Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Wondering how people manage in the mornings with toddlers?

89 replies

Ablackcat · 15/06/2022 07:48

I’m sure there’s an easier way but at the moment I brush my teeth with a very small child hanging off my legs or trying to grab the toothbrush out of my mouth Hmm then shower with a small child banging on the door, dress with a very small child bringing me one toy after another while I say ‘Lovely!’ Dry my hair with a small child trying to grab my hairbrush then go downstairs (finally!)

Im not really looking for advice on how to change what I do in the morning (I mean I know some people shower in the evening etc) but is there an easier way I am missing or is this totally normal? Smile

OP posts:
MiddleParking · 15/06/2022 08:20

What age of toddler? I’m guessing you mean around 12-18 months? At that age if mine was up I just used to leave mine in a child-proofed living room with her toys, keep checking on her and go as quickly as I could. Now she’s 2.8 months and we have breakfast, brush our teeth, do our ‘skincare’ (flannel wash in her case) and shower together so that solves that and it’s not stressful at all now. Tbh though I still find the easiest thing to do is to get ready before they’re up. I’ve no idea how it’s going to work once my younger one gets mobile too and I go back to work but these things usually just take a bit of trial and error and then the phase passes pretty quickly anyway.

Vampirethriller · 15/06/2022 08:20

Shower before bed, hair in bun, no makeup, plus we get up at 5 for the dog's walk so things can happen slowly if they have to. Wouldn't work if I had to look fancy though, I admit.

Original poster
Ablackcat · 15/06/2022 08:21

I’d love to be up before him but he wakes at 545-6 at the moment! Plus the water in the shower would probably wake him anyway. He is 18 months today actually! Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
Ablackcat · 15/06/2022 08:22

Sorry - husband works away so it does tend to fall on me. He does help when he’s around.

OP posts:
simoncowellsdog · 15/06/2022 08:22

Perfectly normal. Not sure I have any tips, I just used to do everything with a small child attached to me 🤣
Mine are 12 and 9 now and while they no longer physically hang off me, they're still a bloody pain!
They have an annoying habit of ignoring me if I'm in the same room as them but the second I step out to do anything screaming 'Muuummmmmm! Where's the (insert device/ snack item here)?'

My 9 year old also likes to chat with me while he poos so seems to schedule his poo time for whenever I'm in the shower/ brushing teeth 😬

Peace in the bathroom is my dream

Marblessolveeverything · 15/06/2022 08:26

Ah I remember it well. I found music helped, and give them jobs!. So when I was in shower I played 90s music and he danced. Then I used to pop him on rug in bedroom with a sand bucket and bath toys and ask him to help tidy them up. Again with music. He is 15 now and has a comprehensive 90s music knowledge.

MumChats · 15/06/2022 08:26

Haha sounds like my mornings! There's no way my toddler would stay in a playpen etc without me in the room (or probably even with me in the room), TV or otherwise! I just get up earlier than i used to and then i have a shower with a toddler in the bathroom throwing stuff into the bath and throughout the rest of my morning routine i am pulled to the floor now and then to read a book. He sits on my knee and plays with all the bits out my make up bag while i put that on. No advice, but solidarity! I just think... it won't last long and it is sweet that he wants to be so close.

SheWoreYellow · 15/06/2022 08:27

40 minutes! No wonder you are struggling.

MiddleParking · 15/06/2022 08:35

SheWoreYellow · 15/06/2022 08:27

40 minutes! No wonder you are struggling.

Very helpful. Maybe OP needs and/or wants to look and feel like she’s made an effort with her appearance? Lots of people have daily schedules for which no shower, no hair styling, no makeup, no skincare routine etc wouldn’t cut it.

seriouslywhyisthis · 15/06/2022 08:37

iPad and leaving bathroom door open so I can see what's happening.

Original poster
Ablackcat · 15/06/2022 08:42

It does take about forty minutes.

Ten minutes in shower, five teeth, ten minutes drying my hair and five to dress. Then ten minutes or so to dress toddler.

<shrug> believe me I am not looking particularly glamorous or chic, but I do need to be clean!

OP posts:
GiltEdges · 15/06/2022 08:46

We bought an iPad for DS for this reason when he was around 18 months. He'd happily sit for 30 minutes or so on the bathroom/my bedroom floor and watch CBeebies while I showered and got ready. Not for everyone I guess, but he's happy and safe.

SatinHeart · 15/06/2022 08:58

Simple answer is I don't spend 40 minutes on it!

5-10 min shower (don't wash hair, I wash my hair in the evening twice a week)
Little to no makeup
Get outfit ready the night before
Make packed lunch the night before

I have breakfast at work, some colleagues get in early and do their makeup there

Simonjt · 15/06/2022 09:01

I used to get up before him to get ready, but he has a hearing impairment so me being up and about didn’t wake him. On days he was awake I would put the ipad where he could watch it but not grab it, he was mesmerised by babybum so that helped.

DancinOnTheCeiling · 15/06/2022 09:04

Haven’t read the whole thread but just to say I think it’s normal. My DH gets ready while I watch/play with DC or the other way around. The two days I have DC on my own it’s either putting DC in front of the tablet (on our bed while I’m in en-suite shower) or get dressed without showering. My DC is amazing, fun, hilarious and also wild, impulsive etc (all normal btw) but I think some (not all) toddlers have a bit more patience/can entertain themselves on their own for a bit. My DC can do this sometimes but very occasionally so I can’t rely on that - hence using telly or leaving the house unwashed (shower in evening)

It gets better though - someone suggested saying to yourself ‘this is just a phase’ - I second that!

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 15/06/2022 09:05

Shower and hair night before. You’ll get used to it.

doadeer · 15/06/2022 09:06

I have really long thick hair so it blows my mind the thought of washing in the morning but obviously I know lots of people do it! No chance of doing night before?

Can you brush your teeth in the shower? Can you dry your hair downstairs when little one is eating?

Lazypuppy · 15/06/2022 09:06

I used to leave DD in her cot while i got ready. Pop a load of toys in, or set the kindle up so she could see it but not touch. And i basically ignored any whinging as i had to get ready 🤷🏼‍♀️

DancinOnTheCeiling · 15/06/2022 09:06

Ps my shower takes about 2 minutes though - I get dressed etc in room with DC and my make up takes 1 minute. I don’t blow dry my hair. I couldn’t leave DC alone for 40 minutes - can you shorten your getting ready ritual?

miltonj · 15/06/2022 09:12

Try letting them 'get ready' next to you? When I brush my teeth, my daughter brushes hers, same with hair. For showering, I leave the bathroom door open so she can come in and out as she pleases or sometimes I let her in the shower with me and give her the odd splash while I wash. Then for everything else like makeup that you need to concentrate a bit more on, colouring, or water books etc whatever yourself enjoys. Episodes of bing and dugee are about 7 mins long as well, they'd probably keep their attention if you were in the same room.

miltonj · 15/06/2022 09:13

*whatever yours enjoys

Original poster
Ablackcat · 15/06/2022 09:14

All the ‘hmm well I don’t take forty minutes in it’ - OK, but that’s how long it takes.

The main thing that takes time is hair washing and to be honest there’s no ideal time for that. I can’t really do it in the evening as the shower and hairdryer would wake DS and it really does look awful then. As I did say in fairness I’m not really looking for advice on changing what I do - I’m broadly happy with that.

It’s good others find it normal. I don’t really want to confine him to his cot as he’d get wound up and upset and that gets me wound up and upset too. He’s fine, he just pootles about but obviously it does mean simply tasks become … A little more complicated!

OP posts:
Whatever00 · 15/06/2022 09:21

I used this till 1 1/2
amzn.eu/d/hAifcS0

I used this flat on the floor till 3
amzn.eu/d/2P9n0mY

Although, showering while singing nursery rhythm isn't relaxing so I generally try to get up earlier than my 2 toddlers (2 & 3) so I can do the three S's in peace.

Punkypinky · 15/06/2022 09:42

Mine always times a poo just when I have a head full of shampoo- drives me mad. I've also opted for just being more manky / using screens. Sometimes sending dd off to fetch objects works a bit like a game - can you get me a spoon - then can you get me a book. You get little islands of peace while they go and get said thing. Can trash yr house though. xx

Whatwouldyoudo41 · 15/06/2022 09:55

It does get easier, but my six year old (who was fast asleep when I last checked) started screaming madly at me when I was in the shower this morning… so I leapt out and ran into his bedroom soaking wet to see what was wrong. Turned out he wanted to know if bricks have bones 😩

Swipe left for the next trending thread