That would be me! If you’ve ever wondered what parents who aren’t working do all day while their children are at school, or if you do know but would like a peek into my non-working day anyway, this is for you.

Yesterday was the first one back at school for my three eldest kids. We had a great holiday and thoroughly enjoyed the break from our usual hectic routine.

This year we have children in Year 6, Year 4, and Year 1, and the two littlies go to preschool for a couple of days a week. When I dropped off my son to his classroom this morning a teacher told us mothers, “You should take yourselves off and have a coffee with your pals, you need a treat after that long school holiday”!

“I’d love to ,” said one. “But I have to go and clean my house!”

I didn’t feel free to celebrate either. I still have a few years to go before I can think of killing time without any children on a weekday! Still, it was a good day.

We all got up early, because my husband wanted to take some photos and I wanted to walk my son to his classroom.

8.30am. I brought the little ones home after the school drop-off and they played while I did a speed clean of the bathrooms, quick tidy of the house, and vacuum of all the floors. I made today’s school lunches (sandwiches) and popped them into the fridge.

10am. Morning tea was biscuits and fruit, then we hopped into the car and went to the shops.

10.30-12pm. Did some browsing, bought some groceries and lots of contact to cover all the school books that will be coming home for the next few days. Our two-year old fell asleep in his stroller and got his nap that way.

12-1.30. Came home, cooked up two-minute noodles for the boys lunch, heated leftover pasta for mine. Played a few games of Pop Up Pirate, the boys’ current favourite, and musical chairs and hide-and-seek, which are perennial favourites.

1.30- 2.30. Turned on the TV for the boys, did a little prayer, checked in with a friend whose eldest child started kindergarten, started this blog post, did some dinner prep, and started decluttering a cupboard I’ve been eyeing off all holidays.

2.30-3.30. Got the boys ready to go out again, picked up the big kids, found out all their news over afternoon tea, and started collecting lunchboxes and drink bottles, reading notes and signing diaries.

The children had no homework or after-school activities, and my husband came home a little earlier than usual so it was a fairly relaxed afternoon and evening. Next week will be more typical in those respects!

And so it has begun! Another school year. I was really happy that I had time in the evening to do some core muscle strengthening exercises (which some of the children chose to do with me) and go for a 30 minute walk. That’s something I haven’t really done regularly or at all for years. I hope I can keep it up!