To put cartoons on pretty much all day for preschoolers?

[goteam]

I don't. For a start they lose interest quickly but entertaining my 2 and 5 year old from 7 am until 5 pm is impossible. There is nothing they both like to do and on days like today when I've had 4 hours sleep thanks to 2 year old I really feel like putting CBeebies on all day...they fight like cat and dog too, ruining each others games etc....

Any tips?

Out and about at least once a day. Take a drink and a snack and a flask for you.

You need a schedule with activities/snack time/ mealtimes all timetabled in. It was the only way I survived, I treated it like going to work.

I love spending time one to one with them but genuinely hate having them both. I love them dearly but wishing the next6 months away until school / pre school.

Thanks Donkey, the problem is that on so little sleep I feel faint and not safe out and about. 2 year oldie a bolter.

YANBU

Yanbu
One day of telly won't kill them!
Just write it off and try to do something more structured another day

Ps aren't you entitled to free nursery hours?

The thing is Missy, I do that but it causes drama. Painting doesn't work as 4 year old goes apoplectic if colours mixed. Baking causes similar tension. I haven't found anythung suitable for both. 2 year old v destructive and breaks anything I make with 4 year old causing hug upset and tears.

Oly, they have nursery 3 days and I'm in a stressful job with a full time workload squeezed into 3 days. I just wish I was a Sahm so I could put them in 5 X 3 hours a day nursery...

Sympathies from me. Lack of sleep and energetic little ones is tough.

I always make sure we get out once a day, the park or a walk, any play groups you can get them to? Not everyone's cup of tea, but does give them the opportunity for a change of scenery and you might get a sit down with a coffee to recoup some energy before the afternoon.

My DC can fritter away a good hour washing things. They love washing up, let them stand on a chair at the sink whilst I'm pottering in the kitchen. Or a washing up bowl on the floor. If it's warm enough get them in the garden.

Also - I've found that if the TV is off, and I can get through the first half hour of bickering, mine will actually play lovely - either off on their own, or together. Just try not to intervene for a while and let them get on with it.

Hope you get some sleep tonight!

Get them their own paint sets.
I agree with getting them out once a day. Do you have a garden?

One day of cartoons for most of the day is fine but it's worth getting them out for a bit so they'll be calmer for the rest of the day.

Also - one day of TV definitely won't do any harm! Get the duvets down on the sofas and have a movie day!

Thanks for the YANBUs!

Mine are two and 3.5 we häve a strict share or compromise or i take it away rule. Its hard as the little one is stubborn and of course only two but i cant be doing with the constant arguing. Hitting to get something or snatching means the other kid gets it of course.

Things like baking we all have our own bowl, spoon, wisk etc and delving into someone elses mens you arent part of the baking anymore. Obvs they just eat their ingredients they go along.

They are allwowed to wrestle and, rough play but have to stop when the other one wants to stop.

But yh we put the tv on for some peace and quite sometimes as well.

YANBU for one day. YABU if you're planning to do it every day for the next 6 months.

I try to get out the house every day for my own sanity - even if just a walk to the corner shop.

Another idea is to have loads of things for craft/junk modelling. You can get a big bucket of crafty things (pompoms, pipe cleaners, googly eyes...) from Hobbycraft for £5, and then save old newspaper, cereal boxes, cards and whatever else. This is the only thing which keeps 5 year old DD occupied for any length of time.

If the 2yr old is a bolter then keep them in the pushchair unless it's safe for them to run about.

Do you have a leisure centre (or IKEA) nearby with a crèche and a cafe? Put kids in crèche then sit in cafe with a book for 45mins/1hr is a good one for when you're completely knackered.

But a day of CBeebies won't hurt either!

Garden is hard to access from flat and to be honest a bit of a grim muddy dark yard!

Suggestions all good, thanks. 2 year old just at difficult phase. When at home there's nothing more he wants to do than annoy 4 year old. Crafts, baking etc. He wants to hit or snatch off 4 year old more and we are working on it but it's exhausting. 10 hours of it. When we're out all be wants to do is bolt. Park etc, library. He will run for gate or door constantly.

For one day it would do no harm. But if they lose interest quickly then it might not help you out much.
Do you have a garden and somewhere you can perch to keep an eye on them. Mine would entertain themselves for hours outside at that age. If you have a water tray or any kid of container and some cups I'm sure that would keep them busy. Most kids love water play. You could add some bath stuff to the water as well to make it bubbly.

Sorry x posted about the garden. Play dough at the table with lots of things to chop and roll with is another good one.

On so little sleep and with the previous 3 days taken up by a stressful job, it's just exhausting.

They will sleep better if out and about. Libraries often run free activities. Any friends with similar ages children you can meet up with?

Can't you take them to a playgroup in the morning and then come home and just stick the telly on ?

Now and again a day of shit on the TV is fine. At that age (mine are 18months and 3.4yrs) they seem to fight like cat and dog some days and others play together like angels, IDK why! Getting out for a bit definitely helps - they burn off some pent up energy but it can be difficult to keep an eye on 2 - neither of mine are bolters, but it seems like your youngest is, do you have reins or anything? Soft play?

Am going to attempt the library this afternoon. Thanks for tips. Play dough usually works out ok, thanks real poo!