Amusing dd whilst doing housework...

[Windandsand]

When I am cleaning dd wants to watch tv. I let her war g tv whilst I get ds ready for school and we seem to have got into a habit where she watches tv whilst I clean or do anything.

I think she watches too much tv but am not sure what to do in its place when u am busy. What do you do? Shd refuses to help

How old is she?

She is 3, just.

And definitely won't help you? My ds has taken liking to cleaning skirting boards with baby wipes... if not, maybe just take a few books and toys round the house with you, for her to play with?

Or, could you try to do your cleaning when she's asleep?

She is up at 6! Ds and dd exhaust me tbh - have to housework as I go or it won't get done! How does your day plan out? I have to add ds on after school and if I help him with his reading dd annoys him or wants to watch tv- I don't know what to do- do I let her, how do you split yourself?

Well i imagine my day pans out somewhat differently to yours as I work full time, but guessing weekends must be similar. Could you sit DD down at homework time to do some colouring, or similar reading? Call it her 'homework' so she's copying her big brother?

I tend to do housework on an evening when ds is in bed, or in the afternoon on a weekend when he's asleep.

Could you make use of her 15 hours of funded nursery hours?

i have 4 and am lucky that mine have "helped"

a very excited voice can entice them to help sort socks etc

cleaning the bathrooms the easiest-pop them in bath with a cloth and wask to clean it while you whip round wipe sink,floor etc

i let watch tv while i wash floors or pointless activity

help hang washing on airers/load machine

timer helps

Oh yes that reminds me, saw this on Pinterest - the idea of giving them watercolours to paint the sides of the bath. Having said that, you would have a bath to clean at the end....:o

I don't want to put dd in nursery, so she has a very full life with me except for when I need to Hoover! I just had to get in habit of her helping and it taking longer than her watching tv and it's all done!

I was about to post similar. DS is nearly 3 and doesn't nap. DD is 13m and does. DP and I find the weekend very hard in terms of getting jobs done, especially DIY or tidying out the garage or something. Other than TV, DS won't do much on his own and DD obviously needs watching all the time. I do a lot of ironing at night (and I like to iron so don;t tell me not to) because I think it is just too dangerous to have a hot iron about when DCs are anywhere near. We fantasise about babysitters to take them OUT so we can get on with stuff at home! Sorry, not very helpful, but wanted to say you're not alone!