nothing to do ��

[leannemcn]

Do u always do stuff with ur kid? I have a 4yr old. He is in nursery every afternoon except weekends. What do u all do sat/sun? We never seem to do anything (money tight) I also have bad anxiety so even going out a walk is hard. We stay in a flat and the only family has just moved. Feeling really lost. Son has loads of friends in nursery but never does anything with them. Tried him in clubs but not interested. Feel as tho he is never with other kids.tell me I'm not alone ??

Well I wouldn't worry too much as he is with other children all week. He will be fine with you.
You can cook with him. Four year olds love to cook. Pancakes are easy. Just a few tablespoons of flour, one egg ( four year olds love cracking eggs) and some milk. Cook pancakes in a very small amount of melted butter and serve with lemon juice and honey.
Then there are games. My four year old Gs loves snakes and ladders. We build tents by draping blankets over the table and we sit in the tent having our sandwiches, lit by torches.
I paint with him and we sing songs. I play cars, going in and out of a garage. I make up stories about naughty cats. He loves the Gruffalo book at the moment so I read that endlessly.
You are very important to your Ds and he will be grateful for every minute of quality time you spend with him.
You are helping him to have a happy childhood. Just knowing you are there for him will reassure him. Don't worry so much you are a good and caring Mum and he will love you lots.

Thank u that made my day x

Oh hole that's a lovely list of things you do!
What a wonderful lady you are

Mine were never with other dc at that age either, except at nursery. It wasn't until they were about seven when they started going to other people's houses after school.

And I think its lovely having that down time at home at the weekends. they don't have to be doing stuff all the time. My dd loves playing vets with her cuddly toys and Post Offices which is stamping on bits of paper and then delivering them all over the house wearing a sactchel. (She got this from Lark Rise to Candleford...) I try to keep out of it!

I do play "hairdressers' as this only involves me sttting on a cushion on the floor reading a magazine whilst having all manner of things done to my hair. it is essential that you stay in after this one or you will look like an alien!

Mmmm thanks! But I am getting so much more back. I love my GC so much. Every time I put them before me I am investing in their future.
A happy child grows into ( hopefully) a happy adult.
When I am very old and helpless they might remember me and not think it is a chore to come and see me. It is love that moves people to go the extra mile, not duty.
I get so excited at the thought of seeing them. I really can't do enough for them.
leannemcn you are a good Mum. You have a lot to cope with but you are thinking about your DS s welfare and how you can make it better for him. Very unselfish!

I have anxiety and I combat it by accepting it and getting Beta blockers if it gets too bad.
I have been on a Mindful course which was brilliant and really helped. Taking a lot of exercise each day ( walk 3 miles every morning very quickly whatever the weather, I hate doing it but force myself as it is sort of like medicine) eating healthily and getting enough rest.
Hugs as you need it. Anxiety is so awful.

Leanne - if your DS is in nursery every afternoon then he will enjoy just being at home with his mum. You don't have to be Mary Poppins Watch CBeeBies or put a DVD on!

Ack! I find myself feeling guilty that I don't do a lot with my son. It's been really stressful for me this year, but before we used to do a lot. We used to just do every single puzzle he has and cover the floor with it all (recently had to do all the puzzles in his big puzzle box!), do painting and hand and footprints to make a family picture to frame where I wrote his age on. There's always the old potato stamps!

Sometimes if I was really bored I would get all his toy boxes, tip them out and put every single one of his toys together and have a the room filled with everything ready to play with, like making a little city or something.

We've made cakes, and I've got him craft books with pop-outs to fold and make, and toys that he can make and paint himself. Recently his new thing is going through information books and looking at all the animals as I tell him what bits of their body is what etc. There are some interactive ones that a 4yo might be interested in?
My son is 3 and I got him one with a skeleton and it shows in 3D what all the parts of the body do, with each page you turn it lifts a layer of the body.
Board games and Jenga or dominoes my son likes. We make tunnels and bridges with the bricks for his cars as well.
Or some Jelli-baff... it's messy but they like it! Kinda like that Magic Sand stuff but it's not sand and it's for the bath!

I know it's mind-numbing sometimes being indoors day in and day out with a toddler and having to entertain them 24/7 until bedtime, ha, but you don't need to be constantly doing something with them. He goes to nursery 3 days a week, so sees enough of kids. Even letting them help with cooking dinner or tidying and cleaning gives them something to do. Have a movie night watching Disney/Pixar, any kids films with a load of crap to munch on in a blanket! That is my lazy way of entertaining!