To want to spend time with toddler

[Zippyette]

This is a question really for mums with two or more kids. I have a 7 month old and 3 year old. I really miss spending time with my 3 year old on our own but find it almost impossible to make it happen.

I breastfeed my 7 month old although he will take a bottle. But I just seem to struggle finding time during a weekend for me to have some time to swim, my husband to go for a run, to take the kids swimming or do some other activity e.g. Park and do the weekly shop. To try and find some time for me and eldest too isn't easy. How do other mums do it? Or should I just accept that once baby gets older I'll get to spend more time again with oldest?

Do your weekly shop online - saves a couple of hours and is 100% worth not being able to select exactly which bag of apples you want, if you're not happy you just refuse it. I just add to my online basket from my phone as and when we run out of things and then when we run out of food i arrange delivery.

You could spend the weekly shop time with your older child instead?

Just do the kids activity with the toddler on her own, or spend time with her doing something else.
Tbh, I find when people really want to do something, they usually find a way to do it.

I work FT. DCs are 5&3. They have a swimming lesson each on different days so that buys us time alone. Sometimes in the holidays I'll arrange childcare for 1:1 time so we can have a day out for two. Ds1 was 3 and DS2 1 and in a childcare setting for work when I started doing that.

Sometimes we'll divide and conquer with one child, one parent doing different things which is probably more practical at present for you.

I put (younger) dc2 to bed first and then I have one to one with dc1. We usually have one to one in the morning too while dc2 is having a nap.
I have one to one with dc2 when dc1 is at nursery

Surely at 7 months your DC naps and you have it then?

I would do the activities - park/swimming - just with your toddler. One on one time is very precious, and even though technically it's the same ratio if you go out as a foursome, it just doesn't work like that.

Thanks for replies. My husband does the food shopping but with older child so leaves me with baby again.

Baby naps for 30 mins at time which doesn't give us much time but I do make the most of it if/when he goes for longer.

I also find it hard cos husband naturally will choose to do things with eldest as he can meet all her needs whereas at some point the baby will need me unless I leave a bottle which means expressing which means eating time into an already busy life!! I do use formula now and again to help make things easier.