As a parents what time of day do you find the most demanding? You know, the time of day when everything is full on and you feel like you are trying to do juggle lots of things and you aren’t doing any of them very well.

When I ask people this, many initially say the mornings – now don’t get me wrong the mornings are busy and rushed and sometimes a little frantic, but for me, the systems and routines I have in place in the morning combat most of that. There’s always the chance of something unpredictable happening of course that we can’t plan for, but in the main this period of the day is time limited and pretty standard most days.

After considering this a little more, many parents highlight the after-school period as the most demanding part of the day. I couldn’t agree more – does anyone else have to psyche themselves up?

Uncontrollable hunger

Do your children resemble a pack of wolves hunting for food after school? Mine always have this uncontrollable hunger straight after school. I have to carry around a full on picnic these days as the snack bag doesn’t really cut it anymore!

I remember my brother being like this as a child. Two of our boys in particular seem affected this way, but recently it’s all four of the children. I have to be prepared each day, and if it’s a day we are going straight home I combat this by having dinner prepared for them and they will eat straight away.

Irrational behaviour

This links very closely with the uncontrollable hunger. The hunger, mixed with tiredness from the day can lead to irrational and out of character behaviour if not addressed quickly.

Your sweet little cherubs can quickly transform into demons if their needs are not met quickly – they become hangry!

I can literally see the difference immediately. As they begin to eat, they transform back into my children!

After school clubs

After school clubs are the other reason to keep children well-fueled. After a busy day at school and then a mass of after school clubs I need to make sure they have some good reserves.

The juggle of after school clubs is something that can be a challenge for parents, especially if you have several children who need to be in several different locations.

Swimming lessons seem to get parents hot under the collar the most, with the combination of a hot poolside, cramped changing rooms and trying to entertain siblings.

Which after school clubs do you find the most challenging?

Preparation for the next day

Once you are finally home for the day, preparation begins for the next day. Packed lunches, homework, clothes ready, and that £1 that needs to be in an envelope for whatever it was!

The after school hours can feel like a bit of a marathon, but being prepared and knowing your routine well all help ease the pressure. Oh and a hot drink in a flask if you can remember that as well!