to think dh is bu expecting me to be able to cut the lawns when i'm looking after a 3 year old allday?

[carriedababi]

hes got home tonight, and told me i really should be able to cut the lawns, i guess it would take about 45 mins, as i'm at home allday.
[sahm]

he was going to the gym tonight, which he seems to have time for.

so should i be doing the grass cutting while looking after a 3 year old?

you hoover the lawn??

YANBU. I have tried so many times to cut the lawn when DD (2.6) is about, but it's just an impossibility. She wants to 'help' and if she's not getting in the way, she is mucking about with the cable. No one can say 'of course you should be able to do that' when they haven't met your DC. My DH has never mown the lawn in 16 years together and would therefore qualify for a punch in the nuts if he said anything to me about it.

Do the same people who can't mow their lawns not have go to the toilet or shower or hoover or cook a meal or......generally run a household?

ladybiscuit I'm a single parent and my garden is currently a state . My 3yr old can't be relied upon to watch cbeebies for 20 mins when I'm outside.

I've never mowed the grass in my life. I wish I could say it was because of concerns for my DCs but it's really because I'm not that bothered.

Tis man's work round here

I run a household and do all things necessary, but cutting the lawn is NOISY and you can't keep an ear out for their mischief.

Could you not buy a cheapo non-electric lawnmower? - we have one of the push-along ones with a roller. Your 3 year old can be in charge of raking it up into a giant heap and then jumping into it.

wtf hoovers their lawns?

Jeez.

Place said child in a different area of lawn,patio,decking and just get on with it.

3 year olds are hardly crawling about behind you at ground level whilst you mow.

My 3 dc's "help", the eldest 2 (5 & 7) move all the crap garden toys and the youngest (3) runs riot with her little mower.

To be fair I try and do as much as possible during the day so we get family time later. DH works shifts and I run my own business as well as being a SAHM and having a small holding, so it's fair to say the days are quite busy!

scurry I think you'll find that going to the toilet takes slightly less time than mowing the lawn or hoovering (especially if you don't have many carpets!!).

Just asked DH if he thought this was unreasonable, and he is completely scandalised that a man would not want to cut his own lawn ... DH's exact words were, "what's wrong with him?" - but then DH just loves reducing our tiny lawn to a postage stamp of neatly-mown stripes and would be very hurt if I mowed in his absence.

Our household verdict is that it's totally unreasonable to expect you to mow the lawn with an electric mower because that would be dangerous with a 3 year old in tow, but if you have a manual mower then it might be possible.

Actually, I wish I was allowed to mow our (admittedly tiny) lawn because I think it would be fun

No I do!
There is gravel all round the edge of the garden and DS has been known to tip pots full onto the grass. Would take me ages to pick them up by hand, so just hoover them with my old henry. ( I don't hoover the whole garden like a carpet or anything!)

But I know it's weird...

YANBU.

DS would never tolerate it, he hates anything that noisy. I can't even hoover with him around so DP does it at the weekend while me and DS pop out for something.

sorry but bins and lawnmowing are manjobs :)

Yes, agreed sapphireblue but the lawn can be done in stages.

I manage it. Try getting a toy law mower and let him/her help, pretending to mow alongside you?

And my garden is very small- if that helps me look less odd?

I wouldn't want to do our lawn with push one, it would take forever.

I do however feed pigs, clean out chickens, cooks three meals a day, weed, harvest veg, hang out washing etc etc etc while looking after two toddlers.

I just won't mow lawns.

seriously though, my children can't be contained within my front garden.....DD2 could be strapped into her pushchair but there's nothing to stop DD1 running off to the road (we have an odd layout of 10 houses set back off the road and no gates or anything). The only option would be to leave 2.5yo DD in the house by herself which she would hate regardless of colouring books or cbeebies and would be really upset. Any solutions do let me know because I would love to be able to cut my lawn...

Greenbananas, you can mow my lawn. Or you DH can. Anyone, I don't mind. I'll borrow a rabbit for a week. ANYTHING. I hate mowing the lawn - when DD was smaller I did honestly believe I couldn't, but now I realise it was just avoidance. I'm still avoiding it, and she's 6. I suspect the worst thing that could happen though is DD being subjected to the undignified sight of mummy having a panic attack because she nearly mows a frog.

I've mowed plenty of frogs...ds is at the age (7) where he finds it 'wow,look at that frog,he's only got half a head'

Ah, could be different if it's the front garden. Although my 3 yr old would be delighted to have free run of the house for 45 minutes if stuck inside. Who knows what mischief she would get up to.