Coping strategies with two under 2s - what are yours?

[Em32]

Is it me or does anyone/has anyone found it difficult leaving the baby crying whilst bathing and putting the older one to bed? I feel like evil psycho bitch mother from hell on wheels when I have to do the routine on my own Did feel better though when found out that my friend straps her 2 year old into his highchair in front of a DVD (so he can't escape) while he eats his dinner and she baths and feeds the baby. She's also weaning using jars this time and it was all Annabel Karmel last time.

Well hopefully it won't be too much longer before you can start doing things with them together then.

Interesting thread! Could someone please tell me that it gets better as they get older. I think I cope quite well when in the house and have always bathed them together (DD26 months DS 9 months) but it's the getting out and about that fecks me off. It's such a faff. To get out usually means chasing after DD to get her coat/shoes on. Struggling with DS to get his coat on. Then getting them into the car or either taking out the double buggy which means I struggle to push it and can't get in anywhere with it or go for the single one and DD walks. Then if it rains it's a faff to get the cover on. If it's the single buggy, DD liable to wander off whilst I'm faffing unless she's on one of those leash things but then she gets playful and pulls at it like a terrier anyway.
After all that I get home eventually and realise I've forgotten what it was that I went out for in the first place. arrrgggggggggg
From the person who intended wrapping some presents but forgot the sellotape.
Oh and I also had to faff at Morrisons coz their wide aisle was out of order so a helpful assistant had to cue with my shopping whilst I waited at the other side of the till with my two whinging children. IF I stay in it is easier but then I'm bored **less
Please please pleaes someone tell me it gets better

I had 16 months between the boys and my greatest help was a playpen in the early days, as DS1 is pretty unrelenting on the attention stakes. It does depend on your child and I've heard girls are a lot easier.

I used to feed DS2 while DS1 was in the pen watching CBeebies, then DS2 would go into the pen to be safe while DS1 ran and played outside.

Logistics at the supermarket and bath/bed were a bit harder, but DS2 is now 10 months and things are so much easier, it really doesn't take long before you get used to it all. They both sleep between 1 and 3.30 so that I get a good break which makes all the difference. I've also got DS1 going to a preschool nearby as he's now 2, so I get a bit of time for DS2.

ASK for help though. I definitely went a bit chicken oriental around the 4 month mark as I was sooo desperate to do everything for DS2 as per DS1. I think you do need to be prepared to let the standards slip a bit to stay sane

Pagan Tell me about it. Getting out is a nightmare especially when ds1 won't give someone else's trike back in the park and throws a massive wobbler. I dread it when I see someone heading to the park with child with scooter/mini buggy/trike/ride on car in tow.... Also he won't have reins, wants to walk but is too dangerous if he does walk.

Pagan. it definitely gets easier.
last year I had 3, the oldest was 4 and not totally sensible on roads. the 2 year old was manic. going out was stressful I always felt I was about to lose one or two of them.

but a year on it's totally different.
for example my older two are 5 and 4 and this year they are so much more sensible near roads, in shops, etc. so going out is a lot easier than a year ago. moving on from a double buggy back to a single (where we're at now, with an 18 month old dd3) was a big plus too in terms of getting out. and i really look forward to a year or two's time when we'll be buggyless and nappyless.