I only have 4 kids (7.5yo, 4.5yo, 2.5yo and 8wk old) and sometimes I find life hectic. Lately, I have been getting dinner ready anytime between 12pm and 2pm (while the baby is sleeping) but my DP leaves for work at 4pm so I am dishing up and reheating at about 3.30pm and usually making meals that this is easy to do with like cottage pies or pasta bake dishes or curries but occasionally crumbed chicken or steak meals as well ... but I digress ...

Most of the time I am home by myself with the kids (DP is an interstate truckie so is gone for 2 days at a time and only home for about 6 or 7 hours before he is off again) so routine is really important for us. I usually start to get the baby ready for bed around 4.30-5pm with a bath then a feed while the 7.5yo looks after the other two (who are usually still eating dinner) and he does his homework. By the time the baby is asleep and in bed, the 2.5yo has his bath time and curls up in our bed while the 4.5yo has a bath then goes to bed, then the 7.5yo. Usually all done by 6.30pm by which time I am exhausted, having been up since 5.30-6am in the morning and going pretty much non stop all day.

I also have one of those vibrating rockers which this baby loves - #3 hated it! So that makes it a little bit easier when he is awake and I still have things to do!

As well, I try to put a load of washing on before I go to bed every night (otherwise it just piles up and I feel like I'm getting nowhere) and then I hang it out in the morning after feeding the baby and having a shower (so it's usually on the line at 7.30-8am!) If it's a rainy day, unfortunately it goes straight in the dryer

BUT I wouldn't change a single thing - I love my kids and hope to be able to have more!