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Original poster

How do people gets things done with an active baby in the house?

43 replies

Gateau · 09/07/2008 12:09

I mean essential things like going to the loo, having a shower, making dinner, cleaning the kitchen etc etc etc..
Our darling 14 month old DS is an extremely active little boy and is into EVERYTHING. He can't be left alone for a minute unsupervised.
I do as much as I can during his morning nap, but other than that put him in his playpen - for no more than 20 mins-30 mins at a time (twice a day at most).
He doesn't mind it as much as he used to (tho he gets peeved off after a while) and I feel it forces him to play independently with his toys - which he rarely does otherwise as he wants to be with me all the time. (often causing havoc!)

OP posts:

katpotat · 09/07/2008 15:31

My standards really dropped after having a baby who could move!. Used to be Monica from friends according to my sister!...lot more relaxed now, I know I am not wonder woman. LO likes to help though especially laundy

Original poster

Gateau · 09/07/2008 15:34

Starlight, I don't understand why you can't understand???!
how can a house possibly be made as 'safe as a playpen' when there are things like hearths to trip over and bang their heads on (my DS isn't walking yet, but is nearly there, but is crawling and climbing on things!)not to mention a multitude of objects to climb on and duly fall off?

OP posts:

littleboyblue · 09/07/2008 15:40

In the early months, I used to take ds with me when I showered or needed the loo, it got beyond a joke though to not be able to poo/wash in peace! Sorry TMI
From about 4 months I started securing him in a bouncy chair (off the bounce) infront of the telly. I know it's not recommended but the thing is a life saver.
Now ds is 11m, and we are moving this weekend, I'm getting a travel cot to act as a playpen for these sorts of times.

I thought about all this before ds was born and decided that I wasn't going to pick him up the minute he started crying or else I wouldn't get abything done, now he can play on his own and is perfectly happy.

Your house is never going to be 100% childproof, but what I've done is made sure he can't get into kitchen and that all wires are secured to skirting.

StarlightMcKenzie · 09/07/2008 15:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mrsshackleton · 09/07/2008 15:51

Be a total slob, it's worked for me
I can't shower with dd2 in the room as she tries to crawl in with me. And when I'm on the loo she crawls in to the shower stall and gets soaked. so totally sympathise. One thing I found works/ed with both dds is to give them "Their" cupboard in the kitchen full of plastic they can't break and allow them to chuck everything from it on to the floor. This can keep them occupied for ages but it only works if you have high mess tolerance (mine is stratospheric). Even then it's not always successful in which case go out. It's not an easy time but it passes and then you are dumb enough to go through it all again

FAQ · 09/07/2008 16:46

Gateua - they'll climb onto and fall over things even if you're in the room with them, so you may as well go tot he toilet and leave them to discover for themselve what happens when they do x,y,z - they're very clever little things actually - 95% of the time they're very quick learners - they generally don't repeat the same thing that "hurt" too many times

StarlightMcKenzie · 09/07/2008 16:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

FAQ · 09/07/2008 16:53

I#ve NEVER been to the toilet, or had a shower with any of the DS's - and DS1 is 7 now

mrsshackleton · 09/07/2008 18:03

faq you are very lucky, don't rub it in

FAQ · 09/07/2008 18:27

lucky?

No - I didn't say I'd had peaceful toilet trips and showers - I just said that they didn't come into the room.

Doesn't mean to say they didn't cry,whinge, whine, shout complaints (depending on age of said child)

elmoandella · 09/07/2008 19:55

my ds(2.5) has figured out he can get the locks open from the outside if he uses a piece of his thomas track!!!

now given up completely of peacfull loo breaks

CrushWithEyeliner · 09/07/2008 19:59

cebebees of course

FrayedKnot · 09/07/2008 20:11

As others have said - you just don;t!

When you want to get soemthing important done you hand them over to Daddy / Granny / strangers plucked off the streets and work like a maniac to achieve whatever it is in the tiny window of opportunity

And when they reach 4 you sigh a huge sigh of relief and start to be able to hoover around them

A good tip though is to have a cupboard or box in each room of stuff - anything really that you think might interest them - plastic bowls, cups, pots, in the kitchen, empty plastic bottles, hairbrushes, in the bathroom, etc.

DS used to love my bedside cupboard so I cleared anything un child-friendly out of it and he just used to empty it every morning and scatter the contents aorund the room while I showered - it kept him happy for long enough

House was ruthlessly childproofed with stairgates, cupboard locks and things put up high if necessary, so I knew wherever he was he was relatively safe.

FrayedKnot · 09/07/2008 20:21

Just noticed Gateau, you said about teh not yet walking bit.

That stage is hell but in reality it only lasts a month or two.

If you can, make a couple of rooms as child friendly as possible and live in them.

We used our dining room as a playroom for about 6 months - all it had in it was a sofa and DS toys. We shut off the living room and didn;t use it except in the evenings. I appreciate not everyone can do this, but if you can, it really helps.

meglet · 09/07/2008 20:31

TBH I don't get much done these days with my 20 month DS in the house. I put him in the playpen to go to the loo, put the bins out etc. But otherwise I just have to keep a constant eye on him. Despite the house being seriously child proofed he climbs, throws, bashes and dashes about so I can't keep him in one place for a moment. CBeebies rarely works for him.

I do some tidying during his nap and after bedtime though. Mum / Stepmum take him out too sometimes so I can do housework.

Have tried taking him to the loo with me, he just tries to post toys down the loo while I'm on it .

chewitt · 09/07/2008 20:38

I have a very busy inquisitive 13 month old and he's always getting into mischief. I have managed to get essential jobs like cooking done by putting him in one of those back pack baby carriers. He's usually happy enough in there for about an hour and I can get all sorts done. Its a bit heavy after a while though!

ProfYaffle · 09/07/2008 20:40

Totally agree with ruthless baby proofing, I've got stairgates which corale dd2 into living room and kitchen, all dangerous stuff is up in high cupboards, bottom cupboards just full of stuff that she can (and frequently does) pull out and play with safely such as mixing bowls, scales, spoons etc. Things like bins, cat food etc are behind the stairgates beyond reach. As well as the obvious socket covers, corner cushions, fridge lock type stuff

I think this is the hardest stage, hated it with dd1, couting the days with dd2!

LadyJogsAlot · 09/07/2008 20:47

this is roughly how i get things done:

finger food and a highchair usually buy me enough time to clean kitchen or chop veggies for dinner.

quick tidy up whilst dh baths ds in the evening.

hoovering with ds as he is obssessed with it.

peg basket for ds when hanging out washing.

unfortunately, ironing in the evening.

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