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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you find your own babies boring or if nature makes them interesting so the long and repetitive stuff is more tolerable

98 replies

ForestGoblin · 22/08/2023 09:17

They take SO long to drink a bottle of milk

They have a limitless capacity for interest in putting blocks through holes again and again

Their chat is non existent

The physicality of keeping them safe and clean is so repetitive

I have adhd so I am a wimp when it comes to boredom but then so do lots of mums and everyone seems to cope fine

So, if I had a hypothetical baby, would it be less boring than I fear?

OP posts:
CatherinedeBourgh · 22/08/2023 10:10

I think it's not that it's less tedious to do those things, it's that you have a sense of responsibility to make sure they are done, and so there is the satisfaction of doing your job (i.e. keeping them alive and growing, not always that straightforward!).

Of course you love them, and of course as they develop it's delightful to watch. But yes, it's also boring to have to do the same thing over and over again, it's a very full on job.

The advantage those of us who aren't as well suited to the baby years have is that every year is better than the previous one - as they get more autonomy, start to develop their personality and generally become their own little person it gets more and more fun. The teenage years are the best so far! (mine aren't adults yet, but I'm also looking forward to that). Overall it's definitely worth it, to get to know the most interesting people you'll ever meet.

AmazingSnakeHead · 22/08/2023 10:11

So boring. I used to wake up and count down the hours (and sometimes, the minutes) until I could go to sleep and experience nothing instead of experiencing relentless endless tedium.

But the tedium only lasted a few months, and now, years on, I count down the hours where I can finish my boring job for the day and go and hang out with my wonderful fun kid.

Bbq1 · 22/08/2023 10:13

Didn't find ds boring at age and never have. He was a much longed for and wanted baby and icouldn't believe he was ours when we had him, was quite in awe. I genuinely loved every moment of feeding, changing, playing etc with my ds. It was so far from the "relentless hard slog' that people complain about on here. I don't see how raising a little person that you've chosen to have can be viewed as boring. I like babies and children and I've worked with them all of my life but nothing is as wonderful to me as having my ds.

smilesup · 22/08/2023 10:14

Babies change so quickly. A 2 day old is very different from a 2 week old or a 2 month old. They learn stuff everyday and the more you put into them and interact with them the more they develop. It's really amazing and you can give them a big cuddle.
One minute they can't really see you, the next they think you are a fucking amazing comedian because you can hide your face and make it reappear . Very good for the old ego.
Obviously they become teenagers and click that not only are you unfunny but shite at magic tricks and it all comes crashing down but for a moment you might consider changing careers.
They can be boring as fuck, and that's when friends come in, just spend ages finding ones that don't really want to talk about babies all the time as that is more boring than your actual baby

Samlewis96 · 22/08/2023 10:15

CatherinedeBourgh · 22/08/2023 10:10

I think it's not that it's less tedious to do those things, it's that you have a sense of responsibility to make sure they are done, and so there is the satisfaction of doing your job (i.e. keeping them alive and growing, not always that straightforward!).

Of course you love them, and of course as they develop it's delightful to watch. But yes, it's also boring to have to do the same thing over and over again, it's a very full on job.

The advantage those of us who aren't as well suited to the baby years have is that every year is better than the previous one - as they get more autonomy, start to develop their personality and generally become their own little person it gets more and more fun. The teenage years are the best so far! (mine aren't adults yet, but I'm also looking forward to that). Overall it's definitely worth it, to get to know the most interesting people you'll ever meet.

I must say I preferred mine as teenagers more than a y other stage. Even though DD1was a complete little shit By then they had their own friends interests and opinions making them more interesting to spend time with and I felt we had stuff in common by the

Cowlover89 · 22/08/2023 10:17

Nope loved every minute especially the breastfeeding

BarnacleBeasley · 22/08/2023 10:22

I thought it would be boring, but I didn't find it so. I found (and still find) the developmental changes really fascinating. There are boring bits during each individual day, though - not so much when they're drinking milk because you get to have a lovely snuggly cuddle, but when they are just playing and you have to be there, but they don't need your full attention. That's when you end up scrolling mumsnet because you don't have the capacity to read a proper book, but they don't need you 100% engaged. But I found each phase of the day with a 6-9 month old (for example) was quite short actually because they were punctuated by snack times, nap times etc. so you didn't need to sit for hours doing the same thing, more like 60-90 minutes.

What can be really boring (my DC is two now) is reading the same sodding books over and over again. My advice is to make sure you only have books in the house that are well written with nice pictures you can bear to read 1 million times.

Mummy08m · 22/08/2023 10:25

Yes it is extremely boring for the first 6m or so. (I have wondered as an adult if I've got undiagnosed ADHD and if that explains a lot including why I was constantly in trouble at school. But that's by the by.)

It's extremely boring with a side order of abject terror when things aren't going right (say, your baby gets a fever or a funny rash or isn't breathing properly or isn't feeding properly or something.)

Like long distance driving on the motorway in a blizzard. Boring, boring, boring, nothing to see, nothing to do, can't sleep, can't relax, boring, boring - AAAGH a hazard! Danger of imminent death! Whew, dodged - boring, boring, boring.

Having said that, I adore my dd so much it almost hurts, and I'd do it again (I mean I will, I'm pg) but for me, the first 6m is just something you have to endure before you get to the fun stuff.

Charrington · 22/08/2023 10:32

Mine were enchanting. I struggled in the early days to take my eyes off them even when they were sleeping. The smell of them was intoxicating.

ADHD made the whole stage much much harder. All that oxytocin competes with the hormones that help with executive function. It was incredibly hard.

But the babies were my hyperfixation.

Mummy08m · 22/08/2023 10:32

What can be really boring (my DC is two now) is reading the same sodding books over and over again.

Omg, yes. I love reading aloud so I can make up funny voices and ham it up but it gets old so quickly when it's the same book for the seventh time! My dd likes Mr Men books and they're the only thing that really calms her down before bedtime. But some evenings it's an hour of Mr Men. I could recite Mr Bounce from memory - literature for the ages, it is not. I just can't wait till she's old enough for (say) Harry Potter or Roald Dahl or something like that, but by then I guess she'll be reading herself and won't need me to do it.

I really think/hope kids get more fun the older they get.

Ostryga · 22/08/2023 10:38

You won’t find your own child boring. The daily tasks - dull as fuck. But your baby will keep you very entertained and on your toes!

Other people’s babies I have zero interest in, but my own was a genius and hilarious (obviously 😆)

It’s also stressful and really worrying at times so I do think your body/mind forces you to find your child incredible to outweigh all the rest of the stuff. It does work to some extent!

MojoDojoCasaHouse · 22/08/2023 10:50

I was too busy being exhausted and anxious to be bored. First baby had awful reflux and struggled to gain weight. HCPs just wouldn't listen. She was a really bad sleeper as well. I had a couple of months were things were better then back to work at 6 months old. With the second one I had a whirlwind of a toddler to deal with so baby was in a sling just getting on with it. I craved boredom.

YouveGotAFastCar · 22/08/2023 11:06

I mean; I've got a toddler and none of those things are true for him.

He's breastfed but his average feed time as a baby was rarely over 10 minutes and hasn't really changed.

He's always been great at communicating. He doesn't really cry.

He does need keeping safe and clean; and there are definitely elements of that which are repetitive and frustrating. He is quite routinised when it comes to nappies; he poos once a day and we usually need to change him twice for wees/cleanliness during the day. He's quite interested in the potty so that'll probably end soon; but then we'll have the wonders of bum wiping instead...

He's quite varied in what he plays with. He's never really been too into the TV; and he likes to cycle between toys. Right now he's loving a pull-along dog, a couple of trucks and his balls; but it often changes. He loves to colour and play in mud kitchens.

He never really did repetitive stuff as a tiny baby; either, but he came to work with me and loved being around people; so perhaps that's why. We never really did the "sitting around waiting three hours for naptime" thing; out of necessity.

FourTeaFallOut · 22/08/2023 11:09

No. I've never been bored with my children at any stage. I don't really ever get bored though, I enjoy my own company.

neverbeenskiing · 22/08/2023 11:16

everyone seems to cope fine

Yeah, I definitely seemed to cope fine.

I was not fine.

I found the toddler stage worse though, at least babies stay where you put them.

When I look back at the baby and toddler stages what I mostly remember is a combination of boredom and worry. There were moments of joy, but a lot of it was a slog. It got a lot more fun when they hit 4 years old.

SomewhereWithSomeone · 22/08/2023 11:24

Only you know what you can deal with.

I’ve really enjoyed the vast majority of my children’s childhood, I didn’t find it boring.

leptifold · 22/08/2023 11:31

I've never been bored with my babies. I'm a sahm and went through lockdown with one of them, so dealt with them on my own for long periods. I've always made use of various baby groups and activities every day, I think I would get bored staying in day after day.

BubziOwl · 22/08/2023 11:33

They have a limitless capacity for interest in putting blocks through holes again and again

... do they? I've never met a baby/toddler that could get more than 15 mins mileage out of a shape sorter.

I WISH my toddler had limitless capacity for interest in one toy!!

WandaWonder · 22/08/2023 11:37

I was our every day for atleast a few hours usually we went to baby groups, shops cafes, park, visiting, drives on the weekend when dh was home or more visiting

Housework and cooking and washing and hanging clothes took St most an hour a day on a busy day so free rest of the time

I really have no idea how it would have worked staying in all day everyday, I went back to work part time when my baby was a year old

rhino12345 · 22/08/2023 11:39

I found my first incredibly boring 😂 not her personally, but there was a lot of sitting round not really doing much

BLT24 · 22/08/2023 11:40

I think the repetitive nature of caring for a baby is very boring. However when they become toddlers and start talking and interacting it’s the cutest, funniest, sweetest thing ever and that makes it much more fun.

Bananas1350 · 22/08/2023 11:45

I have looked after other peoples babies and my own and god yes it is totally boring. I did find a set routine helped. Swimming on a Monday. Park on the Tuesday. Meet friends On weds but then even still
boring.

MyPurpleHeart · 22/08/2023 11:47

I adore my daughter but she can be so boring and the days can really drag. She's 13 weeks so wants to play but physically can't so she gets bored. I spend hours and hours waving toys at her and my brain is turning to shit 😂

SouthLondonMum22 · 22/08/2023 11:51

So incredibly boring. He’s 8 months now though and it is slowly getting less dull.

phoenixrosehere · 22/08/2023 11:53

I did what I usually did just with baby in tow. I ran errands, went to lunch, walked around museums and parks, etc. Baby was usually looking around or asleep.

I enjoyed watching them grow, learn new things and simply be amazed by the world and doing little things that make baby giggle and smile was always fun.