Inspiration for SAHP to an 18 month old - please!!!

[AtHome83]

My son is 18 months and so far I've looked after him all day everyday with no help or family support. My husband works and I used to do freelance but have put that on hold to look after son. I'm quite exhausted and feel like now is the time to get him to a nursery part time and we have a nursery place coming up in a month for a couple of afternoons a week (to start with).

Just looking for a bit of inspiration as I feel I've run out of energy to be honest. What do you do all day with your 18 month old and what does your day routine look like? Including if you look after them all week or have part-time nursery.

I take him swimming one morning a week, soft play another, and try to get to the park as much as poss. But I still find I have hours at home where I am getting stuck for ideas, other than reading books and playing with his duplo etc. it's hard to do much housework and I try really hard not to resort to tv, although he does watch In the Night Garden for around 30 mins it's while I prepare dinner. He is super energetic.

Any inspiration from other SAHP? 🙏🙏🙏

Can you go for walks. Perhaps take a basket and collect things eg leaves.
“Painting” with a paintbrush and water outside eg paint the gate
Put on music and dance around and sing.

Would he help with jobs. Just simple stuff like give him a duster. Get him to help you pair up the socks when you fold laundry.

Do you have a garden?? I’d get outside as much as possible.

I should add I live in a flat without a garden.

Don't bother with housework. Look at church hall style soft plays and groups at your nearest SureStart. It's better to be out the house as much as possible!

Sensory play? Lentils/brands in oven yay with cups/cars/spoons. Cooking. Painting. Indoor assault course. Playdough (if you make it you get twice the fun, he can help make it and then play with it). Stick on tape that makes roads and cars. Trains and tracks. Indoor tent/wigwam (ours was a tenner from Tiger years ago), can then eat fun picnic inside and even nap.

And many walks, visit the library, go look at trains/planes/boats (depending on where you live).

When desperate I'd run them a bath, always love a bath.

I'd need to be out the house for a good portion of each day - without something specific to do, the day just drags and drags. Do you have local friends you can meet up with for walks, park, soft play, lunch etc? When DS was a toddler I often met up with a bunch of other friends for breakfast - got us out of the house without that dragging morning, maybe a little walk around after and back home for nap time.

Are there other groups/activities you can put into your routine - music, dance etc?

Dh used to walk DS into town, napping in the pram, then sit in starbucks for a while. My version was to wonder around the shops with DS, then get a sandwich etc. ie it doesn't always have to be child centric. As long as you're realistic about what's achievable. eg DS would hang out in the pram for max an hour so I'd do minor chores like pick up a prescription or pop into M&S for socks and underwear, and just wander generally a bit. But not try on dresses for a formal do, for example.

We also bought the age-appropriate packs of these which were helpful for us as it gave us ideas for passing time at home!

I used to go to lots of church play groups/children centre. Soft play. Swimming. Meeting friends for walks/Park and lunch.

Now my children are both at school, I'm struggling to decide what to do with my days.
I have always worked but not during the week. I'm currently working night shifts.

My 2.5 year old goes to nursery 3 days a week but on the other days we split the day into morning/afternoon and always go out. I cannot stand to be stuck in the house with a toddler!

• library (story time/rhyme time or just looking at/choosing books)
• petting farm
• soft play
• visiting a friend
• various parks
• ride on a bus somewhere
• supermarket
• swimming
• cafe for a treat
• toddler group

18 months is a difficult age because they are highly mobile but very short concentration span and not yet rational at all.

We used to structure our days around being out in the morning, preferably something that involved something relatively child friendly and with adult company. Then home for lunch, nap, and afternoons at home were then easier after a busy morning. I agree with seeking out church toddler groups or stay and plays. Library rhyme time also good. And if you have or can make friends with similar aged toddlers meeting up also helps. The other thing I found helpful was the Montessori approach. I don't necessarily mean setting up shelves with carefully co-ordinated activities, but it was great for ideas about how to do "practical life activities" making them a bit more independent and incorporating them into things you're doing at home (cooking, housework, anything). Another thing I found helpful was to stop assuming that we needed to do anything at speed. Walks to the shops, cooking dinner etc might take a long time but DC were getting some exercise and fresh air or to see the shops or having a lovely time messing about with potato peel or whatever, and we had the time so it wasn't an issue. (I had one during lockdown so may also have been extra desperate to fill the hours as there were almost no groups open!)

The Five Minute Mum has some good ideas (on Facebook or she's published a book).

I hope your husband takes over as soon as he gets home? Either it's hard work looking after a toddler (in which case he needs to pitch in as soon as he arrives) or it's not (in which case he won't mind taking over immediately). Mine has a very stressful job with long hours (medic) but does all story and bath times and some of the bed times) and all of the night waking for the older one who still doesn't sleep through). He also takes over on the weekends so I do get a break (even though I mostly use the time to do chores alone, we aim for equal leisure time between us - do you have that? It's one thing if neither of you get any time to yourself but if only one person does then resentment will build quickly!).

Agree that Montessori approach is worth a look.
There are lots of good sites for ideas for indoor activities. These two sites have some good ideas.
theimaginationtree.com/
littlelearningclub.com/indoor-toddler-activities-for-12-18-months/
Playdough and pasta are must haves! 😉
A tuff tray is really worth buying - worth the investment. Lots of ideas on Pinterest etc…
www.daddilife.com/things-to-do/5-10/tuff-spot-trays/
This might interest - if you can’t get out!
www.annadaly.co.uk/project09

Library- some have toddler sessions with Rhyme time, take a look online to see what your local one has.
Plastic mat on the floor and do painting with yogurts/sauce etc all edible
My son loves helping me sweep and helping put clothes in the basket
If he's confidently walking, a trip to the shops and ask him to pick things up and put them in the trolley?