If I had the sort of 3-year-old who would happily play with her dolls, do crafts, sit down and look at a book, go outside and play on her swings/slides or help me (in a kiddy way) with housework or just SLOW DOWN for two minutes, I'd be home more often. But DD1 won't do any of those things unless I do them with her and I simply can't play with her ALL DAY because I need to get other stuff done. The only way I can get stuff done is to put on the TV and I hate doing it.

So we go out. Often it's a trip to the playground or we go to the library, do grocery shopping or have a babycinno. If it's just me and DD1 we often walk into town, which is a 3km round trip as I see that as good exercise for her. The only set activity we have is on Fridays when she does swimming. Though I'll probably try to make story time at the library on Wednesdays a regular thing too. I prefer to go out mid-late morning and come back mid-late afternoon.

Basically, if we've been out, I feel less guilty about switching the TV on when I get home so I can get some housework done or dinner started.