To think that one hour entry slots are not parent friendly?

[TotorosFurryBehind]

Feeling sad after reading our favourite place to visit as a family has just gone back to timed entry slots of one hour, due to escalating Covid risk.

I understand the rationale, but with a toddler with variable naps this turns a relaxing family walk into a logistical operation that will stress us both out.

We've hardly used our National Trust membership in the past months due to timed entry and now our other place to visit has gone the same way ☹️

Stop your bitching and whining. At least your not dead.

If a kid is tired, he or she will sleep anywhere.

Now that make laugh!! You clearly haven’t met any ‘sensitive’ baby then. Dc2 never slept in a pushchair, regardless of the time of the day (and that includes night time if/when we had the audacity to try and go out at 8.00 or 9.00pm). He also never quite slept in the car either. He might have closed his eyes but the slightest change in speed, braking, let alone stopping! would have resulted in screaming.
I’ve met quite a few of those. If ds2 had suddenly fallen asleep in the pushchair, I would have thought he was unwell and I would have been worried tbh

@Imloosingmyshit

Stop your bitching and whining. At least your not dead.

Does it work for ALL whining @Imloosingmyshit? Does it mean YOU are NEVER moaning at all? (Because once you’re dead, you won’t be able to moan anyway...)

I didn’t think so...

@TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross

We ate in a pandemic.

And the prize for stating the bleeding obvious goes to...

Made marginally more amusing by the typo, I'll grant, but good God, when will posters on MN stop smugly spouting that phrase as if they were the first person to notice. It's been going on since February! We know! And guess what? - still allowed to have a concern about something other than Covid!

^ This!

OP I don’t understand why you’re getting such a hard time on here, please don’t let the comments get you down.
I completely get where you’re coming from.
I’m sure you’re doing a great job looking after your DD and there’s nothing wrong with her diet/ nappies/ your organisation skills etc etc etc.

A 16 month old has spent a lot of their life and all their toddlerhood in this "new normal" of the pandemic, which means they're probably far more used to being at home than many older children. It has been really shit for me having a 2 and 3 year old in the current climate; having a younger child who has had no experience of what life is normally like must be really shitty. Maybe people should just skip over the thread rather than all pile on. The tones of some of these posts are a bit much.

The NT arrival slots are half an hour around here. So do what we do, plan to get there a bit ahead of the start time.

Okay OP I’m going to ignore how rude you’re being to everyone and give you a step-by-step guide on how I go out with two children, one of which is a toddler and the other has suspected but as yet undiagnosed special needs which affect his ability to carry out tasks and make getting ready very difficult.

• to figure out which time slot to book take into account what time you all get up, what you need to do to get ready, and how long it takes to get there. For example if you’re up at 7am, take an hour to get ready (8am), and half an hour to get there (8.30am) then book a slot that starts around 9am to give yourself enough time.

• pack everything you need, spare clothes, water bottles, nappies etc, the evening before. If you’re bringing a picnic prepare it the night before and keep in the fridge, all other bags put near the door so nothing is forgotten

• choose what you’re all going to wear and get it ready the night before so you’re not faffing around trying to find a missing sock or whatever in the morning

• write a list the evening before of everything that will need to be done before you go in the order that it needs doing so that nothing is forgotten, this might seem excessive but it really helps!

• if possible aim to just get up, get ready, and go without having to do anything else so that there’s no time for distractions

• aim to arrive 10-15 minutes before the hour slot starts, that way if you have an emergency nappy change just before you go you’ve still got plenty of time. Check traffic before you leave if you’re driving.

If you’ve got your morning timed so that you’re leaving to get there slightly before your time slot even starts then you’ve got over an hour before the latest that you can leave the house and still get there on time. If your nappy changes are taking over an hour then I’m afraid I can’t help!

We went to a National Trust site a few weeks ago. Went with a 19 month old toddler and 4 month old baby. It was also a timed slot.

It really wasn't tricky. We worked out how long it would take to drive there, then left early so we had time in the back for unexpected stops. We actually arrived early and they let us in, but we could have easily sat in the car.

Change nappies just before you leave. Arrive early. Bring changes of clothes and snacks. Feed children again as soon as you arrive. Go and have fun. Also timing your arrival for the journey to overlap with a nap is also a good idea, although ours just napped in the sling (4 month old) and then both slept in the car afterwards on the way home.

I know some kids are handfuls but I wouldn't be pandering to a tantrum etc.

How do you possibly make any plans ever if you cant get somewhere during a 1hr slot? Yes, it's not quite as convenient as turning up when you want but surely most things you plan to do with other people involve a timeframe?

It may be annoying but it's just one of those things we have to suck up basically. Personally I love timed slots, less crowds and it all just seems more organised.

I actually prefer it.I have 4 kids all under 11, one of them a toddler! and im pregnant. I managed to go to The zoo with a half hour time slot, was fine! And believe me my kids are a nightmare sometimes! But there was no que which was great in my opinion. Sorry but I agree with most others, you need to be more organised.

@AwaAnBileYerHeid

It may be annoying but it's just one of those things we have to suck up basically. Personally I love timed slots, less crowds and it all just seems more organised.

Exactly. In the grand scheme of things right now a one hour time slot in which to arrive somewhere is barely a blip on my radar.

It sounds like you make things a lot harder than they need to be. An hour slot means you can turn up at any time in that hour. It isn't difficult. We have four kids between 5 months and 7, plus a moderately stupid dog and haven't had any trouble making our slots our local English Heritage site. In fact we've used it way more now there are allocated time slots.
A shitty nappy doesn't need drama. Seriously.

I find it a real faff. We have NT membership but you dont always want to plan ahead. It depends on the weather, how you are feeling etc. So I agree with you. It takes away the spontaneity of a leisure activity...especially if you have a young child.

Although I do a have a gripe that NT has to be booked by 3pm the previous day. They cut it off even if slots are still available. I’m still working then or on the way to school so would plan the next day in the evening - yes I could do it two days earlier but I hold out for the weather - the forecast hasn’t been reliable recently - apparently it’s because of fewer planes flying and reporting the weather (I learnt that on here). If I book early and the weather’s crap then I won’t come so a slot is wasted as no one can rebook after 3pm a day before. I’ll live though

I understand that it has taken away spontaneity, and it does get frustrating thinking you can’t just turn up anymore. But this is the way life is going to be now for a long time, so I think we have to try and embrace it to get the most out of life. Aim to get there for the beginning of the hour slot and then if your toddler is asleep, let them nap in the car for a while, or if they do a massive poo then you have plenty of time to sort them out!
I actually love that you have to book now. I used to plan to go somewhere and then on the day would find excuses not to go and end up being miserable indoors instead. Now because you pay before you go, it is an incentive to get out of the door.

It sounds like life has been mean to you lately op, take a breath and try and think that the positives are that these places are still open and need our support to stay that way. It’s not easy at the moment x

I’m sure if was something like a hospital appointment you would get there on time OP. Book a reasonable slot and plan in advance ie making lunch/snacks etc the night before.

You would think that people could manage to get to an important appointment on time, but then you get the pil, who were late to our wedding

Questionmarknow

Probably not. But there is more than one place to visit. Either she goes at prebooked time or not. At least she can still go outside. What else could she do??? Most people on mn have or have had young babies and know it’s not easy. But she not listening. We have to rethink our lives right now. We all have sacrifices to make. And we all open ourselves to being questioned on sm. you and I as well.

If, for example, you had to be somewhere like a hospital (not the best example but let’s use it anyway), between 10-11am, you’d get there (I assume).
Booking your Peppa Pig World (etc) entry slot/arrival time needs the same organisation.
It’s not that hard really.

We found the same when trying to visit the zoo during the summer. It's hard to plan a day out because you don't really know what the weather will be like until the last minute, but it's booked out at least 3 days in advance. Just something we'll have to get used to I guess.

I've found that I like the one-hour slots for places that I'm not taking the kids (gym etc.) I'm more likely to be more organised (and actually go) when I have to make that one slot.

If I rock up for a family vaccination appointment with grumpy kids and fraught me and the vaccines get done, the purpose of the exercise is fulfilled.

If I go for a "fun" day out and it's a fraught mess with grumpy screaming overtired DC it's more of a disappointment and feels worse than something you expect to be stressful and annoying!

I'd suggest writing to the CEO and explaining how their adjustments in trying to stay open and accommodate people whilst keeping everybody safe from covid aren't suitable for you and your 16 month old who, apparently, can completely unpredictability nap anytime over an 8 hour period and seemingly know when you have a one hour slot booked and can on demand create a poonami that requires bathing and a change of clothes. Every time! Explain that their new covid-safe measures aren't friendly towards your and your toddler's routine (or lack of) and they are impinging on your preference for spontaneity. I'm sure they will scrap their new structures and rules, which must have been a complete ball ache to finalise and put into practice, because you can't get yourself and one child ready to leave the house in time to visit one of their attractions.

Op you sound in a dark place where every obstacle looms large. I understand, I've been there. I hope you have a supportive partner to help you. Re explosions, get better fitting nappies that contain it more, can you get plastic pants to fit over the top nowadays? Your toddler doesn't need a bath just a shower down on the lower part of his body, get a cheap attachment if you don't have a shower. The whole caboodle should only take 5 mins, the thought of it all though is probably overwhelming! You don't say whether he will only nap in a cot, hopefully not but is it worth just taking the bull by the horns and just booking a slot and see how it turns out? You might be pleasantly surprised. X

with a toddler with variable naps this turns a relaxing family walk into a logistical operation that will stress us both out
My god. Get a grip.