Trapped toddler parents: support through winter and beyond

[squishymamma]

Following on from the previous thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4292353-Trapped-toddler-parents-Inspiration-and-support-needed-through-the-summer-hols

Not the most inventive name but apt I think...

Hope you are feeling better @Chocolatetrifle

Evening everyone, I think I've turned the corner now thank you. It ws 7 hours of it coming out both ends tmi, i sorry, then a disturbed nigh5 as the boys were still unsettled. Luckily boys are asleep early here so I'm.gking to go to bed in a minute!
Ds1 had his reception stay and play which went well I think but he looked worn out and overwhelmed after it. He has another one tomorrow.

How is everyone doing? Has everyone had a decent day? Are all the kids behaving?

Can anyone advise on reception birthday party etiquette? What's the done thing? Invite the whole class to soft play for example? Ds1s is October so I'm thinking do I have to think about it yet? Are parties expected?

I'm glad you're feeling better @Chocolatetrifle.

I think it varies with parties, DS's class don't seem to be doing full class parties. (Unless I've missed them) I've got DS's party in a couple weeks at a soft play. 6 from school and 6 from outside school. I think as long as it's not just a couple left out you can do whatever you fancy.

Oh no @Chocolatetrifle that sounds horrendous, glad you're feeling a bit better now. Hope you got a good sleep.

We have come home early from the cabin as the weather was rubbish, we were stuck inside, there were loads of people so both DC were really overstimulated, for some reason PIL wanted the inside temperature to be 26 degrees so it was roasting inside but 11 degrees outside and blowing a storm...anyway, we are home, washer is on, and we are watching Paw Patrol.

I'm a bit worried because we're supposed to be visiting the UK next week but we're supposed to be flying with SAS who now have a massive strike going...so we may not get there. Crossing fingers and toes we do!

I'm hoping DS1 gets a decent sleep tonight and is willing to go out and play tomorrow because he's not really done a lot up at the cabin and has been allowed almost unlimited use of the ipad...will report back 😂

Hope everyone has a good night

Evening everyone,

Glad you are back to your home comforts Squishy. Sometimes it's just nice to have 'peace' just as a family at home. Fingers crossed for your UK flights, that will be lovely for you coming back over. I'll meet you at the garden centre 😁. Have not been to one fur a couple of weeks thinking of it now!

Thanks Motherofmonsters for the tips. I think we might book a soft play then decide on numbers when he starts. With it being an early -ish birthday in the term i wasn't sure what was best. We know probably about 8 kids only out of who would come but its a big difference from that to a whole class. We will see!

Not much happening here, ds1 enjoyed his second school afternoon. I'm behind on work as I've just had no energy so best try to do some tomorrow.

Sleep well x

Hi hope everyone is okay.

Had a really long day today, DS1 had a playdate this morning with his best friend from nursery which was nice. Both of them totally ignored our requests/warnings not to do stuff though, they're even worse when together!

Then I took DS2 to the walk in centre because he's not been right the past few days, long story, anyway we were there 3 hours with no conclusion. I didn't eat so got a headache (which I still have, hoping sleep helps!) so we got McDonald's on the way home. DS1 has promptly gotten diarrhoea, which DS2 has been struggling with, so I'm really hoping it stays only on the one end and doesn't develop into a full blown tummy bug.

About to crash in bed now, hoping tonight is uneventful as the previous nights I've only gotten a few hours as been up with DS2. Pray for me 😂

Hope everyone gets a good sleep.

Oh no Squishy! How are you all doing today? How was the night? X

We're doing good @Chocolatetrifle, thankfully the night was uneventful. DS1 didn't wake at all, and DS2 woke up a few times but was easy to settle so I didn't wake up DH (which I have the past few nights...he is on holiday to be fair).

We've had a quiet morning of playing and some TV, I'm sat in DS1's room now while he goes down for his nap, then when he wakes up we'll go to a new playground DH has discovered.

Hope everyone has a good day! Are you feeling better now @Chocolatetrifle?

Afternoon!

How is everyone?

Glad you had a better day/night yesterday @ssquishymamma.

We got DS's school report yesterday and actually the teacher wrote some really lovely things about him. There were the usual things he struggles with but you can tell the teacher thought well of him.

FIL took DS to rugbytots this morning, DD did some 'crafting' with MIL. We're then off to there's for a BBQ this afternoon. DD is adamant she's having a sleepover... Even DS is trying to explain to her were coming home after

@Motherofmonsters that's great news about DS's school report! I bet you were really pleased. Great to hear his teacher has been behind him too. That's exactly what you want too.

How was the new playground @squishymamma ?

I'm finally feeling better thank you. Ds1 was up at 4.30 this morning he said he had a headache. I gave him some calpol and he went back to sleep until 6 but I didn't. He was ok when he got up so we made his swimming lesson. We then went to Halfords to check out a bigger bike for his birthday in October. This evening MIL popped in for a bit. I'm still a bit cross with her and DH for going for a carvery tea on Monday whilst I was home vomiting, catching DS2's sick and trying to get ds1 some tea but I won't go on about that, save to say I was FUMING!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow we are taking dS2 to rugby tots. Going to see if he likes it but at 2.5 he may be too young.

Sleep well everyone.

@Motherofmonsters that is good news about the school report.
@Chocolatetrifle Im glad you are feeling better and I hope Ruby toys goes well with DS2 tomorrow. @squishymamma how was the new playground?

DS came out in chicken pox late last night and now has quite a lot and are still Coming out bless him and is feeling rather sorry for himself today. He has spend most of the afternoon watching the Cars films and having cuddles.

Evening everyone.

@Motherofmonsters so glad to hear DS got a good school report. Did you all manage to convince DD she wasn't having a sleepover, or did she end up having a spontaneous sleepover?

@Chocolatetrifle that is terrible that they went off to eat leaving you there! As you all know I have a terrible phobia of vomit and try to be around as little as possible if someone's sick, but if DH was so ill I'd grit my teeth and sort the DC (and have done in the past). I vote you go take yourself off somewhere nice for the day/night and make your DH/MIL look after DC!

@BEE08 poor DS, is he in a lot of pain or is it not too bad? Can highly recommend an oat bath - though don't do what my relative did and put the oats in without having them in a bag/blending them to flour first, she totally blocked her drains up 😅

We had the night from hell last night. Basically DS2 most likely has a milk protein allergy, and we've finally gotten to this after being fobbed off for a month by various health professionals. So now I've cut out all milk products, but obviously it takes time before it all leaves the body (the doctor said we have to wait 4-6 weeks before evaluating and may not see effects before then). So poor DS2 is still in quite a lot of pain and last night he was up for about 2 hours just screaming and arching his back, nothing we did was helping. I feel a little traumatised and I'm dreading tonight in case the same happens. It's awful when you can't help your child. Fortunately DS1 slept through the entire thing!

So we had a very lazy day today, though we made it to the new playground which was lovely...the only issue is we sat at a picnic table to have a snack and DH noticed some needles under the table! Obviously a favourite haunt of the drug taking crowd...so I got out a tissue and carefully removed them so DS1 didn't get to them. I was shocked and then amused that I was shocked because that was pretty standard where I grew up!

Also bought DS1 a little digger and a little dump truck, he's totally obsessed with them. We have played in the kinetic sand with them all evening and he took them to bed 😂 they were less than a tenner too, money well spent!

Hope everyone has a good night, sorry for the insanely long post...

Hi everyone,

@BEE08 oh no, sorry to hear about the chicken pox. How is your DS today?

@squishymamma , how was last night? Sorry to hear too about the milk protein allergy. I don't have experience but wanted to send you support. How are things today?

My dS2 has had temperatures since last night so another illness 😥. I think it's his throat. Think I'll get him seen tomorrow.

It's a warm day here but not much happening. Boys wanted to go outside this morning at about 9 o'clock, DH took himself off swimming, then boys started fighting in the garden probably because dS2 is ill and dS1 loves tormenting him and I really lost it in the garden so no doubt all the neighbours heard, I'm so fed up!!!

@Chocolatetrifle hope your DS2 gets better soon, it's been a constant stream of illnesses all round lately hasn't it. Sure the neighbours understand, mine have definitely heard me screeching at mine and I haven't had SS round yet 😅

Another horrible night last night which ended up with me having a good cry on the balcony at 3am and about 4 hours of sleep total. I just can't get over the guilt I feel that it took so long to get a potential diagnosis, and it's still not 100% certain, and it takes a while for the milk proteins to disappear from breast milk so every time I feed him I feel like I'm just giving him poison. Absolutely awful feeling.

Both boys are having a long nap now, DS1 woke up this morning and immediately grabbed his digger and dumper and ran to the back door to play in the sand bless him. They haven't really left his hands since we bought them. Had quite a bit of TV time too but I feel that's okay as I'm knackered!

Sorry you were upset last night @squishymamma . It gets so very hard sometimes doesn't it? Hard as it is, you've come this far with the potential diagnosis, keep on going now. I hope tonight is better for you.. try to have a hot bath and some time for yourself tonight.

My dS2 does have tonsillitis. I got him seen by go out of hours this evening via 111( only took 7 hours from calling to get the appointment, but know was lucky to be seen etc etc ) , so got some antibiotics now.

It's been a lovely day weather wise but I've had such a strained day, looking forward to hopefully a better today tomorrow. My DH absolutely does not take the kids being ill very well at all and I end up getting all frustrated and annoyed by him and then he blames me for being moody 🙄. Oh well , 12 years of marriage, have to take the rough with the smooth!

Hope for a better day tomorrow. Sleep well now.

Evening everyone, hope you're all okay?

DS2 had an alright night last night, really hoping we're turning a corner. He's been so much in focus that I haven't spent as much time with DS1 as usual and so he's been getting grumpy and being a bit more tantrummy than usual. Going to attempt to be better at playing with him tomorrow, maybe get some Playdoh or the kinetic sand out.

@Chocolatetrifle ah I totally understand that, hope you had a better day today. I've been quite annoyed at DH lately for various reasons, we're definitely in a rough patch but yes rough with the smooth! Hope your DS2 is feeling better.

Hope everyone has a good night!

Glad your dS2 had a better night Squishy, it does make it a bit easier when you've had a decent sleep.

How is dS2 getting on with his solids? Will that help with the milk protein allergy? Will you replace with almond or soya milk?

No news here, ds1 came home from preschool with a temperature and he's got a sore throat. He looked ill as soon as I collected him but why no one noticed there 🙄. Sleep well.

I’m glad @squishymamma that DS2 had a better night sleep. It does make you feel much better I find when you get a good nights sleep.
I hope @Chocolatetrifle that DS feels better soon.

DS is feeling better now, though now has a bit of a cough but isn’t feeling as poorly as he was. He did get a lot of spots, that were everywhere, but is happily eating breakfast this morning.

Morning all,

Glad your DS is feeling better @BEE08 .hope the spots go down soon.

When do all of your DC finish for summer? Ds1 finishes on the 22nd. Ds1 has got antibiotics now for his tonsilitis, dS2 seems better now. Yesterday ds1 was dancing to the TV spun round and hit his head on the radiator then later in in the day decided to jump off a chair when I was on the loo and he collided with the wall and he has a bruised eyebrow. What a day.

Hello,

Is anyone's else's app going a bit weird. I've only now been able to write a post.

Hope everyone is on the mend now.

DS breaks up at 1pm on Friday. I think a few from his year are going to the park after so that will be nice.
He has his birthday party on Sunday, absolutely dreading it. Soft play in a heatwave, I'm hoping it'll be quiet though.

Hope everyone has had a good day.

DS is feeling much better now and all the spots are scabbed over so is a lot happier to be out and about now.

We both Finish on Thursday as I work term time only. DS is them going to grandparents on Friday and staying with them at their caravan whilst I meet up with friends. I will join them on Saturday afternoon.

Hello everyone!

Hope your day has been less eventful today @Chocolatetrifle. Glad DS is feeling better {mention:BEE08}!@BEE08! Hope the party on Sunday goes well @Motherofmonsters and it's not too hot.

So we are now in the UK! Came over yesterday. Had a rough day/night last night while DC adjust and think they'll be a tad restless again tonight but it's not been too bad. Today we went to our very first soft play ever, it was quite a small one which was probably for the best! DS1 loved it, and there was a little sensory bit for DS2 which he loved too. Otherwise been quite a bit of screen time as DH and I are both pretty knackered.

DS2 is doing loads better since I've cut out dairy, still green poo (sorry tmi) but not got the same pains that he struggled with before and is coping with solids a lot better. Definitely not PFB any more, he got chips today 😅 don't think DS1 got chips until he was like 1!

Hope everyone has a good night!

Welcome back to the UK @squishymamma !

Glad dS2 is settling with the allergy. Nothing wrong with some chips too! Love them personally 🤣.

Hope DS's birthday party goes well tomorrow @Motherofmonsters.

Glad your DS is feeling better @BEE08, hope you have a good break at the caravan.

Hope everyone keeps cool in the heatwave.

Hi everyone, how are you coping in the heat?
It was 42 degrees this afternoon in the car! Today we had ds1s preschool graduation ceremony, they did it really lovely, yes I was a bit emotional. This afternoon we went swimming, lovely and cooling.

Hope everyone is ok.

Hello,

Not doing so badly I don't think it's as hot as it was meant to be. Rain scheduled for tomorrow!

DS's birthday went okay, it was unbelievably hot in the soft play though! I'm glad it's done and out of the way. Kids parties seem like a lot of pressure. Someone didn't turn up as well which is annoying as I paid £14 for them to!

Kids have been at school/nursery today so I've been working. DS has played with his toys from his party when he got back. My sister bought him a massive nerf gun, why I'll never know as he's probably not the best person to be in charge of one.