Having a toddler in lockdown is god fucking awful

[ivftake1]

I've finally cracked.

I'm so so so bored.

It's fine and it will continue to be fine but it's so shit.

@Youreatragedystartingtohappen

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4055541-To-be-worried-about-staying-sane-stuck-inside-all-winter-with-a-2-year-old?pg=1

@EssentialHummus

Yeah, it’s bollocks. Today:

Spent an hour with dad in the morning
Too much tv
Walk to park, I try and fail to interest her in making a hedgehog out of leaves.
Park is like the Somme. We sit on a bench for 30 seconds while she has a snack.
She goes off the slide at about 10km/h thanks to her shiny new puddlesuit.
Walk home, another attempt at generating interest in the hedgehog activity.
We spot a neighbour’s cat, that’s a happy five minutes.
Hide in the kitchen while making lunch.

At this point it’s about 11.15am.

Hahahahah Somme

My day:
Went to the park, he jumped in puddles, I froze even in my big coat. He was rude to me twice so I had to make good on my threat of 'we'll go home!' Home around 11.
Cooked and ate lunch
Too much tv
He played in his room for 30 mins for quiet time after lunch.
Back out to a different park, this time I was too hot in my big coat. Which is worse.
He played well, then wanted snacks which I forgot to bring. So we went home.
Played, he throw wooden blocks at me, cooked made dinner.
Tv time now.

This is all fine, but it's EVERY SINGLE DAY

Back out to

@Doje

OP, playgroups are open this time round. I know you've said about IVF and nursery, but would you be happy to go to a playgroup? You could find a quiet one. A friend of mine runs a gymnastics type class, so there wouldn't be much mixing at that kind of thing. A walk there and back sorts a morning at least.

Sadly thats not reie everywhere. All of our baby and toddler groups are closed, 99% have been since lockdown 1.0. The very tiny few that reopened such as toddler gymnastics have now closed again for lockdown 2.0.

@Doje

OP, playgroups are open this time round. I know you've said about IVF and nursery, but would you be happy to go to a playgroup? You could find a quiet one. A friend of mine runs a gymnastics type class, so there wouldn't be much mixing at that kind of thing. A walk there and back sorts a morning at least.

None of the playgroups in my area are open. There were at least 6 on different days in my town before first lockdown and none have reopened. One was planning to do a Christmas party spread out over 4 dates so that they could limit numbers each time. That's now been cancelled because of the new lockdown

Our playgroup is still shut. Sadly

Hasn’t been open since March

Last lockdown sent me a bit crazy. No nap anymore. Full on

This one at least two mornings nursery. Life saver

Although has brought me to muse on relativity of time. How four hours can go SO quickly or not.

Offering solidarity here. I’m so glad childcare is open this time, I enjoy the breaks from work and I’m confident that DS enjoys the change of scene too.

Thank god you can meet one other person and children under school age dont count in the total! But you cant even do that if you are wanting to self distance because of the IVF. Must be so hard

I fucking concur!! Thankfully I’m in Scotland and DS is going to nursery 4 days a week.

However we had him at home for nearly 7 months over lockdown and we were both trying to work full time. My mental health took a massive nosedive.

I've got a toddler but thankfully a very mellow one!! Had I done this with my first one, we'd both have been bouncing up the walls most days. He was a handful and needed constant supervision and activities. I feel for anyone with a child like that! Especially if they don't care at all about screens....

I'm really sorry you are all having to do this - it's absolutely shit. You are all doing a job which is exhausting, emotionally and physically, and generally difficult at the best of bloody times. I have huge admiration for you. Go easy on yourselves and take the easy road whenever there is one - remember that kids were basically left alone whenever possible pre- about 1985! Strength and Honour.

I actually thought the toddler years were pretty dire even without lockdown, so I totally and utterly sympathise that you are tearing your hair out with frustration now. Parks and country walks are hardly fun at all in the cold muddy days, and less so when it's all you have to do day after day. I am so sorry. It is not you. This too will pass 😞

Country walks are great until your toddler fixates on something and won’t pass it.

I feel your pain. I have a 15 month old who's at home with me and a 4 year old who does 2 days nursery. Also a 6 year old at school who never stops talking. I feel miserable today. Still up a few times in the night and I'm just so sick of the constant needs, crying, interrupted meals, washing, cleaning, cooking, tidying toys etc. I feel like a bad Mum because I just have no energy anymore to constantly find fun things to do which are mind numbing for me. My house is getting slowly destroyed by broken things and drawing on the walls and I'm grumpy. No answer to all of this. I think I need an early night and hopefully wake up more positive to face another day.

To the pp whose toddler's legs don't work outside. I have one of those too. I'm always worrying someone's going to call the nspcc during one of our "walks".

Op I feel your pain. We're busy and safe and I'm so bored!

Totally sympathise. All I can say is that this lockdown might seem indefinite, but toddlerhood isn't. I had a two year old in the last lockdown, he was three in the summer, and is vastly easier to entertain now, much more articulate, and best of all happy to do quiet activities by himself (painting, cutting -- a big one, making his train-set) etc for longer periods of time. Also back at nursery, which makes the world of difference to my patience!

OP, playgroups are open this time round

Where are you? None of the play groups are open near me.

I'm with you OP, it's really hard. I have a 2.5 year old and a 10 month old and I do struggle, I know it's better than the last lockdown because at least we can see people and that's JUST about getting me by. I think I'm still slightly traumatised by the last lockdown with two under two completely on my own, genuinely nearly lost my mind.

(Also mine are both IVF babies so I know how hard that is, even not during a pandemic! Wishing you lots of luck!)

All our playgroups are closed as well. I'm lucky as usually at work 4 days a week so only 3 days to kill wandering around muddy parks. However we are currently self isolating and slowly going mad trying to keep dd busy! She stood at the back gate and asked to go out today. She has worked out how to open doors as well so half expecting to find her running down the street one day (knowing my luck track and trace will do a spot check at this point).

You are allowed to meet up with a friend for a walk/outside leisure this time and kids don't count, might be an idea

Entertaining my 2y8m and 5m old together, on my own, in tier 2/lockdown is so so so so exhausting.

Wednesday was my last day alone with them. We went to the big park near us, arrived at 9, paid for 4 hours parking because the playground's the other side of the huge park so didn't want to accidentally overstay. Bribed DS1 with grapes in his car seat while I fed DS2 in the driver's seat. Changed DS2's explosive nappy in the boot of the car while DS1 cried "let me out mummy!!!" Toilets didn't open till 10 so had to decide if we could risk feeding the ducks first or if I should try and get DS1 to wee on a tree. Took the risk and pelted the ducks with frozen broad beans then manuvered the pram through the mud down the very steep hill to the playground while DS1 (18kg) rode the buggy board. See previous poster RE: Somme.

After 2 hours of following DS1 around making sure he was taking turns and playing nicely I used every ounce of my strength to push them back up the hill. Went for a wee in the end cubicle of the ladies (do you leave the door open to watch the baby and risk having to chase an escaping toddler with your pants round your ankles? Or lock the toddler in and pray no one pinches the baby) Gave DS1 his sandwich to eat in his car seat so I could feed DS2 again. Managed to get them both to sleep on the drive home so I had half an hour to mess around on mumsnet before they woke up again.

Then I still had 5 hours to fill before dinner.

Luckily I'm back at work 2 short days a week so I get a rest.

I’m with you. Expecting a baby in 2 weeks. I’m dreading being cooped up at home with a 2 year old and baby.

I have twins 2y9m and I deal with this by making DH be the SAHP and going the fuck to work 😂

Sorry, not helpful!
In all seriousness though, can you get an indoor toy that allows energy burn off? My mum has a rocking horse and a little mini tramp at her house and the DTs will spend about 3h joyfully rocking and bouncing. Also big "road mat" for toy cars and a shedload of cars of different kinds. My son will lie on his tummy playing cars for ages and really gets immersed leaves me to drink my coffee

Or... a puddlesuit?

We used to fill whole days going places that weren't actually far away by public transport but that's not a very covid friendly activity you could get one of those bikes with a big box on the front and cycle around with the toddler in charge of directions?!

Cbeebies and Netflix on an alternating rota.

Turn the living room into a crack den by making dens with the sofa cushions and cot mattresses this one is a bit depressing when you want to watch TV in the evening i must admit!

@Nightclub123

I feel your pain! 2yr9mo and a 6mo (born in lockdown). SAHM, no help nearby although thankfully husband is WFH. We can't afford nursery yet. Nearly cried at the 'just get puddle suits' thread and I'm generally quite happy putting on wellies and going for a splash and pretty handy with creative activities when required!

Do you have any playgroups near you which take 2 year olds (like pre-school, for 3 or 6 hours a day, term time only, you don't stay with them like at a nursery)? They tend to be a lot cheaper than nurseries, depending on where you live.