To take this approach to parenting a toddler?

@Judinle

I think it sounds fab, and lots of outdoor activities and stimulation. Far, far better than cooped up indoors with screens. The best gauge should be whether your child is happy - not what other people think.

In the nicest possible way, I think just being with your kids is more important than worrying about stuff like this. I worried too much about stuff like this.

Fine motor skills will come through things like eating themselves and BLW.

I do think think it would be better for him to have more at home than what you describe. What’s also concerning is that you are building your days around your anxiety about being at home with him, even though your exhausted.

My children were fairly peaceful beings and were happy at home as long as i got them out at some point during the day. Times were different though, as we had friends about. Most of us worked part time or not at all before school age so we'd go to other peoples homes or they'd come to us. I never enjoyed going to places with just me and the children so that sort of outing happened with other families. Or at weekends with my dh, and/or my parents (in laws weren't interested in outings though we visited them about once a fortnight and we all had fun)

My granddaughter is a little whirlwind and needs to get out and about every day, though her parents are working on more soothing activities.

I am the youngest in a fairly large family and apparently till i started nursery, I was on the go with mum getting my siblings to school, clubs etc. Mum says I was born on wheels!

All that to say, do what works for you @Judinle The whirlwind years will pass! It's especially difficult if you don't have a strong support system.

Exactly the same here. We were always out doing an activity together. A proper full on day out. I worked 4 days and my day off with both kids was a proper treat day. I do the laundry and the shops when they are in bed and hang up when they had breakfast.
I would say that the eldest prefers being at home now and pottering herself. The youngest likes being entertained all the time and has not mastered the skill of being bored. So I don't think the activities you do now will have any impact on their life choices.

I do think that you being happy will. So if you feel less stressed, less itchy for activity etc. then crack on.

Oh also, as for learning to be bored? I think that’s a skill you can also learn on the go! e.g we’d often do slightly longer car trips to days out etc.

she’s now capable of been in the car for 8+ hours and she’ll entertain herself the entire time. She also has an amazing imagination that comes along with us to days out AND she can play at home alone for a couple of hours. I wouldn’t give it much thought, a lot of it comes down to personality surely?

meet their needs and make sure they know how loved they are - you can do that from anywhere!

The only issue I can think of is that it might be narrowing what skills he’s developing.

For example if he is in the buggy a lot that’s not great for gross motor skills. If he’s hardly ever playing with toys then that’s not great for fine motor skills - playing with sticks in the park is good, but it’s not as varied as the toys at home with buttons and bits that move. Does he do imaginary play, this is more likely if you are in the same place for a bit rather than on the go. Does he do any mark making like painting/drawing. Does he face away from you in the buggy a lot, this can affect speech development. Does he meet other kids.

I get you OP, I would have loved to be out of the house this much, but I think you need some balance so he gets a fuller range of activities?

There is no parenting maual but I wish all parents were issued this statement in the hospital/home birth midwife.

We’re all different and our kids are all different. Do what seems to work for you and your child. Recognise it may not work for other people. Live and let live.

I’m with you on this one! I think it’s a personality thing for me - I’ve never liked to stay home myself and that didn’t change when I had my daughter. Her dad is the opposite and is very happy staying at home so she probably gets a good mix (although I don’t see why she’d NEED full days at home really?).

She’s 4 now and at school but when I was off with her in the week our routine was to have breakfast, do a few chores and then head out for most of the day! When she was a baby she’d nap in the carrier/car/buggy. We do at same at weekends now as a family - we are spending quality time together that we all enjoy.

people always seemed obsessed with telling me I needed routine and structure when she was a baby/toddler but that didn’t work for me as a parent - I like flexibility and I wanted a flexible baby! As far as I can tell she’s turned out just fine 🤣 e.g has no issue with school routines etc.

do what works for your imo!

I’m all for getting out the house but by 2/3pm we are normally home. I’d feel permanently tired and busy no down time. And just rushed all the time doing things.

When mine were little we went out all the time. If we were out it was more relaxing for me, they got to do and see loads of lovely things and the house was exactly the same when we got back as when we left. Lots of fresh air too and lots to talk about. They are all grown up now and we still talk fondly about places we visited and things we did. They were little so they don't remember remember but we retell in effect the story of their childhood. They also now as adults love going to places and seeing things. Interested in the world around them.

Surely you're not out literally all day every day from breakfast to dinner though? I always made sure we went out every day but it was often only for a couple of hours or so. Eg we'd go for a walk or a toddler group in the morning, have lunch and then spend the afternoon at home

Sounds brilliant to me!

Just laughing at the posts suggesting "being at home" as a life skill you need to learn 😂

OP just do what works for you and him - it's literally no one else's business. One day he'll be a teenager in bed til 11am like all the others ha ha!

People often say how hard it is raising a toddler and do what you need to do to get through the day, nothing wrong with screens etc.

Yet when someone is actually doing things with their toddler it’s strange how for some it’s disapproved of; ‘weird’ and so on,

It’s a phase and it passes once they can focus and do role play a bit more. But there is no way I could have stayed sane with six hours at home with ds aged 2!

I think it's great! I try to go out with my toddler as much as possible too. At home I get tempted by screen time a lot.

Just to add DS2 decided at 18 months that the buggy was for wimps. My childminder had him trotting alongside the double buggy with 3 year olds in it.

High energy toddlers are hard work. The key is to let them putter for a bit on their own when out.

This.
I did what worked for me and my children. OP keep doing what works for you.

Yes it's important they have time to be bored.

When my ds was a toddler we went out every single day...he was very active and energetic. A day at home was much harder than just going out...he'd be climbing the walls. My DD was totally different....she was happy to have the odd day at home, she'd play with her dolls house or sit and do crafts and be fine. Maybe your friends have children who are like that!

At 2, some children can't really concentrate on baking and painting for very long. Is he walking? Climbing on rocks? Exploring the environment? That kind of thing is great from developing gross motor skills. If he's strapped in the buggy all the time, it's a bit rubbish.

My 2nd child was like this. He stopped napping at 18 months old and was a menace in the house. He needed to be tired out with loads of physical activity. He's really sporty now and will happily kick a ball around in the rain for hours. He will also happily read and play computer games.

At the age of two I totally get this. I found parenting in the house much harder.

As they get older it does get easier to stay in.

Also at age two I wasn't that interested in playing with their toys but older children's toys are much better.

If it works for you do it!

One thing is that child isn't getting much screen time!

seems a shame as you wont get time to enjoy your home and do chores while little one does not get a healthy time to play with his toys or enjoy his home.

Err no! My DD didn’t have screen time at that age. She actually learned things, because I’m a competent parent.

Reading, arts and crafts, cooking etc.

We would go out looking for conkers and then come home and make a collage-that sort of thing. Or we’d turn everyday tasks in to a learning activity. I talked her through absolutely everything I was doing too-really vital for vocabulary as well as knowledge.

Some of us are not brain dead and have raised intelligent, engaged, inquisitive children that are excelling. At home does not mean screens to me.

The one thing I would say is that I was this kind of mum - we were / are always doing something. What it has resulted in is a 6 year old who expects to always be on the go and going somewhere / doing something so I am now trying to retrain her that it’s okay to have a day at home playing with toys! 😅