If you have young DC and need to go hang out the washing or even just have a shower, what do you do with DC?

[CatsInChaos]

I have often struggled with this one! Not too much of a problem during term time as she is in nursery some of the time but the holidays are a bit challenging!
(3 year old)

There not much for her to do outside (if she came with me) as we only have a yard.

Could she not be your "executive in charge of pegs"?? She gets to carry the peg-bag, pass them to you as needed and you both sing silly songs like Jake the Peg etc as you hang up clothes!!

When my eldest was 3, I showered when she was asleep. Or sometimes she "showered" with me. Or "cleaned" the bathroom while I showered.

With the other two, I stuck the tv on and told the eldest to tell me if the younger ones wandered off to do something dangerous. And showered fast.

They all liked "helping" me with the washing.

Um I just do it . I tell them what I am about to do, ask if they want to come with me outside or to the shower and do it. We have few dangers about so I am not too worried about that. I clean, hoover, shower, hang washing out and cook generally without a thought, unless one of them is having a tantrum or needs a cuddle. Have two under 4, can understand more problems if there are babies.

Hanging washing I take the baby with me in bumbo and I leave the 5 and 3 year olds inside/in the garden/playing down the back road wherever they happen to be. Do you really need to watch your 3 year old in the 5 mins it takes to hang washing? Unless your house particularly dangerous (doing it up or something) then surely she will be fine just playing with her toys?

Shower I stick beebies on. Baby in bathroom in bumbo and big ones in front of TV so they don't fight too much while I'm in the shower. I have a downstairs bathroom though and can see down to the living room from it. Without that I'd probably take the 3 year old in the shower too as the problem with a shower is the noise from the water means you can't hear the children.

I hang the washing out when the kid is busy with something else (also aged 3) unless I want 'help' i.e. to have to pick her up so she's at washing line height and then help her use the pegs.

I have a bath/shower when DP is around, or the kid is asleep.

I have been know to quickly 'drop the kids off at the pool' while she is on her potty.

I agree that you just have to get on and do it.. bring her outside let her use chalks on the floor or hold the pegs etc.. what does she normally do when she plays outside?

O.k. maybe I am being a bit over anxious! I will take her outside with me though.

I don't want to leave her in house alone as I have an older child who is playing out, he often comes and goes but sometimes leaves the front door open. this is a worry as we are not far from a busy road and also lots of people use our road as a cut through. The older child has more road sense. I wouldn't want her to get out of the house (out the front) on her own.

Having a shower- either stick the tv on or tell them to play in their room ( next door to the bathroom). I leave the bathroom door open and more often than not they prefer to play the hilarious game of pulling back the shower curtain and shouting ' I can see your boobies'

Hanging washing out thry usually 'help' or play in the garden.

shower in the evening instead.
peg duty and ride on toys in the yard.

I have a 19 month old who happily watches while I have a (very quick) shower - his rubber duckies entertain him while I have a quick wash. But I'm sure it's harder with two, not sure what I'll do when he's older. Sorry, no help.

DD is 2 and still unhappy to be left for long without me. She always helps me put the washing on, pull it out, and. Hang it up.

Shower I never take with her alone, DH is home or I shower in the morning before leaves even if I end up doing my hair later. I go to the loo with DD. On the odd occasion DD and I needed a bath at the same time I would just hop in the bath with her,then put her in the car seat while I dried off.

I have a small ground floor flat so DD can't go far - if I hang the washing up she's next to me in the living room, if I have a shower I can see her in the living room! One of the few benefits of a tiny flat...!

i showered before DH went to work and he does the same now that i do. if i was working stupidly early, he sometimes plonked DS1 in his travel cot later on with a few toys and books and Cbeebies on. he's almost 3 now so could probably escape if he wanted, although he finds travel cots a novelty so might like it.

our back garden is secure so toddler could come out to play, with baby parked in pram. house isn't 100% baby and toddler proof so i wouldn't like to let him roam!

it will be more interesting as baby DS2 gets bigger i imagine...

Look at it a different way... what would you do if you were a lone parent?

If I had waited for another adult to be around to watch the 3yo so that I could shower I'd have smelt so bad that people would have been crossing roads to avoid me

If I have a shower my 2 year old either comes with me or plays in his room (with a gate on his door).

Hanging out washing he either comes outside or plays in the house.