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I cannot imagine trying to get part time work done while being home with both of them! I have a 2.5 yo and 2 month old and haven't even mastered going to the grocery store all together yet. Dinner and cleaning rarely get done. Maybe it depends on your kids but I think it would be really hard to add working in to that equation.

Last year I was combo working part time (maybe 10 hours a week? 4 hours outside the home and six at home) and doing two online graduate classes. My 3 yo was in daycare 2-3 times a week from 8:30--2:00 (I had to pay for a full week so I tried to use it as much as possible; I live in a rural area with limited childcare options) and my infant was home. Life was great! This year I am not working but still doing two online classes and both kids are home all the time. Hoping to work nights this fall. We are moving next month so my childcare options will increase in this new place. My then 4yo will be in pre-K two days a week 9--1:00. It is a mother's morning out type program. 16 month old will be at home with me until I return back to full-time work right around his 2nd birthday. Still haven't decided what to do with them once I go back full time; hoping nanny share.

@Glitter: I vote for some child care for the older or even a sitter for both kids / a mothers helped to help 3 hours a day. Maybe even for during the older kiddos nap time so that you can guarantee a few hours of work then. My personal opinion is doing it all is so tough as is, and adding your work to the mix would be too much. Just my experience though

@Glitter: I definitely choose the easiest classes...register for more than I need and then compare syllabi to make sure I'm not overloaded at any point. When my older was at school I'd devote 2 hours a day 3x a week to school or work (I teach English at a community college), then Sunday night to work or school, and some evenings as necessary. Now I'm not working and have both kids at home. I go out Thursday night to Starbucks and do classwork, and do work Sunday nights. That usually gives me time to do the readings (Thursday) and do the assignments (Sunday). Later in the semester when I have projects I'll have to devote more time. Right now my kids' nap schedules are opposite so daytime work almost never happens, plus I can't focus anyway. My work ethic has definitely slipped in comparison to how I was in my first year, when I was pregnant with my now 10 month old. I obsessed a lot more when I had more time. These days, I tend to give school a certain amount of time and am happy with my efforts, even if my grade isn't as high as it could be. This is also my second master's so I feel a little more comfortable prioritizing and not making every assignment equally important in my mind.

@Glitter: I think you are lucky how your LO is rather independent. I know it is not the case for everyone but my friends and I have noticed a common thing for us is that our second born kids are much clingier and needier than our first. I SAH with mine and couldn't imagine really having to get work done during the day. I guess it's possible during naps but it takes a while to consistently get them on the same schedule. Maybe something like a mother's helper could come to you after school so that combined with any double nap you could work?

@skipra: this is funny, in my friend group we all seem to marvel at the opposite-- our seconds are so much more self sufficient! However my first is still shaken by being a new brother and is also three so he sucks up the emotional energy in the house right now. Poor second!

To the OP, do you have a partner? If so, that helps. My husband took on more chores after my second was born and he lets me leave at night to work or hole up in our room to do work while he does bedtime with both kids.

I'm at home with my three right now and we're interviewing a part time nanny to give me a hand a couple times per week. I seriously never thought I'd be a SAHM with a nanny.
We're doing it mostly for household help so I can focus on the kids while she helps with chores and food prep.
I'll be doing some part time work starting in a month and cannot imagine doing it at home without some childcare.

I WAH FT (not self-employed though) and our current situation right now with one LO is that my mom or MIL (we also had a PT nanny at one time) comes over and watch her while I work. It works out really well for us, but I know not everyone has the luxury to retired parents to help!

We have #2 coming in a few weeks and I'm not 100% sure what care will look like when I'm back from maternity leave, but I think we'll likely rely heavily on family helping, but we're also thinking about a PT daycare for our oldest and/or a nanny to come a few times a week, too.