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.

Does he give you any time to yourself at the weekends?
We take one weekend day each. Of course that still means I have DC for six days in a row. I do go outside but it was dark and rainy all last week so it was a bad week. I’m often put off going out because instead of having fun I just end up trying to keep DC under control and stop him eating leaves or ripping up my garden plants. The last time I took him out he snapped all the buds off my magnolia while I wasn’t looking ☹️

@DonkeyMcFluff I totally get it. I only work three days a week, and after maternity leave I moaned a bit and wanted to be a SAHM, but now that DD is older I couldn't not work, it's absolutely essential for my sanity, and I totally get why you are so gutted. Is there absolutely no chance you could defer start date or something?

Is there absolutely no chance you could defer start date or something?
I already gave up the job back in March. It was in a school and it was too risky. I wouldn’t even have been allowed to wear a mask. It’s still not safe to return to a school environment and I can’t see me waltzing into a new career during a pandemic. Nursery was deferred for a year but whether they’ll have places or even still be operating in March 2021 is anyone’s guess.

@JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff

TakeMe my twins have a Scuttlebug which they ride endlessly round the dining room. Does it drive me insane? HELL YES. Does it burn off energy though...........? I'll take it.

It's a great idea, but he's tall for his age and too big for scuttle bug

Might get toddler trampoline in from garden though!

She has finally taken two steps woooo. We've been trying all morning but she kept laughing at being stood up so kept falling over. I'm not sure I can count it as walking but we're finally getting somewhere

@Motherofmonsters

She has finally taken two steps woooo. We've been trying all morning but she kept laughing at being stood up so kept falling over. I'm not sure I can count it as walking but we're finally getting somewhere

Wahooo go mini monster!! I'm not going to lie though I'm soooooo jealous!!! We're still stuck at the clinging on for dear life stage goodness knows what he thinks will happen if he lets go.

Excellent work mini monster!

We’ve had a shit day so far, we were all in tears so I’ve put some toddler crack TV on, finally got the baby to sleep and am planning on glueing my butt to the sofa until my husband comes home, at which point I’m off for a bath with the door locked. Husband is NHS, ended up doing 2 x 15 hour shifts at weekend on top of his normal working week and I’m scared that’s what the rest of the winter is going to be like... Would it be dreadful parenting to buy myself some AirPods and listen to an audio book when they’re both screaming at me?!

But on a happier note, we made mince pies yesterday - a pack of ready rolled pastry and a jar of mincemeat made it a really easy toddler-friendly activity. And I got toddler involved in decorating the Christmas tree over the weekend and it was actually a really calm happy enjoyable hour! He’s three next week, but speech delayed. He’s decided Santa is called “Ho ho” and I’m rather enjoying this being pointed out at every step: “ho ho, mummy, ho ho”

@WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere I’ve got some AirPods and an audible subscription recently and it’s helped me loads, go for it if you think it will help you!

Just have to vent...I'm so upset, we had booked an outdoor Santa's grotto and Christmas lights experience (all socially distanced) for this weekend half an hour's drive from our home. Now we're going to have to cancel since London has moved to tier 3 . It was literally the only thing we had planned for this Christmas...

I know it's only a little thing in the scheme of things...but it just seems like the final straw in awfulness for this year.

@MessAllOver

I know it's only a little thing in the scheme of things...but it just seems like the final straw in awfulness for this year.

It's not a little thing at all, I sympathise. It's months and months and months of little things being closed, changed and cancelled. You're absolutely well within your rights to be frustrated. It seems like everytime anyone dares to try and do something vaguely normal the rug is pulled out from under you so by all means vent away!

@MessAllOver

I know it's only a little thing in the scheme of things...but it just seems like the final straw in awfulness for this year.

Absolutely, it's the cumulative disappointments and knockbacks that are hard to take, especially as winter fully hits us. Have you checked that it's definitely closed if it was all outdoors? More seems to be open in tier 3 than the last lockdown, I think.

Thanks for the new thread. I mainly lurked on the last one, partly as I work FT so don't have nearly as much of a challenge to entertain DC as those of you at home more, although the dark evenings have made such a difference (I pick up from nursery at 4pm and we used to spend then next 90 minutes in the park/garden before the clocks changed). However, I'm aiming to share a bit more on this thread rather than just nabbing all your great ideas (clothes hanger zipping was so fun!)

Today, gently tried to encourage DC (2.5) to join me in writing Christmas cards. I think I got scribbles in about 5 before he lost interest. Luckily he was quite taken with a hastily put together playdoh building site so drove his diggers whilst I finished the cards. Not the most festive activity but he sat still for 30 minutes!

@modge. We were due to be travelling to a tier 2 area, but can't now we're tier 3. So it's the crossing tiers which means we'll be unable to go .

@LittleMissLockdown I actually started letting go of her, I stand her up and then slowly take my hands away and then catch her as she collapses. Its the only way I could get her to let go.

@MessAllOver That's really rubbish, sorry you've had to cancel it.

Its the unknowing whats going to happen next that makes it worse for me, I'm so anxious to see what Tier we will be in on weds

I actually started letting go of her, I stand her up and then slowly take my hands away and then catch her as she collapses. Its the only way I could get her to let go.

I may have to start doing this, otherwise I swear he will be 17 and still holding on.

@MessAllOver that’s really rubbish, I’m sorry!

@DonkeyMcFluff my MIL takes rush's too and it makes me so mad. I'm heavily pregnant so obviously don't want to catch anything now. Some people are selfish.

@TakeMeToYourLiar welcome along. I'm 36 weeks with a 2 year old. It's very hard some days to fill the time and other days whiz by.

@JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff we are potty training here. I'm aiming to get poos done in the toilet only now rather than potty. That's my holy grail.

@Motherofmonsters hooray for the steps!!

@WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere you've inspired me to add mincemeat to shopping.

@MessAllOver so disappointing for you

@WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere managed to edit the shopping list with two minutes to spare!!! Mincemeat all sold out so have cupcake ingredients instead as I've got Xmas sprinkles in the cupboard I'd forgotten about.

We decorated Xmas presents today. I'd wrapped them in brown paper then toddler drew on them with felts and also added stickers. Nice simple activity and mess free.

Tomorrow we are going to make stew as soon it fun activity... we know how to live! I've also changed the toys around tonight so the new ones should I keep her busy.

@MessAllOver I’m sorry, that’s such a shame. This really is the year that keeps on taking away isn’t it. It may or may not be helpful at all but a charity local to me are doing a zoom Santa’s grotto. I can’t recall how old your little one is, might not be very suitable for really little ones, but thought worth mentioning. I’m sure there’s similar things around, the one I’ve seen is here www.willen-hospice.org.uk/support-us/fundraise-for-us/challenges-events/virtual-santa-experience-20-21-december/

After my slightly rubbish parenting today I’ve indulged mum guilt by staying up late making play dough and coloured rice for a farmyard tuff tray tomorrow. Hopefully it’ll provide at least a few minutes of entertainment!

@WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere coloured rice is my toddlers current favourite and the other day I gave her playdough with the rice. She was blown away!

Thanks @WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere for the suggestion. LO will be 3 in January so it might work. Also to all of you for commiserations. It's the lack of notice and ability to plan I find so hard, I think. You think, "Ok, we can do that, it's within the rules and doesn't sound too risky". So you book and start getting excited and then, bam, it's banned! We had the same thing for some events we'd booked during the November lockdown, which is why I think I'm feeling so frustrated. It's not so much the event (which will probably be cold and wet anyway ), it's the arbitrariness of the rules. I'm whining now but our area of London has one of the lowest rates of cases...

Oh well, we will regroup and have a Christmassy weekend. We can at least go for the inevitable puddle jumping walk. Our Christmas tree is up and decorated (finally!), but we still have Christmas painting to do, our train track to finish and some last-minute Christmas shopping. We are still clearing out the loft so there's a fair bit of tidying to be done as well. I like the idea of easy mince pies, so I will steal that...we might also make some gingerbread cookies in Christmas shapes [smiles].

Bring on 2021.

Ooh new thread already! Sorry I’ve been enduring our house move so absent for a while!
So, we’ve finally moved - from Oxfordshire to a small holding in west Wales. It’s supposed to be our forever home, quite a major lifestyle change etc. Well, we knew the house needed work (no heating, windows are quite rotted) but my fucking god - it’s like these people never ever cleaned anything! For decades. The first days I really could have cried. Now it’s been a week or so ... it’s still awful but we’re getting used to it. The electric heaters and wood burners make at least the room you’re in warm. I dream though of time to find a) the toddler craft box and b) the booze! Our mission is to get at least the living room passable by Christmas. By undaunted DH had laid a new carpet, and the Christmas tree is up! Decorated by the 3yr, and it looks great. The first time we have had space for one! And now we finally have WiFi so at least I can whinge on mumsnet 😂

You're living my DH's dream @Lassoftruth. It'll be worth it in the end, what a great opportunity, I can imagine the shock of the reality of it though.
We had rented a small holding for 3years pre-monsters, it was a great experience. Sadly the tenancy changed so we went back to the town.

Welcome to Wales @LassoOfTruth

@LassoOfTruth. Congratulations on your move! Moving is always painful - it took me a month to start getting over the stress of our last move (and now we're thinking of moving again ). Just take it easy and do prioritise finding that booze!