Trapped toddler parents of the fabled Winter 2020/2021. Puddle suits at the ready..hello Christmas!

[footprintsintheslow]

New thread as the other one is running out.

A place to find find and share ideas of how to get through these crazy times with lockdowns and babies and toddlers.

New members welcome.

@MonkeyPuddle impressed you have had the tree up till now!

I've been so grumpy today. Toddler is being really...normal.... wanting attention but I've not got a lot to give right now. Not sure how ill cope with two.

Packed dinosaur tuff spot today and I've done a quick set up for tomorrow in the hope I get some peace and I stop feeling so grumpy and irritable.

Hi! Just getting onto this thread. I have a DD who just turned 2, and an 8 week old. DH has had lots of time off over Christmas, but is back in work now, so I need to get my act together to organise activities for my toddler to get through this lockdown. Cant be relying on TV and her everyday toys and the odd walk to the playground. Some amazing ideas here. Going to go through this thread today and try write out a plan for next week.

My baby is in nursery today so I’ve got the Lego out with my four year old (stuck off school, sigh) and we’ve been playing superhero games with all the little toys his baby sister usually tries to eat. Also dressing up in his astronaut costume and playing a shop game so that he had to buy his morning snack by counting out the right number of pennies! Now watching TV but even that is exhausting because he jumps all over me while watching. He’s completely hyperactive but refusing to go outside so I’ve given up on the fight :(

Hello everyone, lovely to hear what you've been doing and to those struggling. It's still all about kinetic sand here so thanks to those on this thread who recommended it...I also enjoy building with it myself and find it therapeutic.

We still have some leftover fake snow from Christmas so going to do a polar tuff tray over the weekend... Santa clause brought a polar bear to add to our other Arctic (or Antarctic?) animals.

I spoke to the GP today, as I’ve had a headache for a month. He said “normally I’d prescribe rest and destress, but you can’t really switch off with young kids”. I felt like he silently added “good luck” on the end... very helpful!

I discovered recently that Scholastic do lots of resources - these Julia Donaldson themed packs look great (just have to sign up to their mailing list)
resource-bank.scholastic.co.uk/content/FREE-Julia-Donaldson-and-Axel-Scheffler-Home-Learning-Packs-40114

My 3 year old is in a “yuck” phase. Won’t go near mud, insists on his fingers being wiped if he gets anything on them. Thinking I need to do some gentle messy play to get him to see the fun in “yucky stuff”. Maybe shaving foam? Is that really ok for sensitive skin on little ones?

@WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere you can put a good squirt of bubble bath and a splash of water in a bowl and whisk it for foam? I do it in a 2L empty pop bottle, pop it in and shake, I melted a hole through the lid so it’s squirtable. I use washing up liquid if I can’t be arsed to go upstairs to the bathroom to get the bubble bath. Did the GP give any actual advice for your head?

We went for a (freezing cold) picnic in the park today. It was 1°C in sunny Leeds at lunchtime. But we had a nice time, shared a hot chocolate. I take a plastic cup under the buggy so I can divvy it out between us if I’m buying one from the cafe.

Did a Joe wicks workout today again, took yesterday off as I’d managed to pull my tight arse cheek, was legit hobbling on it. Had to wedge a hot water bottle under my bum for a bit.

We did some messy play today with bowls of cornflakes, cous cous, porridge oats and water. It kept her going for a good 45 mins while I fed the baby and drank a cuppa, until she started eating all the soggy cornflakes 🤮 we then made hummus before lunch and destroyed the kitchen floor by knocking over the jar of paprika, which the dog then went full whack for. Chaos lol. But she had fun. No tantrums at all today (which is rare) so she must have been stimulated enough.

Whisking bubble bath sounds fun! He loves using anything electrical so perhaps I’ll get him involved (floor desperately needs a good mop anyway 😂).

@MummaBear4321 a day without tantrums is living the dream!

Hello all!
Walk today, a big one! Then kinetic sand which is normally enjoyed by toddler but he was very grumpy and kept throwing a tantrum if it broke apart we put some plastic animals in it, he found it hilarious when polar bears nose was sticking out!
Tried to do some drawing/scribbling but that was a disaster. Packed that away and played with cars instead.
@MummaBear4321 I'm jealous of your tantrum free day!
@WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere my toddler freaks out if he gets anything on his shoes! Mud on his wellies yesterday was a disaster!
Changed the basket of toys round this morning (basket of toys in the living room which gets rotated a couple times a week) , he's enjoying the different books in there now. I'm feeling that he isn't really enjoying any of his Christmas presents though as he keeps going back to his old favourites.

@WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere. Can't remember if you have a garden or not (I know a couple of posters don't ), but could you get him out in the garden planting some seeds and doing some digging when the weather gets warmer? My DS had a big wooden box filled with dirt he liked to dig in last year. He got very dirty but it kept him busy .

[quote footprintsintheslow]@MonkeyPuddle impressed you have had the tree up till now!

I've been so grumpy today. Toddler is being really...normal.... wanting attention but I've not got a lot to give right now. Not sure how ill cope with two.

Packed dinosaur tuff spot today and I've done a quick set up for tomorrow in the hope I get some peace and I stop feeling so grumpy and irritable. [/quote]
I love the spoon fairy!!! That's so fab!!

I have no hoover at the minute (broken, been sent away for repair/replacement) so can't do anything that will create too much mess. Frustrating as I went to get the lentils and rice out before to do some pouring then remembered so had to put it away again. Son loves scooping into different containers but also gets a bit excited and we end up with alot all over the place!

@MessAllOver we’re lucky to have a big garden. He loves gardening, helping, will pass tools and drag big branches down to the bonfire. We planted bulbs last week (with gloves on!). Also has an old planter to dig in and fling soil around. But has to troop inside every time he gets any on his hands. He slid down a hill at the park on his bum the other day, carefully keeping his hands off the grass... part of me thinks this is wonderful, but I don’t want it to become a thing which restricts him.

@PinkDaydreams I’m glad someone else has clean wellies 🤣 I do sometimes get him distracted enough to not notice, and he loves splashing through a clear puddle!

@WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere. Well, I suppose it's better than the snotty little ones like my DS with permanently sticky hands they wipe on you . Waterproof gloves?

Can I ask, what do people generally do for their evening meal - I eat lunch with my DD but she seems to have to have dinner by 5:30 which is early but equally I’m so hungry by the time she has gone to bed! Do you eat together or later?

@Lostthetastefordahlias. We/I (usually just me at home but DH was home for the Christmas period) usually eat with DS Sunday to Thursday at the table around 6pm. Friday and Saturday we give him dinner by himself (usually a slobby TV dinner) and either have a grown up adult meal or order takeaway. We do try to have brunch (for us)/ lunch (for DS) together as a family at around 11.30am on weekend days.

Hi, I stumbled across this thread and thought I'd try out the suggestion of water beads. DD enjoyed it and has continued playing with a handful of them that she had in a jar to watch grow, so thanks for the idea!

I'm not sure if this has already been suggested but DD enjoys playing with her animals in a 'spaghetti sea' (cooked spaghetti, with blue food colouring and a dash of cooking oil).

Thanks @MessAllOver!

Thanks for the spaghetti idea @TooCloseToTheProject - does the food colouring come off the spaghetti much? Have wanted to try this before but I wasn't sure if it would stain skin etc?

@Lostthetastefordahlias most days we feed the two kids (aged 1 and 4) first sometime between 5-6pm, then eat something different ourselves at around 7.30-8pm. Makes for a much more relaxed evening meal. Sometimes we eat together with the kids at weekends though.

@Lostthetastefordahlias we eat dinner with the DD 6 days a week, and do a takeaway on a friday ourselves when she go to bed. I also try to eat my lunch with her during the week. I find she eats better when the focus isnt all on her.

Have not read the full thread but today we did loads of BakerRoss craft stuff, there is an amazing sale on right now so loads of cheap craft stuff for my 2 year old. Some was abit above him but he didn't know that and just really enjoyed it. Got loads left so weeks of fun! Check out their website

@Lostthetastefordahlias we eat at 5pm all together everyday. A bit early for my husband but that's too bad, he's working from home so is flexible. Any later and she's too tired to cope with eating and being at the table.

Tuff spot success here and it evolved through the day.

@Lostthetastefordahlias we eat our tea together as a family, around 5pm, it’s really important for me. Telly off, no toys at the table, we chat about our days and make plans for tomorrow. I’ll wash up as DS finishes (eternally slow eater), DP runs his bath and he’s in that for around 5:45, out at 6:30 and then it’s stories in bed, lights out 7pm.
Means I can do the pots, tidy the kids shite up, bath DD in the baby bath downstairs and me and DP are sat on the sofa at 7:05 with cups of tea.

@Lostthetastefordahlias

Can I ask, what do people generally do for their evening meal - I eat lunch with my DD but she seems to have to have dinner by 5:30 which is early but equally I’m so hungry by the time she has gone to bed! Do you eat together or later?

We all eat together at about 6. We used to eat separately pre lockdown but now eat together - DS eats much better! His bath is at 7 and he’s usually asleep by 8. It’s been pushing later and later as we cling on to his daytime nap!

Thanks so much everyone! You have inspired me to eat dinner with her for part of the week at least.
That is a great tuff tray Footprintsintheslow - forgot about Goldilocks but I will dig the story out again!
Should try to go back to sleep but the Baker Ross sale is calling now... thanks @namechangefail2020