Any tips for managing broken ankle & 2 kids?

[hairyturkey]

Has anyone survived the horrors of having a broken foot/ankle whilst trying to look after two small children? (Semi joking, I know there are much worse situations to be in!)

Give me your tips please! My husband has to work, he's trying to wfh but can't do that too much. I have two very boisterous children 2&5 and the 2 year old is extremely defiant, so I can't leave the house basically.

I've got 3 weeks of no weight bearing and I just keep bursting into tears. We have no one who can come and stay and I miss my mum who died 2 years ago now more than ever!

Nobody?

I haven’t got direct experience and that sounds like a very tough ask but I would go along the lines of a no guilt 3 weeks of just doing what you need to do to survive with the DC. Let them watch tablets or tv, have quick snack based meals and actually explain to them why you have to be moving around a lot less for a while. I’ve found that DC are actually quite astute and sympathetic when they need to be. Hope you get better soon.

Do you have an office chair and floor surfaces that you can wheel around on?
Does homestart help with this kind of thing?
Online shopping obviously and DH will have to cook but you can sit down to chop veges

Speak to health visitor about any assistance you might be entitled to

Can you pay a retired neighbour Uni student or SAHM to take them to the park for a couple of hours? Or put them in with a child minder for a couple of days a week to make it easier?

You poor thing. Once you can weight bear ask about a moon boot rather than crutches. Even if you have to buy it they give you used your arms again

Can DH work from home a little bit or come home early a couple of days a week?

I agree with the above, regular online shops to keep the food and snacks flowing. Also hit up Amazon for art supplies and garden toys.
Put all child friendly snacks and drinks at the bottom of the fridge so eldest can be a runner for you.
Agree with letting loose on a few house rules to help them self entertain.
Also, there may be tweens interested in a wee job to come play with the kids for a couple of hours a day or do light housework for you?

My DCs were a bit older than yours when I broke my foot but the house still needed to be kept running. I got some tips off here which helped me keep things going day to day.
Get an office type chair for hard floors. If you have rugs take them up for the duration. Use the knee on your broken leg as an aid to climb the Stairs . For jobs that need you to stand use a dining chair as a support - put your knee on the seat -similarly use a small Stool if you need to get down into cupboards.
I managed to get laundry downstairs by using baskets that I could slide down behind me and I went down on my bottom. Taking things back up can be done by any able bodied person in the house .
For drinks I used chill bottles which could survive a fall and held enough so I wasn't having to go back for more too often.
It was important for the floor to remain uncluttered so I could safely get about so my DCs were instructed to tidy their own things to help keep things safe for me. Happily this continued after my cast was off and made me realise that they could have been helping far more than I'd asked then to before
We have steep steps at our house so I couldn't leave the house without multiple adults on hand so we basically camped out most of the time. The DCs were on easter break so it wasn't so hot thankfully but in this weather I would probably use the bath as a playground for part of each day.
Oh yes. To get into and out if the bath safely I used a small stool to equalise the height. My DCs still like the stool to be there even now.

You poor thing! What a total nightmare. Can you afford to get someone in for a few hours a day while you are incapacitated?

What you need is another pair of hands (and legs).

Electronic baby sitter - won't hurt them for a couple of days then it's the weekend

Also are there any 10-12 kind of age girls near you, too young to be home alone but fine under your direction - could be a win-win for a working parent worried about leaving them at home but then not wanting to go to childcare

DD was 2.6 when I broke my ankle and I was pregnant.

Top tips: get DH to make up 3 packed lunches before he goes to work. Take nappies and wipes (assuming your youngest is still in nappies?) upstairs the night before, along with bananas, pain au chocolat etc, then you can change their nappy and do breakfast and get everyone washed and dressed before going downstairs.

Get a cross body bag and a travel mug for hot drinks. Get a grabber to pick things up. Have you got crutches or a frame? At least the 5yo should be able to help a little. Lots of telly and tablet (it's only for 3 weeks).

This will suck, no two ways about it, but it is only for a few weeks. Good luck.

Oh and now is the time to ring round and arrange playdates every day. Don't worry about the house being a shit hole, nobody will judge under the circumstances .

You guys are brilliant! I'm definitely on board with the tv! Have asked a neighbour to get me some bits at the shop. Have used the office chair to cook on, unfortunately ours doesn't have wheels but I shall ask around. Going to do another online shop with some more picnic type stuff. I've just taken delivery of a knee crutch ordered in a panic yesterday and it's amazing so that's taken a weight off my shoulders (and hands)