To feel the weather is actually now making me a terrible parent

She didn’t say it had been torrential for four months!

Hilarious that people don’t believe the OP’s weather.

Where in the UK are you that it's been none stop torrential rain every day for four months? At 16 months you just layer them up, put them in the buggy with the raincover over and get on with it. Library, art gallery, museum, swimming, soft play, play groups. Most libraries have themed activities for small ones. Cheap playgroups at church. Honestly I'd you're struggling now to entertain in the rain, wait until they're 3-4+

Even with clothing for shit weather, it's still harder work (layering up, drying kit, cleaning mud) and there are still fewer options- most play equipment gets too slippery, walks are less interesting, picnics are out.

Entertaining children on limited options was doable in spring/summer 2020 because it was usually dry and warm. In the unusually wet autumn/winter that followed, it was so, so difficult to keep going physically and mentally, because of the lack of natural light and every unpaved surface being a sea of mud.

Life is just simpler when it's mild and dry.

Paisley you understand the weather is different in different parts of the country? We had half a day of sunshine on Sunday. It has been raining since Monday. Its shit.

We've had sun for the last 3 days, but before that we've had months of shit weather, including severe flooding.

It might just be a day of rain, but when you've spent most of the last year trying to find things to do without spending a fortune, and trying to embrace the shit weather it's ok to have a moan.

YANBU OP, it's so much easier to get out and about when the sun is shining.

Yes the weather is rubbish. It wouldnt have stopped me from going out and about but, i wouldnt have wanted to spend much time in the actual wind and rain and jumping in puddles (would have killed 30 mins for me)

Can you invite a friend and kids round. It makes it so much easier to be around people in the same position as you. Or visit some family if that is do-able.

16 months is the perfect age to take to groups if you dont have friends with kids the same age as yours to meet up with.

Storytime at the library, music groups and various other groups are great.

Whereabouts do you live in the UK?

I feel for you, OP. It's all very well having all of the appropriate gear but it's a hassle (although perhaps comparative to sunscreen!) and it just gets so damn repetitive doing the same thing, day in, day out. Yes, you can play in mud but it's nicer to be in a sandpit; yes, you can meet up with friends in a cafe or at each other's houses but it's nice to just sit on a rug in the park and have them toddling around you; yes, you can go to the playground whatever the weather and slides can be really uncomfortable when it's too hot but, again, it's just nicer in the sunshine.
I'm in my late 40s and was going to meet my friend for a walk by the river this evening. It's unlikely to happen as it's heavy rain forecast for then and we just don't want to go out for a walk in the rain. We could - just as OP could - but we'd prefer not to.

It's been sunny for days hasn't it? Can you not handle a day of rain?

I’m sure OP does do this 🙄 just nice to have the option of mixing the day up a bit isn’t it? I have a two year old but even at 16 months he’d have been bored of ‘playing with his toys on the floor’ for nearly a whole day bar naps. That’s fine for an immobile baby. I live in a flat with no garden. Playing all day inside is not an option.

Waiting for someone to suggest baking 😆

Are there any playgroups near you? I took mine 3 times a week until they went to preschool, elevated a lot of mum guilt and had free coffee!

Has it been raining for days where you are? It has only rained yesterday afternoon and today here. Yesterday I was out with my 2 year old for hours until the rain hit so I don't feel bad that we are sat in front of the TV today. We had a lovely weekend in the sun too.

I know what you mean OP.

Whilst I didn't mind the rain too much, one of mine absolutely hated it and would do anything to avoid being taken outside.

We spent many a day in a homemade indoor camp, with bed sheets hung over the dining chairs and the dog dressed like a pirate!

If he's only 16 months, then can you not just have a lovely time playing with him and his toys on the floor?

I'm afraid I would have taken mine out anyway. Probably why I was so knackered from all the washing and floor cleaning afterwards. I couldn't cope with being in the house all day.

Give them empty yoghurt pots and have a competition for who can catch the most rain. See who can find the biggest puddle. Float leaves in the water and see whose goes the furthest etc etc.

You’re not being unreasonable. We’ve just had an absolutely gorgeous weekend where we are, I felt human again and DD was so much happier - we went to the seaside, the park and she also just played in the garden for hours. (Although there’s been that much bloody rain leading up to it that we were still contending with mud!)

Back to heavy rain today. She’s in nursery 4 days so I don’t have to worry as much about filling the time, although the walk there and back is always harder work in the rain - yes even wellies and waterproofs don’t magically turn her into a puddle splashing little cherub, she just moans even more than usual, whines to be carried and her legs are even MORE TIREDER MUMMY!

I don’t know if you’re looking for any suggestions - I do have some that helped a bit but understand if you’re just wanting to moan as totally been there.

Lol at being able to ‘sit with a coffee’ with a 16 month old at soft play 😂

Everyone getting high and mighty saying it’s only rain, wear appropriate clothing etc- yeah, we know. We’ve been doing it on and off for months. There’s not a puddle that hasn’t been splashed in. I don’t have money for endless inside activities, personally. The library does not fill an afternoon. Soft play and swimming isn’t something we can do daily. Sometimes it’s nice to have the option of using the local playgrounds and having a bloody picnic. I’ll always take mine out regardless but some of you are dreaming if you think endless mud squelching and puddle splashing doesn’t get tedious, even for the children.

You have my genuine sympathy - I used to feel like this, too.

Something that worked for me on days like this that I didn't find draining: empty a cheap box of cereal in a flattish plastic box, with some diggers or animals. It kept DC busy for about an hour and if they ate it, no problem. Any leftovers went back in the box for the next wet day!

Hang in there. Good luck.

Aren’t yesterday & today school days though?
The rain has been relentless though I agree. DD is autistic & absolutely hates the rain & wind- I think it’s partly a sensory thing. We really struggle to get her out when it’s like this. It looks a bit better here later in the week.

They don’t melt 😄

Sorry but I don't believe that it is non stop heavy rain all day every day for days on end to the extent you can't possibly go out at all.

It's only 8am. Just wait for it to ease up a bit and then head out.

Surprised at these answers, who wants to take a small child out in torrential rain,

Soft play for a couple of hours? Tires everybody out and you can sit with a coffee.