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.

It doesn't appear to stain . I've not tried the dissolving powder yet as ds wanted to keep
It for tomorrow

Snow day today (some nursery staff couldn't get in so they're having to prioritise). Luckily manager is understanding about flexible working. Made soda bread and threw snow around the garden (although getting him dressed was an absolute pain), now watching snowman as I was struggling to keep eyes open while reading stories.

Would love soft play right now - DS definitely could do with somewhere warm and dry to throw himself around.

Ararghghghghghghghghghghg.

That is all I can say about today.

. That bad, huh? Nursery day today. DS worn out so meltdown on the way home. Watching the complete Spot at the moment (lots and lots of episodes and no ads) and doing Duplo, which seems to have a calming effect.

Oh dear footprints!

We’re having a lot of post-preschool meltdowns now, which is fun. Tiredness, too much change. Hard work when you’re 3! Also we’re currently only seeing my mum outside, at the playground and so on, and I think that’s adding to the emotional struggle for DS1, he hates it when she doesn’t come in. Hoping they move on to vaccinating the over 65s soon!

I'm trying to be understanding and insightful when a new baby has come and rocked your world but bloody hell toddlers can be total dicks.

When do you draw the line for bratty behaviour and stop being so understanding. I'm scared I'm creating a monster. She used to be perfect and now she's a tyrant with excellent communications skills that doesn't stop dictating to us. I wish playgroups were open here. I need to go out and see other mums.

I wish I had some advice @footprintsinthesnow it's so very hard.
Your definitely not alone.

I'm struggling with DS, he's so angry at the moment and has mostly stopped listening to me. He's being mean to DD and all the 'gentle hands' in the world is not getting through to him. I've actually resorted to time outs as I don't know what else to do with him.

It's tough. We don't have the new baby issue here but honestly DS seems to see me as his own personal slave! It's "Mummy, do this", "Mummy, I want that" 100,000 times a day . I've started to absolutely insist on nice asking and please and thank you, and also to get really annoyed when DS shouts "Mummy, Mummy, Mummy" repeatedly. But he still doesn't seem to understand that, even after asking nicely, he can't always have what he wants - cue tantrum on the kitchen floor .

I honestly don't know how I would cope, to you all!!

I'm so glad my dc are good ages for this we've not been lucky at other timing in life but this!!

It's so nearly spring and you can break them out into non muddy places and have picnics and run them....

Footprints, sending solidarity! Ds was a bloody nightmare yesterday, no listening, lots of tipping water out of glasses, throwing things and screaming (his latest fave noise!), we had to ask our friends (support bubble) to leave for the first time ever. I was so close to driving us to my mums lockdown be damned! He was of course then a beautiful loving angel with dh. Yesterday was tough and I found myself loving ds but not liking him much and that was really upsetting. He's also taken to the odd bite which is unlike him but I'm putting it down to confusion over lockfown, also he went back to nursery for 2 days from last week so routine disruption. Also toddlers ae just infuriating little sods sometimes

Today I've given my head a bit of a wobble and we have put a slow cooker stew together, done some dancing, rescued some jewels from ice and then sorted the jewels by colour. I also have some cookies for us to make in a bit. Hes being a love but there's a lot of the day to go yet!

Yes I think ahead wobble and good talking to myself has helped. New day and all that. Plus toddler has behaved a lot better all round. Baby's turn today to not want to be put down for a second. I'm going to put her in a wrap sling tomorrow to get around the house.

Another day another cold wet park with bare breasts. Can't wait for spring. 🌷

Also I had a phone chat about why toddler is behaving like she is. I do know why obviously with a baby but I liked how the hv explained it in terms of a pecking order and everyone having to reestablish positions which is why she's seeing how far she can go. It was really helpful.

Tough day here today, DD is beginning to start pushing boundaries (16 months) and finding it hilarious to do the exact opposite of what I say ALL day. I know it's bound to get worse, but it's so infuriating. And then she grins and I can't stop myself smiling when I'm meant to be telling her off...

Also had a small meltdown knowing that I'm giving birth in two months and wondering how on earth I'm going to manage two under 18 months during a pandemic. Just feels a bit neverending! Looking forward to joining the 'bare breasts in the cold, wet park' gang @footprintsintheslow 😂

and a bit more to us all.

I’m done, baby has let me have 3 hours sleep per night the last few nights and isn’t napping in the day unless there’s total silence. Which obvs there isn’t with a 3 year old rampaging around. Fucked. I am fucked.
Don’t feel safe enough to drive to the park, plus I’ve not washed my hair in about 5 days.
So we’re staying home and having the 3 year old scream that he wants ‘MORE TELLY MUMMY’ over and over.

Have put out coloured rice and scoops etc on a big tray, colouring, stamps, stickers in stations around the room.

But no,

‘MORE TELLY MUMMY’

Mummy is fucking done in.

@monkeypuddle that sounds really rough. If it was me I would just chuck the telly on today. We've been watching the Clanglers all morning as DD didn't fancy sleeping last night either.

@Motherofmonsters solidarity

We’re watching ranger Hamza in let’s go for a walk, that counts as our daily walk right?!?

DS likes running loops through the downstairs rooms, so I’ve challenged him to run ten laps. That’s about as far as my imagination will take me today.

@monkeypuddle, that sounds like a great way to get rid of energy.

I'm stood waiting to see if this rain is going to stop or if I should just go out in it and hope for the best. Has it ever rained this much in a row or do I just not notice when I can do other things then walk.

Sounds hard work @MonkeyPuddle, I’d be giving in to the TV demands! My DS likes doing circuits of downstairs too, sometimes I throw in a bit of Simon says - lots of lying down, jumping up, running to the front door, crawling to the back door. A good game to get some energy out without having to leave the sofa myself!

Top tip - if youre child gets stuck in the mud, don't just yank their boot up as they will fall over and get covered head to toe in mud. ' mummy I'm really really soggy, I need a bath'.

It's taken me an hour to get sorted after all that rain and mud

Sounds like alot of us are having a tough time, big cups of tea (or glasses of gin) and biscuits to us all

I was thinking today I can't wait to be able to take my son swimming again. I've seen a different swimming baths I want to try.
I also can't wait for charity shops to reopen, there's a good one near my mum's which I have picked up many brand new books from, all children's books are only 50p each.
Museums and libraries opening back up again are also high on my list of looked forward to activities!

DS's Preschool have been putting up posts of the fun experiments they've been doing today and talking about how much fun they're having. Am I terrible person for being really annoyed by it, I want DS to be there to having fun with his friends.

@Motherofmonsters what a shit day you've had. We've also had a giant muddy puddle fall too and got soaked on our walk.
I'd be really miffed at seeing the preschool
Updates, are they key workers?

@footprintsintheslow yeah they're only open to key workers so I get they have to be in there. I'm just sad for DS missing out.

I also know of people sending them in when they really don't have to which is annoying as well.

I know what you mean and how you feel. My boy was meant to be starting nursery but hasn't be able to as the nursery is only open to key worker children. One of my friends, her little boys nursery is still open, I'm jealous!!

As we're giving tips - mine is don't let DC try a square of dark chocolate thinking they won't like it, they will and you'll have to share.

We've had an eventful few days, DS2 came out in a blotchy whole body rash and I panicked and went and got him a coronavirus test (he'd had a hot face but not a proper temperature and I had put it down to teething)...got our negative results back in less than 24h and apparently the rash is a side effect with bonjela junior I have to rebook his MMR for the second now as we were isolating the day it was due.

*second time I meant.