Are you the parent of a small child who doesn't yet sit still for more than five minutes? Do local lockdowns mean there are no baby and toddler groups for miles? Are you sick of walking the same three routes every day since March? Then come and join our support thread! I have started this after some of us had a good moan on a thread in AIBU ("To be worried about staying sane stuck inside all winter with a 2 year old?") because I thought it might be nice to share ideas/activities/general moans and concerns, over what is probably going to be a tricky winter for those of us with babies and toddlers.
Don't forget the answer to all your prayers though... The ever reliable puddlesuit. Puddlesuits are absolutely mandatory this year, and you are expected to wrestle your child into one and make them jump in puddles daily. If your child goes blue with cold, administer a swift dose of hot chocolate and hope your local Amazon delivery driver gets move on with your latest order of kinetic sand/playdough/ball pit/stickers. Failing all else, Peppa Pig is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, in October as in March.
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Trapped Toddler Parents of Winter 2020/21 Support Thread - Puddlesuits at the ready!
ReallySpicyCurry · 24/10/2020 17:44
We played with coloured feathers the other day and son really enjoyed throwing them round and tickling each other then his teddy! He then sat in the tray id put them in 
prettygirlincrimsonrose A laminator will change your life, you'll be constantly looking for stuff to laminate now.
Motherofmonsters that's an epic gingerbread house! I'm envious I've only ever made one once and it was a disaster. I did have 30 small humans trying to help though so that probably didn't help. 
LassoOfTruth I'm glad to hear you're DD is ok. Falling down the stairs is one of those heart stopping moments but also a right of passage she's super lucky she didn't break anything.
MonkeyPuddle I can't believe your DD is already a whole month old. That seems to have flown by.
Camomila that sounds like a lovely plan, I'll keep my fingers crossed that you can go over next summer, I'm sure it would be incredibly special.
your DC just had to be under 1 on 2nd December but after they turn one you can still keep it.
A friend sent me a screenshot of this and it made my week, we just scrape in!
Anyways appologies for being absent, it's been pretty chaotic here with yet more teething. We've also been stuck inside for a few days due to absolutely horrendous weather. I'm hoping its better by the weekend. Not much going on other than preparing for a very surreal first birthday party. Sadly my partners parents can't get over due to being in a lower tier so it looks like it will involve at least some zoom calls. It's remarkable to think how many times small human has been on a zoom chat in the past 9 months.
Oh my God @MonkeyPuddle you poor sod. Never has a bottle of cava been more deserved. These things are sent to test us 
Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the run up to Christmas. We're going to decorate baubles, make Christmas biscuits, and put up the tree tomorrow. We have also made felt Christmas drinks coasters (Baker Ross) and cardboard wreaths (stuff I had in the craft drawer)
We've still to make proper wreaths as well. I feel that I'm doing quite well with the activities at the moment, we're also getting out plenty as the N.I weather has, mercifully, taken a good long break from its default winter setting of Relentless Rain.
However Christmas is easy isn't it, there's an abundance of crafty ideas and kits floating round, I feel that from January onwards it'll be a bit of a hungry gap until we get the pom poms and glue out for Easter.
@MonkeyPuddle. Sorry to hear that 
. God, trying to make 'magic moments' as a parent really is a torture sometimes. When they flop and you've gone to all that effort (and wasted £££), it's soul-destroying, but you don't want them turning round age 10 and saying "you never did anything with us" 
.
Had this last year with Father Christmas. Booked two fairly expensive grotto experiences for DS then just 2. Should have known better...he was scared witless and cried most of the time. We ended up meeting him again for free after a panto we went to (which DS loved because they had falling snow) and DS went straight to him and sat on his knee no fuss and we have a lovely picture (as opposed to the screaming, crying ones we'd actually paid for!). I'm actually happy to have an excuse for not going through that again this year...instead we'll just be "posting" a letter to the North Pole.
MonkeyPuddle It sounds like a very eventful day. Im sure it'll make a great story in years to come. I hope it makes you smile eveey year in future as you put out the Trex each Christmas.
Camomila - I hope you enjoyed you're peace and quiet and the cleaning didn't interrupt your chocolate eating too much. 😂
footprintsintheslow - I'm glad to hear people are taking care of you sciatica is no fun, roll on the baby snuggles. 
Also your eldest's tuff tray sounds fab, I hope the toddler enjoyed it.
Nothing much happening this end. Once the small human finally decides to nap I shall attempt to create a christmas tuff tray with beads, tinsel, ribbon and baubles but its very much dependent on hin actually falling asleep.
Also totally random question but has anyone else still got an optimistic ice cream van driving round the streets near their house? We've had one drive past us music on full blast for the last 3 days despite it being a constant stream of either snow or rain.
Yeah! It’s got a slightly green tinge to it admittedly but it kept DS occupied for 20 mins or so, plus he enjoyed helping clear it up.
That is hilarious
We're getting ours dropped off next week - DS1s plate was just red and more red
He came home with a Christmas card written all by himself yesterday - "I lov yoo mummee and I luv cudlz" I was very proud!
We're doing Christmas cards this year so every couple of days I get him to write his and his brothers name on 2 or 3 - sneaky handwriting practise.
DS1 has gone to nonna's (in our support bubble) for hopefully a sleepover. I'm listening to classical music instead of cartoons about vehicles and DH has taken the baby to the supermarket (munching on a bit of bagette while sitting on the trolley seat is his favourite day out!)
The weather looks rubbish tomorrow, but I don't want to go anywhere indoors and potentially get tracked and traced over Christmas. Maybe DH will drive us to the (pebble) beach - I don't mind a bit of rain if there's no mud too.
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