Am I failing my son?

[tenthreginald]

I need some ideas of how to occupy him during the day!

He's 17 months old, I'm a SAHM. I'm running out of ideas and I feel like we do the same things every day which is boring me, so it must bore him! Surely?

No, not necessarily. Small kids also need repetition to learn - and don't forget there was never some golder age when mums where constantly stimulating their kids. The whole idea of being super child centred is a new one and people developed just fine with being left to play with a toy while mum was busy with housework.

Do you/can you do any things for yourself? Maybe that's what needs more attention for you to be the best mum to DS?

Do you go to any classes or toddler groups?

What activities do you do just now?

I assure you he wont be bored with doing the same things but as an adult it is very boring. Donyou go to any classes, baby yoga, toddler football (some take them from just walking) etc. Even if he doesnt get much out of it you will get to chat to some new faces.

I doubt you’re boring him, but if you’re boring yourself maybe do something to address that!

Things we did at that age for the child - playdough, music (maracas/drum), nursery rhymes, library for story time, park, playing with different textures.
I found 0-3 years utterly mind numbing and went back to work when they were tiny as couldn’t take the repetition. Good luck.

I do Tabby Tunes once a week, will start Little Kickers when he's 18 months.

Will start Music Bus when Tabby Tunes moves to Thursdays for us.

Will look up Yoga, thanks

You could enroll him in a nursery one day a week, he will get heaps of activities and you can get a break. It'll make it seem less monotonous for you.

He goes to nursery on Thursdays

*tuesdays

Mmmm yeh not sure what to suggest then. Looking after small children can be relentless. I wouldn't want to be a SAHM, it wouldn't suit me.

Can you go somewhere you want to? At this age we mostly did arguing about shoes and going to the park. Really don’t think toddlers get bored as long as you follow their interests and chat with them.

Follow playhooray on Facebook or Instagram - really good ideas of little things to do at home using mainly stuff you would have in.
And you aren't boring him by doing the same things - mine never bored of watching cbeebies!!

I'm sure your DS is perfectly happy as he is. It's a tricky age fitting in activities, food and naps. I try to do one short playground or park trip most days, with a longer visit every now and then; I'm particular trying to interact with bigger kids seems fun for him at the moment.

I have one of a similar age who spends a lot of time spinning wheels or blades. Do you have a garden for a water table as they take a lot of time? Duplo and drawing are at least slightly more interesting for the adult who's making their own thing next to the toddler. Puzzles are confusing rather than do-able at this age so they take up a lot of time, we've spent many hours recently looking at the 6 jigsaw pieces of one and trying to slot animals in another, so you could get him a puzzle or two if he doesn't have any. On the rare occasion I feel inspired I'll set him a challenge; obstacle course / get the thing out of the pot / empty or refill some drawers etc.

Some aspects will always be mind-numbing at this age. Mine likes the same few books to be read over and over and over again; I bought him a raft of lovely new books and he'll listen patiently to a new story then he fetches the same old books again wanting them read as well. Bloody tiger drinking all the water from the tap. Stupid Gerald the dancing giraffe.

Also you don’t need to completely fill a day with ‘activities’, simple things such as letting him wonder around the garden touching flowers, smelling flowers, finding insects and wiggly worms. If it’s raining, stand in front of the window and chase the wiggly worms down the window (the water running down) ds used to laugh like anything trying to catch his little fingers up to the wiggly worm. It doesn’t all have to be classes and organised ‘activities’. I miss this age so much/ when everything is so exciting for them.

Read the book Simplicity Parenting

Find a coffee shop frequented by elderly people some of them may well like to fuss over him whilst you have a drink of coffee.

Pop to the library. Have a cooking day. Choose a new park each week. Go to the swimming pool. Do you have children's centres near your with stay and play. Kids this age like repetition and knowing what they are doing each day. Schedule one thing for 4 days a week and leave one day for spontaneous fun/meeting a friend/house work.....

I think lots of SAHMs get pregnant again around this time to break the monotony

Music group/toddler group/Park/meeting other friends is pretty much how we spent our days (still do just with nursery in the mix now too!)

We made sure we got outside everyday for a walk/pram ride. Even if only to stop me from getting cabin fever.
Make an event of going to visit cows/horses/sheep/dicks/roadworks!!
Mums and tots helped me make friends that I am still close to 20 years later. All for £1 a week.
Invite people round for playdates.
Get a dog? Or rabbits? Endless entertainment there!

Jaysus, ducks, not ducks
Dont go to visit the dicks

Gah, ducks, dicks, dicks, ducks
Sorry.
I've been at the wine.

Serin

Parks, food shop, walk to lake, ride in bus/train or boat (different to what you usually do), library and coffee shops