Trapped toddler parents: Inspiration and support needed through the summer hols!!

[PinkDaydreams]

Following on from the previous trapped toddler thread!
Sorry for rubbish title!

@Camomila, congratulations on completing your climb, you are very brave attempting it with the kids!

@Motherofmonsters, oh no that sounds terrible,can't believe you've been up since 4.

I'm in a situation where the boys have found the trick or treat sweets so I'm attempting to wrestle swizzles from them.

I'm really dreading the clocks going back tonight too...

Oh no, hope you've managed to wrestle it off them @chocolatetrifle.

My reset didn't work, I don't think DS has responded to one thing I've said today. I had cake making and biscuit decorating planned today but I don't feel like there's any point doing any of it as he just won't listen. MIL is meant to be appearing at some point but not sure when

@Motherofmonsters, have got the swizzles but just eating them myself now. I have a Parma violet addiction that came from my pregnancy with DS2 , I ate loads of them, I just loved the chalky crunchiness! Hence why I needed my first filling after he was born and I had late onset gestational diabetes anyway, moving on...

It's hard when it's a day like that. I hope you get a bit of peace when your MIL comes.

How is everyone going to cope with the clock change? Are you putting your kids to bed later? I'm dreading it as I am fearing a 4.30 wake up or something equally as awful.

@Camomila well done with the mountain walk, well deserved pizza too!! :)

Yesterday was a day of dodging the rain!

Oh no I forgot about the clocks! Son normally sleeps really well, 7.30pm-7am but for the last week he's been waking at 5am and getting in bed with us. Not a good habit but there's no way I'm getting up for the day at 5am!! Tried much later bedtime but made no difference.

Today so far has been an Asda shop then the playground on way home, playing with trains and tracks, playing with cars and some iPad time (I know I know, not good parenting!)

@Camomila good job with the hike! I'm the same with mountains, though for me it's the way down that's the worst - I'm convinced I'm going to fall and die, never mind DC

@Chocolatetrifle I'm 34 weeks tomorrow, not long left! We've been slowly shifting the bedtime routine by 15 minutes per day, so tomorrow we will start the routine at the same time we would have before (6pm) if that makes sense. Though it didn't quite work as I'd hoped because DS just went through the routine quicker (we allow him to decide how much time to spend in the bath, for example) and went to bed around the same time every night so we will see what happens tomorrow morning. Hopefully he gets it after a few days.

We had a very long playdate with a couple we're friends with who have a DS 2 weeks younger than ours. Then we went shopping for birthday presents, all of DH's family seem to be born in autumn

Just carving a pumpkin on my own tonight because I like doing it and tomorrow we're at PIL for a birthday party so I probably won't get time then

Hope everyone has a good night and that all DC manage to sleep!

@squishymamma, I might be being dim here but I had no idea you moved the clocks backwards in Norway too!

Ok so yes a Google search shows I am being dim!

I'm off to bed ready for the morning. DS1 keeps talking about false teeth and what they are, after seeing them on Shaun the Sheep, so we've just had a 10 minute conversation about false teeth before him going asleep.

Sleep well everyone hopefully.

Bedtime is 6.30 here for the 3yo although by the time stories are done and lights are out it's more like 7/7.20. He doesn't really nap, maybe a power nap up to 15m in the car. I also think going to nursery and speaking German all day is exhausting for him judging by the energy difference if he has any time off for any reason.

Talking of which he has a cold now. The viruses this season are just insane. He hasn't had two weeks in a row there since before the summer break.

Happy Halloween 🎃.

Both boys woke up at 4.40 .

How is everyone? Hope you all have a good day. Any Halloween plans?

No, I don't really bother with Halloween for little ones as I'm not bothered about it myself :o DS1 is disgusted by this and has taken himself off to a friend's house!

DS2 woke up at 5.30 but DH went in and changed his gro clock so it was still blue. Not the best move as I had to get up and change DS3 anyway and all his clean clothes are in there. But bless him he was being very good and just singing to himself in his bed. I waited until 6.30 anyway.

Happy Halloween

@Chocolatetrifle sorry to hear it was an early one! We managed 6am but I'm not optimistic for tomorrow, I don't know if we can keep him awake long enough tonight...

@BertieBotts my DS is the same, loads of energy at night when he's not been at nursery all day DS still has a runny nose and a cough after 2 weeks, it's driving me insane because I also have it!

We're off to church today before going to PIL for a birthday party, both of them are born in October so they just combine their celebrations every year currently sat watching Toy Story with DS because we have a Sunday morning movie tradition, even though its not 7am yet

Hope you all have a lovely day!

Ugh Chocolatetrifle hope you are not too exhausted today. I wish I had had your discipline in going to bed early. Mine were up til 9:30pm (karma for saying they go to bed at 7:30 upthread ) and then I did that thing of staying up really late just to have some peaceful time. DH is away with friends for his birthday & I am very grateful for whoever at the bbc put all the cbeebies halloween programmes together - we have just watched halloween timmy time & now we are going for spooky Duggee. Going “trick or treating” at my mums later, really just an excuse to go round for a coffee.

Been up 4 hours. Already watched the Cbeebies Halloween programmes too @Lostthetastefordahlias. Tish Tash is a favourite here.

We've put some Halloween pretend transfers on and might do some baking or something. It's absolutely torrential rain!! Have saved a Baker Ross zombie kit to do but feel like a zombie myself!

Happy Halloween! Sorry about the early wake up @chocolatetrifle. We were very lucky here as they woke at 7.

A family friend is having a party so we will go to that and her teenage daughter has said she'll take the trick or treating for half hour. I don't really like it but DS has been talking about it for months

Happy Halloween all!
Sounds like a few of us have been awake early.
Not much planned today, ended up seeing family late afternoon yesterday which was nice.
Last couple of evenings I've been sorting through Xmas/birthday presents and am driving myself mad looking for pyjamas I have misplaced! I remember putting them away a few months back (bought in the sale) but they have now disappeared!

DHs alarm went off at 5am and both kids woke up! DS didn't go sleep until 10pm last night so it's going to be a rough first day back at school for him.
DD woke up a million times in the night as well. I am not feeling it this morning

Hopefully everyone else doesn't have such an early wake up.

@Motherofmonsters, sorry to hear about the terrible night. 5 am get up is truly horrendous and a struggle. We made it to 5.30 this morning. I hate the clock change.

It's torrential rain here. DS1 has gone to preschool. He was excited as he won the pumpkin carving competition so I have brought home his prize, a chocolate hamper. However he says he has a bit of an earache, so I'm in tenterhooks seeing if anything is going to develop, I really hope not. We've had 2 clear weeks now without a bug. Both are sneezing again though.

Have just read through a Cbeebies magazine with DS2 who has now gone on his nap.

Hope everyone has a good day.

Hope everyone's DC enjoyed Halloween, we live in a block of flats so nobody came to us. Now sat at work eating my way through some of the mini Kinder Bueno chocolates we bought...

We had 5.45am here, though technically it was 5am and DH just kept putting him back down in his cot to see if he'd sleep more he went to sleep at 7pm last night and was zombie-like so we'll see how tonight goes.

@Chocolatetrifle crossing fingers for you that DS stays healthy!

I'm doing my last work trip this week and dreading it - 8am flight tomorrow and a load of meetings and dinners until a late flight Thursday night = early mornings and late nights. Already struggling to find energy to do normal stuff so don't know how I'm going to cope. 23 days and counting until maternity leave!

Oh @squishymamma sounds like you're having a tough time at work, you defo did the right thing eating the kinder Buenos! :)

DS has been in nursery today so I've had a good clear out, three bags to the charity shop. Although I've just found a pile of DS clothes I forgot to take 🤦🏻‍♀️ I took a load of stuff in last week as well. It's mainly been stuff I'd kept to list on eBay but to be honest I can't be bothered with the hassle of writing out descriptions, taking the pics, waiting for it to sell then walking to the post office in the miserable weather then being worried in case the buyer finds something to complain about! I've had a lot on gumtree but only seem to attract time wasters that say they'll come or are on their way then don't arrive! I haven't got Facebook so can't do market place.
The woman in the local charity shop is lovely, she's always so greatful which is another reason why I thought I'd donate it all rather than sell.
Is anyone else planning a pre Christmas clear out?

Oooh that sounds fun @PinkDaydreams I love decluttering, I never seem to get the time though.

You definitely deserve the chocolate @squishymamma work trips are exhausting even when not pregnant.

We have made it back to England. Journey back was more stressful than the journey there, DS1 was naughty and DS2 was whingy and I am very happy to be back on my sofa in pjs!

Oh yes I have tons of clothes to list or jazz up on vinted. I really need to get a handle on decluttering in general as our house is such a tip. I've been listening to the podcasts by a slob comes clean which are good and inspiring!

I'm struggling with what toys to keep and which to donate. I rotate his toys but there's some wooden ones he just isn't interested in and hasn't played with for months.....until I put them in the charity bag and he becomes interested in them again 🙄

@BertieBotts

Oh yes I have tons of clothes to list or jazz up on vinted. I really need to get a handle on decluttering in general as our house is such a tip. I've been listening to the podcasts by a slob comes clean which are good and inspiring!

I've not used vinted, do you have much success with it? That pod cast sounds worth a listen!

I really like it but I am in Germany so it might not be the same in the UK. I have found it works really well to sell outgrown kids' clothing and I pick stuff up on there too. It just took me a while to get the hang of the etiquette as most people seem to prefer trading outside of the system ie you list stuff on there and then the person pays on paypal and you post to them so they avoid the fees (which are paid by the buyer).