girls (9 and 3) and a 2 month old boy

I take 30 to 45 minutes a day to work out and that's it. Even that is often interrupted , but that's all I do JUST for me.

Updated

My girls are 11,5,almost 3 and almost 2. I JUST recently started making "me" time 3 weeks ago. I go to zumba mon-fri from 6pm-7pm. It's 1 hr, but it means so much to me. Ofcourse to be able to get that 1 hr I have to start dinner the moment i get home from work at 3pm,while dinner is cooking i am cleaning, doing laundry and homework, picking out clothes for tomorrow and I have them fed by 5:15pm so that i can be out the door to drop them off with the baby sitter at 545, then off to zumba i am. I don't go out, if I do it's with my husband and that happens about 3 times a year, we should really be doing it more often, but we are both pretty happy just being home w our girls.

I have an 18 month old.
I get 5+ hours of "me time" a day.
3 hrs every week day during my commute to work. I sip coffee and read a book on the subway or chat with hubs. from 8-10 in the evening between when DS goes to bed and I get into wind down mode. I read, exercise, browse the net, cook, clean, call friends, have guests, whatever.
On weekends, I get the me time during DS's 3 hour long afternoon naps, which I use to nap, shower, and get a mani/pedi or latte (not always in that order). I get the same evening 8-10 time too.

Me time sure is nice.
Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

When everyone goes to bed. If I don't have a little time to myself to reset my brain I can become quite the grouch. As far as out of the house, never.

I get several hours a day. My 3mnth old is a good sleeper and is real reliable about her nap time, and I can usuallly get my two year old to nap about the same time.

I don't. I steal it in the early morning or at night when hubby goes and works out.

hubby and I have date night once a month, where the kids go to grandma's for the night.

My hubby works from home. I work full time outside the home. The other night he took the youngest to softball practice while my oldest was at basketball practice. It overlapped by about 20 minutes so I had the house to myself. That NEVER happens so is was absolutely giddy! Of course I couldn't think of one thing to do other than put my feet up and watch a little TV. I don't get a whole lot of *me* time so when I do I cherish it! I find the older the kids get the busier we are! Only 8 more years til youngest is an adult. I hope to get my *me* time then :)

2x a month hubby and I go out but I assume you mean 'me only' time. Right?

I drive to/from work so 20 mins each way. LOL

Once a month I have girls night out - a bar, restaurant, bowling, etc.

Most evenings if I want 'me' time my hubby understands (well unless it's every night!). Sometimes I"ll catch up on my shows, take a bath, talk to friends, etc. Kids are in bed by 8 and I'm in bed by 11 so I CAN have 3 hours a night but I usually share at least some of that time with hubby!!

I consider church my 'me' time because I get to connect with God. But my almost five year old now wants to stay with us in church (instead of going ot the nursery) so I have to be at least a little focused on her because she still wants to talk, show me stuff, etc at times!

Favorite things for me time? Talking on the phone, working out, going out with friends, watching shows and reading. I love to scrap but only when I can commit an entire day or weekend to it!

Updated

2x a month hubby and I go out but I assume you mean 'me only' time. Right?

I drive to/from work so 20 mins each way. LOL

Once a month I have girls night out - a bar, restaurant, bowling, etc.

Most evenings if I want 'me' time my hubby understands (well unless it's every night!). Sometimes I"ll catch up on my shows, take a bath, talk to friends, etc. Kids are in bed by 8 and I'm in bed by 11 so I CAN have 3 hours a night but I usually share at least some of that time with hubby!!

I consider church my 'me' time because I get to connect with God. But my almost five year old now wants to stay with us in church (instead of going ot the nursery) so I have to be at least a little focused on her because she still wants to talk, show me stuff, etc at times!

Favorite things for me time? Talking on the phone, working out, going out with friends, watching shows and reading. I love to scrap but only when I can commit an entire day or weekend to it!

Define me time? Interpretation is everything. Out of the house, like with no kids, no husband not on my commute type of me time? Once maybe twice a month. But I take a commuter van to work so I nap, play a game or read a book on my way to and from work which is 1 ½ hrs a day and that “me time” is awesome

Hmmm, me time what is that? My kids are 4 and 6 and I am a single Mom, their father is deceased. So I am with the kids 24/7, every day all day. I can't even use the time after they go to bed because I am desperately trying to catch up on laundry, house work, bills, etc., which are all way behind. I honestly am pretty okay with it. I am 41 years old and so I figure I have a lot of life left after they are grown for me time. At least I hope I do(I will only be in my 60's)! I have my days when I wish I could just get away for an hour or two, or wish they could get away for an hour or two. And I do know it is beneficial for everyone to have that time so if you can do it, get it in! But my life right now it isn't really an option. Okay so maybe I am a little jealous of those that get it. I would love to attend a weekly yoga class or something like like that.

I rarely leave the house for more than 2 hours per week without a kid in tow. Last week was the first time in 3 years that I went out and had a pedicure....so awesome:) Usually, I get at 5:30 a.m., go online, drink my coffee, take my shower, get dressed and then plan out my day. Getting up early saves my sanity.

Work is my time. I'm lucky that I love my job! Also, my husband and I get decent down time after the kiddos are in bed at night. We recently changed the play/kids' bombsite room into a music/reading room. Sometimes when they're engrossed in a game I can sneak in there and grab 20 minutes reading.

Every day. It varies though from a half hour to a few hours. My husband works most of the week from home and I work part time. We take turns and when either of us gets grumpy, the other takes over.
He knows on days that i work when i come home i need a half hour or so to recharge, and i do the same for him. He is very good about being hands on fortunately, i told him from the beginning he has to be;)

When they go to bed. Usually from 10 to 10:30 then im in bed.

I get to go out MAYBE once a month. I do, however, get time to myself each night after he goes to bed since he goes to bed way before me. I'm currently, though, trying to find new ways to actually practice some "self-care" since I don't do it often enough and instead just pass out.

Once every 6 weeks i get my hair cut/colored, so that's a good solid 2.5 yrs of "me time." The only other times are when I have to go to the dentist, chiropractor, or doctor. I usually pad in some extra time so that I can also run a few errands, sans kids. Ends up being about twice a month, for about 2-3 hrs each time.

And, of course, date night. Once a month, bare minimum.

Not often enough! I do need to start taking time (and not just when I am at work!) for myself. I have been wanting to start working out but feel guilty with my kids at daycare all day, I want to spend my few hours a night with them. I am hoping as they get a little older I will be ok with at least a half hour for me but for now they want mommy time and that's more important to me. I already get up at 5 am just so I can be ready before everyone else gets up...I guess that is my time!