To not know how I’m going to get through the day

Put the telly on and plonk him in front of it, get some respite xx

Mine were like this too. They always seemed to be worse when I was poorly

Soft play with coffee, or put him in his cot if he still uses one ( or a play pen...yes i used them and they'll were great) his meltdowns were so bad one day I had to go and sit alone in the garden.

This won't help for today, but if you can afford to buy a pair of toddler sized waders, they'll really help with the problem of getting out in the rain.

I don't mean waterproof trousers that you wear with wellies. I mean the ones where the welly and the trouser leg are welded together. Even if you can only find one a couple of sizes too big, just get a couple of pairs of thick socks to go under them.

Particularly with my highest energy (ADHD) toddler, being able to get out in any weather was life changing. And it's so good for them to be outside - good for their concentration, their vestibular system, their eyesight, their mental health, and your mental wellbeing!

For today, you could also check out 5 minute mum.

You have my sympathy. It's always hard work with toddlers, but on Those Days it can feel impossible.

Your boy sounds like mine!

If his shoes being wet is keeping you inside can you get another pair? Next do wide fit, G and H and even wider in some styles.

Put his wellies on under a puddle suit. Some puddles suits have straps that go under the feet so they can't kick them off. Also insoles if too big which make them harder to kick off too.

My boy didn't care about tv at the age until we discovered bird videos! Go on YouTube and look for birds in the amazon. Maybe he loves them too? He watched it for maybe 10 minutes and it was such a relief.

Dens! Use a chair or sofas and throw a blanket over. Stick a few toys under or books he likes. I couldn't believe how long ds played like that for when I was exhausted one day.

Get pull ups for nappy changes and have him stand up. It's so much easier.

Remove everything he can destroy eg your laptop. Make sure all kitchen cupboards he can reach have things he can play with like pots and pans not crockery. Our house is so sparse because it's much less stressful than ds constantly destroying things.

Good luck! Xx

Do you have a big garden centre nearby? Ours has a large outdoor area with conservatories and kids playhouses on display. We used to play in them, pretending we lived there! (Actually some of those play houses cost more than my actual house!)

I'm reading this thread and getting flashbacks to those days.

Mine are thankfully18 & 24 now so way way in the distant past.
It was by far the hardest months/years.
It will not get any harder than this!!
All I could do somedays was to breathe and survive.
I just used to live day by day, hoping tomorrow would be better than today.
Don't forget that for every push back you get, they're learning something.
You will get through this.
One day you will realise that these years have created the most beautiful human you have ever met.
And it will have been ,in part ,created by these challenges and the love you've shown them.
Just breath and survive. For now that's enough

Solidarity Op, I’m exactly in the same boat. Have a 15 month old who started walking 2 months ago and will absolutely lose it if I’m not 100% focused on him at all times. I put him in his playpen for 5 min this morning to strip down the beds and he screamed so much, it was insane.

One of mine would also play on her own for quite a while if I put her on a step stool, filled the sink with soapy water and gave her some plastic cups and containers to play with. She might have been 2 by then, and still had to be supervised, but at least I could make a cup of tea, put the dishes away, etc. You could do similar with a washing up bowl in an area that you don't mind getting wet, e.g. kitchen floor/ garden.

So many of us have been there. It's worse when it's raining. I used to break the day up into 30 minute chunks (or even 10 minute chunks!). Go for a walk. Maybe collect leaves, pebbles, etc to make something with later. Snack. Painting. TV. Lunch. Nap. Errands/ quick wander round the shops. And so on. There is always someone here to chat to, if you need some adult interaction.

Does he like trains OP?
When mine were little we’d sometimes drive to the nearest railway station and just watch the trains. Sometimes we’d go on a short journey. My most restful times were sitting on the train! I’d even get a cup of coffee.

One of our regular trips was to drive to station, get a train to the airport, watch the planes, watch the trains, come home 4 hours later!!

Please please, don't judge yourself, I had super active toddler and honestly, I used to cry every single evening. I don't have any family in UK, just couple of friends. Husband used to work very long hours and we had very tight budget,so soft play was not an option.
We used to go outside every single morning, after breakfast,even in pouring rain. My son then was tired and I was able to cook some lunch, tidy up, while he was with tablet. After lunch - local library had some story readings. And then again, he used to be tired when we back and I was able to eat, take quick shower, etc.

My youngest was like that - the only thing he’d watch was Fireman Sam so I bought a DVD and watched it on repeat on those days when I couldn’t function 😩. He’s late teens now and the most active kid you could meet - and rarely watches tv! It’s pure survival in the toddler years - do what you can to get by 😬. Good luck!

During lockdown we rode the tram more times than I would like to remember!

Shopping centre - coffee out
Soft play
Cinema

I’ve just remembered riding the trams to the end, getting it to look at what we could see, then riding back again.

Some children need constant newness to look at. I reconciled myself with DS1 that it was a sign of his great intelligence (he is, though not without challenges). DS2 was really content and also very intelligent. It helped at the time, though!

Shaving foam with a few drops of paint in kept my youngest entertained for ages the other day. As did a big bowl of water with ice cubes in
Soft play if you can but I personally find it hell on earth so I wouldn't blame you for avoiding it.
A film preferably with lots of songs. My kids really like Moana and Encanto for the music.
Bake some bread! It might turn out shit but they love kneading it.
Day time bath kills some time.

Hang in there. Toddlers are the worst sometimes.

Our local garden centre has a soft play in it and it's got a little fence around it with a gate that only unlocks from the outside so they can't escape! It's right next to the cafe so you can sit and have a coffee in peace and watch them while they play. Is there anything like that near you, OP? My youngest also dropped his nap at 18months and wasn't remotely interested in TV so I feel your pain.

You need to get out the house, even if it’s a local shopping centre and let them have a run around, or a local garden centre with animal? Both free options if you’ve got transport!

I do feel for you. I remember it well. I, like you am also sick of rain!!!! I always used to find getting out easier and the days went much quicker. Would be fall asleep in the car? Sometimes I used to drive to somewhere a bit further away for a play or visit somewhere and then they'd fall asleep on the way home. Agree with others about soft play. Wil wear him out if nothing else. Hopefully the weather will improve soon which will give you more options.

The day he climbed out of the playpen and I climbed in it for some respite was a particular low point.

I see you got a plan for today but I second long morning baths and the library for other days. I found nature programs held my LO's attention longer than anything else at that age so we watched millions on the wet days. Or walk to the shops. Make cakes or biscuits before lunch, decorate them after lunch? Then he goes for a nap. Then at the end of the day if it's still felt impossible at least there is cake. This phase doesn't last forever, OP but it feels like it does while you're in it. Strong consistent boundaries for the throwing and things you don't accept, let the other stuff go (he's stuck? Then let him unstick hinself, even if he wails, he'll get there. Similarly dont fix the train every time, he will work it out!) You'll both get through it.

More solidarity from here. Not much to offer with ideas, I genuinely look back in amazement that I made it through - but it's BRILLIANT when they get a bit older. Last push now really.

Water play, they liked bowls of water with bubbles (washing up liquid), straws, toys to float in it. Music on was essential for my own sanity but they also got quite the education! We went out onto the muddy fields and kicked a ball about for at least an hour every day - again, for my sanity!

Dancing. That was a brilliant one. I danced a lot with my boy on my hip, we found fun.

And when it was all too, too much (and especially when I had two of them under 5), Shirley Hughes stories were my lifeline. My never ending whirl of an energy machine would actually curl up for an Alfie story and I would calm myself by the end of the book and recognise her implicit meaning that, behind the picture book loveliness of raising toddlers is so much work but we're in it together and it does pass.

I’m glad you said this as I always wonder on threads like this. If I took all the sofa cushions off to jump on it would take about two minutes out of the day and then for six months or more Ds would be knocking them off the sofa!

Oh and I was never against staying in, watching TV, snuggling on the sofa, building dens, and all the other stuff people on Mumsnet recommend. But my son had no interest in that, if the TV was on he certainly never sat still to watch it, snuggling would last three seconds then turn to squirming, then flailing. The house would be destroyed to make a den and then he would be sick of that and on to the next thing in five minutes. We went out, every day, for as long as possible. That is how I retained my sanity (well that and going back to work and letting nursery do it all).

Have a hug. The toddler of mass destruction phase is exhausting. I used to put DS in his playpen whilst I sorted the kitchen in the mornings. Once he learned to climb out it was a total nightmare as he would make a beeline for anything that was noisy, dangerous or messy. I couldn't fathom what had happened to my perfect child who had chuckled happily whilst chewing duplo only weeks earlier.

The day he climbed out of the playpen and I climbed in it for some respite was a particular low point.

What helped us was being out and about; Swings, garden centres, duck feeding, indoor shopping centres in the rain. Basically, whatever kept him moving and active. It got better once his language improved and he could be entertained with cartoons.