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)

Its rotten I feel your pain.

However small people, in rainsuits, on a wet slide got extremely fast depending on your child they'll love or hate it

Solidarity with you OP, things are pretty rubbish for parents of small DC at the moment. DD is 2.9 and very sensible, amenable to plenty of crafting and baking and has a relatively long attention span... but I’m still dreading the next six months. Most of my friends have toddler/preschooler DC and to a woman they are dreading the winter too.

Threads like this on MN always get dozens of patronising responses saying ‘It’s only rain; just put on thermals/wellies and go splashing in puddles’. I imagine most people posting such things are well past the toddler stage themselves, if they ever had kids, and will actually be spending this most joyless of winters curled up in the sofa under a blanket watching Netflix.

I’m a fairly outdoorsy former primary teacher and current SAHM. Out of sheer desperation I take DD to the park in most weathers, sometimes even taking old tea towels to wipe off the play equipment. Frequently we are the only people there on a miserable day, so I’m well aware that there aren’t loads of people who genuinely relish spending a rain-sodden British winter tramping round the park collecting pine cones - the people suggesting otherwise are generally being glib and disingenuous. Never in the depths of winter have I seen these mythical hordes of cagoule-clad Mumsnetters undertaking wholesome activities in all weathers.

We will do the obligatory leaf printing/puddle splashing/duck feeding and so on. We will bake cupcakes and carve pumpkins and decorate our house for Hallow’een. But what will keep me sane are things like DD’s expensive weekly music class, the two local soft plays we visit at least weekly and my private gym/pool membership so I can take DD swimming. There definitely seems to be a two-tier system creeping in, whereby all this stuff is running if you can afford to pay for it. We are very, very lucky in that we can, but I really feel for the majority who can’t. It sucks and you have every right to moan about it.

The cold can make you ill too- the immune system is affected by exposure to cold and dry air and viruses spread better in lower temperatures

Exactly. I was thinking this.

@Hokeywokey

The competitive walking in the rain on this thread is making me laugh.😂

why competitive? it's real life. Dogs need to be walked, people need to go to work, kids go to school. Most mothers of a 2 year old don't have the luxury of staying home every time there's a drop of rain anyway.

If you live in a country with regular heavy snow, you buy the clothes and kit accordingly, you rarely plan on hibernating for 6 months. When you live in the UK which is famous for its horrible miserable weather, you get on with it. It's not healthy for a child to be stuck indoors because it's raining outside.

If you have the luxury of not living in a city where pollution forces you indoor, you make the most of your freedom. Wet clothes dry off.

The cold can make you ill too- the immune system is affected by exposure to cold and dry air and viruses spread better in lower temperatures

absolutely.

So you wrap up warm! No one is asking you to go away in trainers and a tshirt.

Ive got 3 under 3 and am literally seeing no one at the moment apart from my husband and kids because of my parents and best friend shielding and my siblings Have recently moved away. I’ve decided to have a bit of a ‘plan’ for each week with activities at home and elsewhere to keep us all semi-sane. Some ideas I’ve had so far....

Getting out of the house -weekly trip to the library, the park (weather dependent obviously), a local farm, the supermarket, garden centre, pet shop, swimming baths, aquarium, safari park, zoo, b and q (honestly, the kids love looking in the sheds!!), walks through a forest/beach (again weather dependent) and also local railway station to watch trains go by.

Days at home we generally struggle with but I’ve had lots of good ideas and inspiration from ‘five minute mum’ and also ‘becky’s treasure baskets’ if you’re on social media. Some ideas a little different to the usual baking, making, painting etc. On the really hard days I have a large wine whilst I let them loose in the bath or shower with a can of shaving foam! Keeps them busy for aaaages!

I suggest an all in one puddle suit too and wellies.
www.regatta.com/kids-mudplay-iii-breathable-waterproof-puddle-suit-dark-denim/
You can look for leaves of different colours, feed the ducks or birds, collect pebbles. In a puddle suit you can let your son on play equipment. Try and meet others for socially distanced walks it will help you get through this.
Go out every morning it will really help. Have a bit of structure to your day.
Out first thing, snack at home for a bit of playing or TV. Then an activity try krokotak.com/ for some lovely ideas just colour paper, pencils and glue for most activities. He might be a bit little but for craft but you can do mark making on paper and a looking at books for 20 minutes each morning he will improve his attention span hopefully. Your local library can give you a hand with board books and guides for activities for 2 year olds.
Try leaving out only a few toys and rotate them so it keeps up his interest. The most popular toy we had at that age was a cheap toy kitchen, lots of plastic foods, a shopping basket and a toy till.
Best of luck op you can do this

Never in the depths of winter have I seen these mythical hordes of cagoule-clad Mumsnetters undertaking wholesome activities in all weathers.

All the local farms and petting zoo are busy all year round around here. The traffic around school DOES become horrendous because some people cannot tolerate a drop of rain, that is true, but many mothers with young children are out and about every day.

I have never kept my kids indoors unless one of us was seriously sick. A playground is not where I would chose to go when it's pouring with rain.

We're outside all the time and don't mind the rain, been out for about five hours today and the same on Friday and Saturday. Playgrounds, stables and dog walking.

But I do understand where OP is coming from because it does feel very lonely and isolating sometimes. Sometimes I find it hard to be fun all the time without her having other children to play with or adults to see, not because I don't want to be, but because I'm really losing my confidence in myself to be all DD needs since DH works long hours. I almost feel like I've become not a "real" person and don't have enough to offer her, although she does seem quite happy. I'm due DC2 soon as well and am worried about helping her develop all winter on my own without anyone else and with the baby too.

We used to go to several toddler groups a week and she loved playing with the others and I loved talking to adults. She asked about her groups every day at the start of lockdown but doesn't ask anymore. Our local library is open but not the children's section which is closed off. We do have some classes running but she doesn't enjoy staying on her mat and not being able to run round with the other children like she used to. She's very good and does do it, but afterwards she tells me she is sad because she misses being with the other children.

So although we do happily go out and about every day whatever the weather, I do understand. I worry about DD and think sometimes I am letting her down, but I don't dwell on it or anything as that doesn't help anyone. I do have a positive mindset every day but when she says she's sad about not playing with others for example it does upset me as I really miss watching her playing so happily too. We do have the odd play date now which is fantastic (not a local lockdown area) but I guess it's still against the rules as toddlers not socially distancing, so I don't feel I can ask about for others to meet regularly on Facebook. She will start preschool next year but we can't really afford for it to be sooner and it can't really be anyway due to an upcoming hospital admission.

For those who said toddler groups were about so look around, I have searched high and low within a huge radius.

All the local farms and petting zoo are busy all year round around here

So would ours be, if they were actually open. Our local farm park never reopened after lockdown due to ‘narrow pathways’. And visiting an actual destination, with new things to engage and distract the DC, is a hell of a lot easier and more enjoyable than wandering around the park in the pissing rain, which is all many people have available right now - especially those on lower incomes.

All the baby and toddler group by me have been up and running for months. I'm going to 2 a week (although at £9 a pop it's costing a small fortune). Are you sure there's nothing you can go to?

@dontmesswiththeGC are you talking about baby/toddler classes like Baby Sensory and Hartbeeps, Jo Jingles etc, or toddler groups like church stay and plays where you have tea and coffee and sit down while the kids play with all the toys in the hall etc followed by a few songs?

Big cardboard boxes (saved from online deliveries), basic laundry airer and lots of pegs were a favourite in rainy weather for my two. For some unknown reason, cheese and biscuits were the approved snack to be consumed in the den once built 😀

which is all many people have available right now

there's not that many people in this country who haven't got supermarkets, garden centres, a mall even, pet shop.. anything to get you out of the house. A 2 year old has little legs, it would take me a good chunk of time to walk at least a mile or so and back with mine.

It’s easier getting them out to play in the rain when they are little than trying to drag out teens and tweens 😂 they need to do puddle suits in their sizes!

Getting out of the house -weekly trip to the library, the park (weather dependent obviously), a local farm, the supermarket, garden centre, pet shop, swimming baths, aquarium, safari park, zoo, b and q (honestly, the kids love looking in the sheds!!), walks through a forest/beach (again weather dependent) and also local railway station to watch trains go by

OK, let’s run though these. I’m in suburban London, so not (yet!) a lockdown area:

Library - used to visit all the time but like Fort Knox now - 30min prebooked appointment, masks/sanitiser/track and trace/one way system; only one family allowed in children’s library at once; no touching of any surfaces allowed; staff barking orders at you

Park - yes, done all local parks to death

Farm - local ones haven’t reopened after lockdown

Supermarket - DD hates shopping and being confined to buggy; wants to wander round, interact with staff, scan shopping etc - none of these currently possible.

Garden centre - children ‘strongly discouraged’ at most local garden centres (and we have loads round here)

Pet shop - ditto garden centres

Swimming baths - take DD at least once a week, but pay almost £100 monthly for the privilege. Local council leisure centres open for adult lane swimming and lessons only - no family swim, and for lessons you have to arrive ‘swim ready’ and go home wet.

Aquarium - none nearby

Zoo/safari parks - at £20 a head more of a ‘treat’ day out - did our local ones over the summer but

B&Q - our local one doesn’t welcome kids

Forest/beach walks - forests (well, more small woods where we are!) yes; no beaches for miles around

Local railway station - yes we do this too, but haven’t attempted to actually get on a train since being barked at that 2-year-old DD should be wearing a mask.

No informal/church toddler groups have reopened here - plenty of paid corporate ones though.

Not picking on you at all @Bettyboop82 - it’s a great list - but I think some posters on this thread just aren’t recognising how divergent some people’s experiences of the current restrictions are.

Chin up op, we've never had 6 months of continuous rain and the darks nights are a short while away yet!
If your toddler is an early riser try and get out early on dry days when it'll be crisp but not too cold.
Plus pop in at The Range and pick up a roll of craft paper, crayons and chunky chalk

There’s not that many people in this country who haven't got supermarkets, garden centres, a mall even, pet shop.. anything to get you out of the house. A 2 year old has little legs, it would take me a good chunk of time to walk at least a mile or so and back with mine

See the list I just posted above. Here in London I am glared at and criticised on a daily basis for being out and about with DD, and in particular for letting her out of the buggy in shopping centres etc. The other day we were told off for feeding the ducks on a bridge!

DD’s nursery have also stopped taking the children out for walks in the locality as they’ve received so much verbal abuse for doing so.

@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?

Yesterday in the hoofing rain, my DS my dog and me went a walk in the wood. DS is 10 slightly different we were wet through but it was fun. However we met 3 families with buggies and SS mall children in waterproofs and wellies. It was really wet but they were still having fun. Splashing picking up sticks and having a jolly time. I suspect you don’t want to get wet rather than your DC. Fun is easy when they are 2 wait until you have to spend hours at football or drag them off the Xbox.

Have to agree, no library here or any groups. Paid ones don’t fit any times we are free, none open at weekends plus I have 3.
We have one soft play in driving distance but it’s £10 per person !!!!! I looked last night and only slot was 09.00 mine are up early but there’s the whole regime of getting fed and dressed ( & fed again ...) first.
I had to go for a walk near the park today as was desperate after huge meltdown at home being in for last 2.5 days. All wet and cold and no one else was out. My
Lot didn’t want to play anyway.
Plus potty in the rain & cold anyone?

It’s really grim for toddlers, I feel bad as my
Oldest can remember going to the groups

I don't think YABU, OP. I'm thankful that the toddler years have passed and my daughter is at school 5 days out of 7 as at least she has friends there to play with, but the weekends drag when the weather is shit. I don't do rain, although I'm sure I'll get a telling off for that here. Mindset blah blah if you choose to live in the UK blah blah blah. I would happily hibernate from the end of September till the end of April. I'm a summer person - no such thing as too hot but I find it very hard to stay warm in winter despite layers of clothes and the heating ramped up, and my skin and hair hate the cold and rain. It makes me miserable. I can cope with snow as you just layer up, but I bloody hate getting wet, especially when it's cold and raining side ways which is just painful. So the thought of a winter without all the usual things we would do to entertain us is not filling me with joy.

We live in a very small town where there isn't much to do at the best of times. The nearest zoo and farm are too expensive to visit every week. The library is similar to how someone described upthread because of Covid measures - order your books in advance and pick them up from the lobby, no browsing, no fun. If you go swimming there are no changing rooms and you have to go home wet and freezing. Supermarkets aren't much fun for a nearly 6 year old. The fields are all waterlogged already. There is no local railway station (or even bus station). Garden centres are discouraging children here too. There are no indoor markets. We're about 90 minutes away from the nearest beach. The nearest big town is about 7 miles away but can involve long periods of getting stuck in traffic. Even anywhere nice to go for a walk, like the woods, requires driving. The nearest bike/skate park is about 8 miles away. We're past the age for toddler groups but they haven't reopened here yet.

We're hoping to move away next year. I'm determined to live near a nice park with actual paths and trees where I can go for a run and my daughter can ride her bike.

When I was a child (I'm 40 now so we're talking the 80s) there wasn't soft play etc but I was a child who was happy in my own company and just spent hours drawing, making things, reading and playing. My parents were also rain-haters and I'm fairly sure I was never taken out for a walk/run about in the park when it was raining.

HollywoodHandshake I think March to September generally is pretty good where I am. Most people will of course just crack on when it’s rainy- we all still have to get to work, school etc. I don’t have to enjoy it though.

In any other year, the OP probably wouldn’t be feeling it as much but Covid is making life much harder than normal for those with small children, especially those on a lower income. There is much less to look forward to in terms of breaking up winter. No proper Halloween, fireworks, limited Christmas celebrations etc.

Who cares? If you are lucky enough to be in London, most museums have reopened, there's plenty to do to occupy a toddler.

I don't understand how people are suddenly so lost because a few groups have closed for now.

@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!

Yes,yes and yes! I’m loving it. Mind you, I do remember the days of childminding when my own kids were small and a June where it rained every single day

I somehow deleted the post I was replying to, please ignore my who cares above as out of context it sounds unpleasant whilst it really was not meant to be..