To wonder what the hell I am supposed to do all day now I am a stay at home mum?

[gettingolderandoutofstyle]

I have been a stay at home Mum since DS was born (now age 2). For the first year I just met up with other mums each day who were also on maternity leave (but this actually cost me a lot of money going to cafes, soft play etc.) Now they are all back at work I have decided I would like to stay at home until DS (and I am 12 weeks pregnant with DC2) start school. But I am at a loss of what to do each day? At the moment DS wakes me up at 6am, we have breakfast, get dressed, then watch cbeebies for about an hour and a half before driving DH to work. We are back home by 9.30, I then put a wash load on, do the ironing and clean one room (I have allocated a room in our apartment to clean each day). DS just potters and plays with his toys and 'helps' me do bits of the cleaning. Then it is 11am we have a snack and I try and bake cakes or do colouring or playdoh or something until lunchtime but find it hard to stretch the activity out to last until lunch. We eat lunch, quick clean up and then I start thinking it is only 1pm, what the hell am I going to do until I pick my DH up at 5.30pm? If we go to the park I am usually bored after an hour and by the time we are home there are still at least another 2 hours to kill. What do other stay at home mums do? My own mum said I used to go to nursery every morning but she still struggled to fill the afternoons with me so she has no suggestions.

I am so glad I posted on here all the ideas have given me a new enthusiasm as a stay at home mum :) I am looking forward to putting them into practice next week :)

Meh. I think a part time job would make you relish the time you have together more. And make you less bored.

I was at home for 5 years but sheesh reading this stuff back would make me want to slit my wrists now.

You need to make some stay at home mummy friends. Make it social. Invite people to your home or to met up.

Every day has an activity for us for us and also some home based time. Some days we do things that cost (cheap toddler group, swimming etc) but actually most of the time we have group picnics, paddle in the local streams, coffees with at friends houses, meet friends in the park, free library story sing along sessions. We live out in the sticks and so pop to friends farms or even just a garden center sometimes. If we lived in the city we would visit art galleries and museums. Then there's all the theme based cooking/creativity you can do around the theme of Xmas/Easter/autumn etc.

I haven't got time to read the whole thing (I should be doing a TMA) anyway, do bear in mind if you give up your OU course now; if you want to pick it up again later you will no longer qualify for the transitional fees.(assuming you do at present)

I used to do toddler groups and toddler classes and meet with friends with children that i had met at toddler groups. You won't like everyone you meet at a toddler group, but with any luck you will find someone you hit it off with if you try a few different ones.

You might find a list of local toddler groups and classes at your local library. We have a local publication with them in. Churches and schools often have them.

Just because it's my opinion and you don't agree with it,modes not make it rude.

Watch Sewing Bee and start making your own (children's) clothes?
Ebaying stuff you no longer need?
Spring clean
Long walks

Oh God! She wants fun not a time travel to 1961

You must talk non stop about how busy you are.

it is fun, at least I think so and my dc think so ...

Sorry didn't see the bit about £5 per week. Toddler groups are about £1 per session which includes refreshments for you and child and crafts for kids though, so well worth it.

Every toddler class and group going, library story times also good.

Just ignore the bitchy comments LoveSewing

Have you checked out your local children's centre for free activities?

And bubbles. I used to blow a lot of bubbles when ds was 2.

Make nice cards for elderly relies with ds and have jolly walk to post box to post them?

I love being at home but do need adult interaction too, so as others have said, cultivate other sahm friends.

But being a SAHM is not for everybody. There are people who do prefer to go out to work. And maybe that would be a better option for the OP if she is always bored.

I am so jealous of parents who can get out and about; am SAHM to a toddler with SN in hot country and it is too hot and humid to walk outside 10.30am - 4.00 pm for nine months of year. It drives me mad. If I was in UK I could walk about for free and look at things and get on buses to places.

Trucks- it's too cold here! It hurts to breathe the air!!

Vivienne the OP wants to be a SAHM but is seeking advice on making her time with her DC more fun for him and for herself. She doesn't want to return to work yet. I work and find some aspects of my work quite boring but it doesn't mean I will jack it in!

I wasn't meaning that she shouldn't be one only that she should think is that the best option for her as somebody else suggested. DH is boring sometimes but I'm not looking for anyone else. And I hope vice versa.

Wine. You need to develop yourself a nasty little habit.

Then your DH comes home at 6 and says "how about a nice glass of wine" and you slur OOH HOW LOVELY and start on your 3rd bottle.

And that, is how its done.

Oh FGS MDA you'll give us SAHPs a bad name.

everyone knows its only the cooking sherry before midday.

Go to some toddler groups and make friends with some mums with DCs the same age.Netmums & Surestart was good for finding out about local things.I'm on mat leave again now but when I was working pt I always did something sociable on the days I was off.Some of my friends are SAHMs and I met them on my free days. I planned every day almost as I would if it was a job but with social stuff taking priority.I never got any ironing done,or much housework!Easiest way to entertain toddlers is whilst they play with someone else & you & their mum chat over coffee

I've read the whole thread and can't believe only one person has mentioned childrens centres. If you have one near bythey are fab. Run lots of free seasons and with my eldest we'd often do two a day.

Also I made lots of great friends through our local NCT branch, by going to coffee mornings again free. And further down the line volunteering.

Enjoy all the time while you can because once you have one in school, you don't seem to get as much time to do stuff as when they are at home full time.

toddler groups
walk round town to look at the pigeons/fountains/old buildings/new buildings/church/cathedral/castle/walls/river/mosque/statues/bridges
parks/different sorts of traffic/canal
find a building site and visit regularly to watch the builders diggers.
frree museums look for paintings with a boat, /sunny day/flowers or do some of the hands on stuff.

painting and bubble bath to follow. (take photos so that the red/blue fint marks can be proved to be paint!) (or is it only mine that painted herself)
building tents/picnics inside and out
playdough dd straws/plastic knives/cutters
teasets and squash water to pour/drink then washup in the sink with lots of bubbles and mop up.

helping with the washing/hoovering (one patch of carpet about 8 inches wide and a foot long) cleaning the windows with vinegar/dusting
looking for ladybirds in the garden and other minibeasts
kick up leaves in autumn, snow, frost, dewy cobwebs in winter, spring flowers, daisies and dandelions. make collages with the things you collect. (sugar paper packs from the works are cheap)
get some cheap msking tape to make models with the recycling.
draw with paintbushes and water on the fence/path. jumbo chalk.
cheap sand tray from sda at £15 and £2.25 for a bag of sand. (or get a large cat litter tray from pound shop etc
do scribbling on paper on different surfaces outside and look at the patterns.