I’m coming to the realization that this is the time I have.  Nothing is going to change.  I will always work, pick kids up, then be responsible for getting them prepared for the next day.  That little, tiny bit of time that I get in-between work and bed time is so valuable.  Currently I’m too tired to do anything, I’m exhausted from work.  How is anyone supposed to have a proper work/life balance with working 45 hours a week (including lunch) and the 10 hours of week it takes to get back and forth to work. There’s only 75 hours a week I’m awake (up at 6 and in bed by 9 M-F). 55 of those are working or getting back and forth to work.  Another 5-10 are spent getting ready for work and the kids ready for school.  That means out of the 75 waking hours in my work week I’m truly only free 10-15 hours a week or 2-3 hours a day.  That’s it. It hurts my heart.  I was seriously considering getting a second job, work evenings, maybe 5:30-11:30 and weekends.  But fuck that. I already take enough time away from my family to survive. And that’s the irony. I’m barely surviving.  I’m over being the ideal worker. Over America’s view of what a “traditional” life looks like. I’m done. I’m throwing in the fucking towel. I will do what I can do and fuck the rest.