What to do with a ten month old in the relentless rain … ?

[Magicalwoodlands]

I’m thinking maybe soft play for a couple of hours, but other than this, not sure … any suggestions?

Ah OP that well known hobby of the superior parent…walking to nowhere in the piss down rain.

Shopping centre or garden centre are my suggestions as a more low brow parent who doesn’t consider a walk in the rain to be a worthwhile sensory experience.

I think my parenting is on your lines, @clatterclatter

But in all seriousness can people not see there is a difference between drizzle and even pitter patter rain and full on downpour?

And a difference between a non walking ten month old and a three year old who might enjoy wellies and jumping in puddles.

And that actually freezing your tits off isn’t good for anybody?

Christ. Only suggested you stay in. If you can't think of anywhere you fancy then why go out in the rain, spend money and be rammed in to some soft play centre just for the sake of it. Especially at 10 months old! You've admitted yourself he's too young for most "activities".

You've got years of this, do some baking or something.

We’re good thanks @NigelSlatersXmasTaters

I’m just asked for suggestions.

You didn’t have any.

Not a problem. Just not sure why you replied.

@Magicalwoodlands if I might say so, you are coming across as very combative on this thread. Maybe you need a nap.

Calm down.

I replied because too many new parents think they need to fill their days with insta moments and spend money they don't have just because. It's exhausting.

My niece has spent her life being dragged to every event, day out, attraction you can think of regardless of whether anyone wants to go or not. Simply pointing out that you don't need to do this and it's ok to do nothing doesn't warrant such snippiness and sarcasm.

My nieces mum recently admitted that she'd felt overwhelmed by the fact that her friends all seemed to be doing "something" and that she now regretted overdoing it.

The fact you've started a thread asking for ideas because you have none says it all really. You don't need to be so rude either.

I’m combative all right when people don’t bother to read a thread and then criticise my parenting.

With that being said I am perfectly calm @NigelSlatersXmasTaters

Maybe you need to get out of the house

You're either "combative all right" or "perfectly calm". Not both

Anyway, the sun is shining here and we're off out so I'm going. Have a lovely day

All of the garden centres where we live have their Christmas displays up already, some of them are quite spectacular. He might enjoy seeing them?

Oh you can defend yourself calmly @NigelSlatersXmasTaters

Have a good day at home.

@Magicalwoodlands

This is starting to drive me a bit potty.

I don’t care particularly about a bit of drizzle.

However. The aim is to do something nice with my baby.

Getting cold myself and stuffing him into a pram with a rainproof cover that he can’t see well out of and tramping in the cold and wet and mud and getting my pram filthy and having to clean the hall or the car. Or - soft play, museums, aquariums, other indoor activity things he might enjoy - more the suggestions I was after.

I’m sorry it I sound grumpy but it does get really irritating having to fend off the same suggestion ten or more times and then have it implied you’re a terrible mother because you’re child has an aversion to the rain - he doesn’t as far as I know, but given he can’t walk yet asking him to sit in his pram getting drenched or have a rain cover on so he can’t see properly anyway is daft.

Plus it is only on here everyone blithely skips out in the rain.

Here you are liable to be asked if you are all right in a concerned tone of voice.

Thank you to the suggestions that don’t involve rain covers on prams!

I was always the same and tried to be practical about rainy days so totally get why you were getting annoyed.

babies sitting in a pram with the raincover getting steamed up is more useless than just staying at home.

I can't think of other ideas than what were already suggested, just wanted to say you are not alone in not wanting to have the hassle of mud everywhere and more frustration than fun.

Thanks @ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba I appreciate you saying that as it does get a bit exhausting when all you want are ideas as sometimes someone says ‘oh we’re doing this!’ And you think what a good idea!

But staying in all day, a steamed up walk under a raincover and puddle jumping with a non walking baby are not some of them!

@Magicalwoodlands is there an aquarium near you OP? That could be nice.

Sorry for the trampoline park suggestion - ours has a toddler section which is basically soft play. I think it might be a change of scenery.

*I thought

Please don’t apologise, I’m not normally so grumpy! I just didn’t want a thread full of what a terrible mum I am for not taking a non walking child on a puddle walk!

@Magicalwoodlands this weather makes everyone grumpy! There is only so much rainy walking you can do with a toddler, but with a non walking baby it is zero fun!

OP, I mean this with genuine sincerity, but are you ok? Absolutely nobody called you a terrible mum, so I wonder what’s behind your quite tense and defensive approach here, and why you would say that about yourself? People really have just provided suggestions of what you could do, all of which read to me to have come from a good place. But you have been the first to attack, and seem to think you’re being accused of something you’re clearly not - you sound like a lovely mum who wants to do some fun and interesting activities with your DC. You’re not a terrible mum, and nobody thinks you are.

But thank you for posting this, and thanks to everyone who has replied - I’ve got an 8 month old and I’m dreading the winter months ahead, so have made a note of lots of these suggestions!

And OP, I hope you are having a lovely day, whatever you decided to do

I wonder what’s behind your quite tense and defensive approach here, and why you would say that about yourself?

@Magicalwoodlands bet you didn't anticipate 'why not psychoanalyse yourself' as one of the suggested activities...

I really think 0-2 is the perfect age for staying at home and being cosy in the winter! Pottering around at home, bit of water play in the bath. I still carried mine around in a sling on my back at this age and got on with whatever needed doing at home.

But if you want to get out of the house, I also used to take mine along, again in the sling with a back carry, to places I was interested in e.g. museums, galleries, shops, etc to pass the time. It's actually easier to do that at this age than when they're 4 years old and complain about anything that isn't a playpark or indoor play area.

Of course I’m OK

I just didn’t fancy ten pages of being told to take a non walking child for a walk in the rain!

@Silvercatowner anything is possible!

If it was me I'd crack on with my toddler as we are out most days whatever the weather, often just In the greenhouse though! Although my toddler is 3 so very different to 10 months.

Does your baby like books could you settle down for an afternoon on the couch under a blanket with a hot chocolate (for you) and look at some books together I found those touchy feely ones good at that age like the "thats not my......." Series

Or playDough or painting etc, do you have a tuff tray we find this great for containing the mess

For getting out the house what about a garden centre ours has a little soft play with a seperate baby bit and lots of garden centres have fish so nice for a little wander. Plus you can get a nice coffee 😂 and maybe a nice something for tea from the food hall if there is one

Swimming? Bit more of a faff though

Soft play but bigger ones could be busy with it being half term

Hope you have a lovely day anyway

Not sure why so many people have jumped on you @Magicalwoodlands, a freezing walk in the pouring rain certainly isn't my idea of fun and my 12 month old takes great offense at the raincover and screams until it comes off . He also hates spending the whole day indoors so getting out and about is important for both our wellbeing! We do lots of soft play and playgroups, the little church hall ones are brill because they're only £1 or so. There's a few little cafes with play areas near us which is brill as he won't tolerate a high chair . Or little playdates at someone else's house just for a change of scenery. Failing that, a push around Asda in the trolley for a browse. Following for ideas!!

I would just have a cosy indoor day 🤷‍♀️ Or take a walk around the shops.

It’s already been suggested, but I love going to the library. It’s free, nice and warm (at least my local one is ), you can pick out a few books and when your baby is walking it’s a safe environment for them to explore.

If you enjoy getting soaked and your child likes rain covers on prams crack on. We don’t.
I’d clicked to suggest a raincoat over the sling and a big walk but can see that would be as welcome as a shit sandwich.

At home soft play is much more fun than actual soft play (not that I’ve ever been, hoping to avoid it FOREVER): drag all the cushions off the sofa, pillows off the bed, and crawl around. Library, swimming, museum, cafe. Hand prints then a bubble bath. Have you got baby cinema near you?

Tbh on rainy days I just used to go to cafes a lot and eat cake or chips and feed DD a chip and let her people watch and pretend to myself I was doing important BLW and socialisation combined. And also big stompy sling walks that shall not be mentioned