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Does anyone else find it hard to take children out alone?

8 replies

Harriet220909 · 10/05/2015 23:57

I have 2 children, 4 and 1 1/2.
I'm really struggling atm to entertain them together.
Softplay is hard as eldest wants me to play with him but have to run around after littler one, same with parks etc
Don't have the confidence to take them swimming
Home is a bloody nightmare as baby tramples over everything we ever try and play
How do people do it? I thought I got a.good age gap but it's not working! I'm recently on my own so no help there (Altho tbh that's pretty much always been the case he was there but not actively doing anything)
Help me people feeling like a bit of a boring mum recently!

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Haggisfish · 11/05/2015 00:07

I take mine to parks and for walks in woods. Would never attempt swimming or soft play with two of that age! My local sure Start centre does good stay and play sessions and local community centre does things too.

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KarmaNoMore · 11/05/2015 00:11

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NickiFury · 11/05/2015 00:18

It's tough at that age. To be honest though I found when dd was 4 and ds 7 the worst, they just argued ALL the time, nothing was fun. I stopped taking them anywhere that other people would be to be honest e.g shopping, had it delivered. Even the park could be difficult so my policy was to leave the moment one of them started performing. They're 8 and 12 now and it's LOADS better and has been for a couple of years. We have a really good laugh now.

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NickiFury · 11/05/2015 00:21

Oh and do try swimming, that always worked quite well for us and they loved it and were nicely tired afterwards, get them in their swimming costumes before under their clothes. Don't bother showering if you can't face it, just dry them and bath at home.

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Harriet220909 · 11/05/2015 00:29

Thanks ladies. Yes fully agree to get a playmate for eldest it really is helpful and I really enjoy those days

It's more for when I have them for the whole day just me and them. Eldest used to love cinema may try that again soon as littlest is getting bigger.
When it comes to swimming I'm ok to take one or the other is both I'm scared of!
The summer holidays are coming up so I better fix up and get ideas! Lived for the days Mr ex was off so we could have a proper day out...feel like I can't do that now. Eldest is begging to go to the swimming pool near us but I can't on my own as it involves slides which baby can't do, queuing and stuff that just seems impossible to do on my own without dragging a wet freezing screaming baby.around!
Sorry aware I'm rambling just would love to be that mum with all the get up and go to just go out with both kids and make it look Easy.....often go home looking like the harassed one who needs a decent nights sleep

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ThinkIveBeenHacked · 11/05/2015 00:32

Does the swimming pool have a Creche? Littlest in the Creche for an hours play while you and oldest swim? Our Creche even gets the baby into swimwear and brings them to you for the last 20 mins or so - then its just the getting changed at the end.

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ThinkIveBeenHacked · 11/05/2015 00:33

I also use the really small softplays that are in pubs. Can see both kids at the same time.

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HappyAsASandboy · 11/05/2015 00:48

I am not a lone parent, but for various reasons I try to take my three kids, aged 4yrs, 4yrs and 5 months out of the house for the majority of the weekend.

During the winter we went to soft play, kids cinema and tesco! Now it is sunnier, we spend a lot of time outside at country parks, NAtional Trust places, picnics in local small parks etc. I spend a lot of time cajoling the 4 year olds along to reach some point of interest, while I push the buggy, but it wears them out nicely!

We can manage a whole long day at a National Trust if I take enough food for several picnics. I think the key is to take a lot d things with you and a buggy to transport it all - a picnic (lots, so can have several small picnics whenever the whining ramps up), a ball, a rug, drinks, kids binoculars, umbrella, bag to put 'stuff' in (stones/leaves/feathers, whatever) .... and just keep walking! I take a sling for the baby, and have been known to end up with all the stuff and two four year olds in the buggy while I carry the baby in the sling - good workout for me thrown in to the bargin!

Try not to look at all the simpler families with more adults/fewer kids/older kids/better behaved kids. I used to spend half my time thinking 'well if I only had one child to two adults I could look that perfect too', but I've learned that I have other things instead of easy days out!

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