At home with children- What do you DO all day??

[Sparrowlegs248]

Not a goady thread. I'm at home with a 1 and 3 yr old, I work part time and we are generally out of the house quite a lot. But I'm making an effort to do less and be at home a bit more.

We've been out today to see to the animals but at home other than that.

So what do you actually do if you are at home with small children? To entertain them, to get stuff done, to try to enjoy yourselves and to avoid having gin at 2.39pm?

Well the one year old would nap
So you could read , watch telly, build duplo, play d'oh etc with 3 year old

Fill bath with plastic cups etc and get them to wash them

I'm a huge fan of letting them potter, so getting a box of toys out and explore/play. Reading, singing, sand pit or water play in the garden, baking etc

Really long baths with lots of water play with plastic tea sets, pouring etc. Great for developing fine motor skills!

I let them be. It's important for children to be able to.entertain themselves and have a degree of independance. Very few children these days seem to have it as they get micromanaged and mum seems to be a constant playmate.

I had a friend where I didn't enjoy going to her house as you would inevitably get abandoned when she went to play hide and seek with her child. Really irritating. Then there parents wonder why their children can't entertain themselves at all and need constant adult input.

I do try to leave them to it to a certain extent, and wouldn't abandon an adult conversation!! The 3 yr old has a habit of tormenting the 1 yr old though so sometimes (often) them pottering doesn't really work out . It seems a very long day!

I thnk also im not used to it, between work, an activity, shopping and ani.aks we rarely stay in.

Housework. Takes ten times longer with their 'help' but keeps them entertained. My 2yo helps pair up socks, empty and load washing machine, empty dishwasher, sweep kitchen floor, vacuum, dust, washing up. He loves it!

In the morning we go to toddler groups and have lunch.

Then its nap time and I tidy up, do dishes, do laundry and yes relax a bit.

Then in the afternoon if I am tired we watch tv or do "independent play" (aka me messing about online while baby crawls about grabbing things and toddler throws toys everywhere). If I am in a more "type A" mood I set up little games and activities for the toddler (baby still just gets to crawl about grabbing things since that's about all he can do yet).

Then supper and then daddy comes home we tidy up and start the bedtime routine.

Well we got through the day without too many tears. We had some fun in the garden this afternoon, must have done the trick as they're both in bed. I still struggle with the concept of being busy doing nothing I think. I mean you're busy all the time but nothing gets done. Apart from caring for the children obviously.

Love staying in. Actually harder now they're older, but we/they play in the garden, read, watch a film, cook, paint etc.

Can never remember my parents ever entertaining me, or making any special effort. Think we were just left to amuse ourselves in my day. I soon discovered books.....

We bake. Cheapish things that we all like such as crumbles, cakes and rice krispie cakes.

Read, play in the garden and my least favourite play at being footballers. Other favourites are building Lego and chasing each other.