6 months of shite weather

[SomeoneStolemySocks]

No toddler groups............can't go to the park because the ground is always soaking wet/play equipment waterlogged. Can't afford softplay every week. One of my sons is nearly 2 and I have no idea what I'm going to do with him until the sun shows it's face again next year.

I'm feeling low about the onset of autumn/winter. Trying to entertain a very active little boy at home for 6 months of cold/dark and horrible autumn rain.

Anyone else in the same boat? Ideas?

I realize with hindsight how lucky I was to be able to take my first son to a local toddler group on a Tues morning. It only cost £1 entry, & he loved playing with different toys. Those groups were great, such a shame Covid has finished them off (near me anyway)

@tammy909

You’ve got to be joking?

We’ve had heatwave after heatwave since March. It’s been horrifically unpleasant. Far too hot and far too humid. Thank god for the rain and the cooler temperatures. After the awful summer, long may it last!

I think you are the one joking.

Heatwave after heatwave!!! Where do you live because where I live we certainly have not had that.

Yes we had some horrible very hot days but not that many nice sunny warm but not too hot days.

I think this summer has been pretty shit really like most of our summers. Lots of windy and wet days, quite a few chilly days, a few nice sunny days and a few far too hot humid days.

If we did have a decent summer then the endless grey, wet and windy winter would not seem quite so bad. Although the dark mornings and evenings are still horrible

@olderthanyouthink

Someone local to me, put a post on the local FB group asking for toddler friends for her LO. She had lots of replies and offers to meet up for coffee / chat / toddler play in the local park.

No such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing! 😊 Kids can have fun outside whatever the weather.

Yup, I'm a childminder and its going to be absolutely shit. No soft plays or groups (which I did A LOT), even aying in the gardenonmy keeps them interested for about half an hour, then stuff will be soaked so can't really go back on. Luckily I'm going on maternity leave at the end of December so I don't have to deal with it for too much longer.

I never minded rainy walks and splashing in puddles, my DC loved it when toddlers too, but not for the entire winter as one of the only 'enjoyable' activities. YANBU OP, it's going to be horrible, wouldn't be surprised if queueing outside supermarkets etc comes back in soon, can't wait for that in the rain.

Another one suggesting you get kitted out and embrace it. You need to find the enjoyment otherwise you find yourself living only for the sunny days and let’s face it, I England, that’s no way to live.
Before kids I would have hated going out in the rain. Now, I love it. It’s actually better than being out in the sun, faffing with sun cream, making sure they’re not burning etc.

Changing your mindset can only help you here and the good thing is that it’s entirely within your control.

Pouting rain yesterday and we still did fish and chips at the beach. Hot chocolate and a film when we got home before bath and bed. It was lovely.

The soft plays beside us aren't even open god knows how I'm going to amuse my son. Live in Scotland so not known for fantastic weather at best of times

[quote Chottie]@olderthanyouthink

Someone local to me, put a post on the local FB group asking for toddler friends for her LO. She had lots of replies and offers to meet up for coffee / chat / toddler play in the local park.[/quote]
I wish I could do this but against our local lockdown rules.

And I agree that rainy walks are lovely, but not as the sole activity for half the year. I went for a six mile walk in the rain today, I do enjoy it but you simply can't do it all the time, if only because waterproofs need to dry out!

It's a real bugger not having groups. We are used to them these days. I went to one as a child. My dad was taken to a church one in the early 60s! Before then my grandmother had unofficial ones with her sisters and friends and their children. That was when people stuck to the same area more than they do now - who lives a street away from their sister (who happens to conveniently have kids the same age) these days? It's all very well saying "well we didn't have the and we coped" but they've been around for a good half century now, they were started for a reason, and that reason is that being a mother of toddlers is often lonely and it's often hard to entertain them!

@Chottie I've thought about posting (hello social anxiety!) and replied to a couple and got ghosted.

Plus there's the complication of a pandemic, DD is at nursery a few days a week so getting sick which I don't want to spread that around and I am slightly worried about other people's attitude about the situation (I'm not vulnerable but obviously don't want to catch it or spread it)

Go out anyway. Up, out first thing depending on your toddler (I always preferred being out early)- with waterproof overs and wellies. Spare clothes/shoes/towel in car. Parks, forests etc all free. Or invest in a pass to local farm/zoo type place and make that your thing. Meet up with people when / if you can. Fresh air is great. Spent a rainy afternoon at a park today, loved it and feel warm and cosy rather than too cooped up and grumpy.

Just for background, my childminder is out and about every day, in all weathers, with between 6 and 8 kids (9 months to 8 years). If they can do it, we can!

I totally empathise as I'm paying for soft play and baby ballet classes and I've found a toddler group still running and I still dont want to be outside in the pouring rain on the other days.

Anyone telling you that you should just suck it up and enjoy it is only thinking from their own shoes as not everyone enjoys the same types of weathers or can find it bearable.

Even as a child I don't remember enjoying going to slide down a wet slide on a winter's day- enjoyable- and that was when my mindset was at it's most positive.

Yes probably your toddler will love puddle jumping most days but maybe that doesnt float your boat and you look forward to the interactions and bit of time out at a toddler group.

Just like someone complaining about 'heatwaves' and it being too hot for them to take kids outdoors when others will say it is great and go out and enjoy the beach every day. I lived in Miami for two years and never experienced a heatwave there so it's laughable when people call the weather here a heatwave- it's just a bit warmer than most people are used to some days.

If you can post in local Facebook groups about doing meetups and stuff and maybe you can do the park with another mum or have some playdates indoors when you get to know one another a bit better. I think that is still legal. If not, maybe it will change.

Also contact your local MP about sure start centres, as I have done- and if we all push for them to reopen they might do.

Some mums here have made groups for meetups and buggy walks on drier days and I've made a few friends from them which is making the thought of winter easier.

It's not about mindset, if we didn't need these things they wouldn't have been there in the first place. You have every right to complain and miss them.

I think sometimes thinking of what to do, if your not used to being outside can be a bit daunting. All very well getting waterproofs (good idea) but then what?

There is so much more than just plodding along in the rain. You can make it much more interesting. Do you have any friends you could join with for activities?

Collecting autumnal things like crispy leaves in different colours to make collages with; finding lovely flat round pebbles to take home to paint; good time of year for finding puffball mushrooms to cook; go to a beach and paddle; for cone collecting to make Christmas decorations; visit country park; feed ducks; collecting conkers.
Indoors junk modelling, collages, potato printing, reading hour, homemade play dough, cooking, cleaning, visit old churches and spot things or brass rubbing - old churches are brilliant free indoor spaces with lots to look at and explore.

OP, how old is your older son? I'm presuming he's at school. Weirdly, I used to find it harder to entertain just one child in the rain - it was easier if they were playing together even in really foul weather. I remember one day when it didn't just rain - it absolutely poured all bloody day. I took them to the woods and made dens. I can't say I enjoyed it, but they did.

I'd have been stuck with just one child at home, and an entire winter's worth of crap weather, though, so you have my sympathy. Toddler groups, the library and swimming (in the baby pool - I can't swim) used to solve a lot of wet-day problems for me, along with taking the DC to friends' houses or friends bringing their DC to mine.

I think it's a bit unrealistic of anyone to think they'd want to spend six months trudging round parks in the rain with a small child and very little company.

If I had small children now, I'd be spending a lot of time in other people's kitchens, regardless of any Covid rules.

we never get colds from being in cold! Wrap up go for a walk..let them jump in puddles...get home hot chocolate etc and then go for another walk late afternoon. Thats what we do. Collect conkers and pine cones

Saw some good ones in Lidl, wellies, lots of warm clothes underneath and play muddy puddles a la peppa pig.

jesus u cant win-its too bloody hot now its too bloody wet

@ReallySpicyCurry I agree! In the passed I probably would live closer to my family and in the area where I grew up where several peers have kids the same age. I've spent months reminding my SIL (who's baby was a few months old when lockdown happened) that we aren't supposed to be doing this in isolation far apart, it takes a village. I know if I lived near her we'd be back and forth like we did with friends growing up, instead we FaceTime a lot.

a daily walk to the shops, cup of tea in a cafe on the way back?

I think many are feeling a tad battle weary at the moment, staring down the barrel of a long cold winter is the mouldy icing on the scummy cake.

Sympathy OP.

There are a couple of misconceptions on this thread.

• good waterproofs don’t need to dry out. they are only wet on the outside, so all they need is a wipe down with a towel, and they are ready to be used again
• there is a lot more to do outside than just walking along. Rain is actually much more exciting than nice weather as there is a lot more to do
• you‘ll actually meet more other parents on a rainy day. everyone out and about will be desperate for a chat with another adult!

Parks in the rain are SHIT. Waterproofs or not. All the equipment is wet, they can’t go down the slides, you can’t sit on a bench, you can’t put stuff down anywhere and it just feels so punitive and crap. Horrible as soft okay is, at least it’s dry, warm, and you can sit down and get coffee and food, not spend all your time jollying a toddler along while the wind drives rain into your face. They might well enjoy it, for about five minutes, but that’s after 20 minutes bundling then into layers they don’t want to wear, trudging along head-down to get there, and then trudging back and stripping everyone and then having damp clothes all over the house for ages.

I don’t know who all these people are whose children just adore going out in the rain because when it rains here the streets, parks and woods are deserted and everyone’s inside letting their kids watch telly like normal people.

@SomeoneStolemySocks

It has literally rained for the past three days where I am. Non-stop. Heavy, driving rain. What enjoyment can be had in that weather? Wouldn't you just end up miserable and with colds? It's not fun, going out in the pissing rain surely?

But it isn't going to do that for 6 months solid is it.

Decent outdoor wear for child weather/ puddles/ light rain

Weekends like this do you have room to turn the living room into a bit of an obstacle course? Use the cushions or pumped for jumping on, make forts and dens with blankets and sheets.
Small trampoline can be used inside.
Balance board.
Arts and crafts, get a big sheet on the floor to protect it and do handprints and finger painting etc.
Big sensory trays- rice, cornflakes, foam, etc.
Ball pit

make the most of places not being busy. Go for a beach walk and sarnies in the car...castles etc?