A typical day

[wobblyknicks]

What was your typical day as a SAHM with a 14-month old?? Just asking because dd used to be very happy playing in her playpen by herself and used to get really whingy if I spent too much time playing with her and 'interfering'. Now she seems to want interaction all the time and I'm not sure what I should be doing with her all the time - would really like to know what the rest of you did all day and whether I'm stressing too much about 'activities' or whether I'm a lazy cow!!!

Dare I suggest you have another one? Not now this minute, you probably don't feel up to it!, but in the near future. I found all my worried about playing with ds1 ended moreorless the day I had ds2. They keep each other entertained. Sorry, not much help. Your day and your worries sound normal to me.

nursery or playgroup

Lol lonelymum - if I had another one I'd end up in an asylum!!! And I have no bloke, am trying to move out from my parents and make ends meet so not the best time to have a baby!!! But thanks for the support - saying I sound normal!!

iota - I take her to a baby group once a week but the mother and baby groups do my head in because they're all so perfect (trust me, they make stepford wives look slovenly) and nursery wouldn't be an option financially unless I was working, which I'm looking into but not much joy yet (very few p/t jobs round here)

swimming once/twice a week, tumble tots once a week, mother and toddler group once or twice a week, daily walks in the park/woods, out shopping once a week (browsing really just for entertainment), visit to grandparents once a week. all this ensured dd played happily on her own when at home but we still had a 'together' play session every day (painting, puzzles, books,cooking, just playing with toys etc)

If you are with your parents, do they run the house or you? What I mean is, I can't interact with my kids as much as I would like because I am always chasing my tail with housework (and MN!) but if I didn't have too much in the way of those responsibilities, I would play away with them all day. The time will soon come when they don't want you around....
Did I offend when I said you sounded normal? Would you rather I hadn't?

Ok branster - you've proved it, I AM just lazy!!! Seems I just need to get out more instead of looking for entertainment around the house - but what about when the weather gets worse?

Wobblyknicks - she's not wandering around in just a t-shirt is she? That's indecent

Sorry to hear that wobs - I was so cr*p at keeping my kids entertained that I kept them both in nursery (p/t) after I was made redundant last yr. So can't offer any advice.....

lonelymum - they 'run' the house but I do have stuff to do, I do at least half the housework and do a lot of pc work for my mum's business so it equates to having to run a house by myself, which was fine when dd liked to play alone but is now stressing me because she wants more involvement. You didn't offend me at all tho, was very pleased to be told I was normal!!!

sb - no, she's in a tee and thin trousers (for once) as its a bit colder today.

iota - no, that is actually a lot of help, its good to know that I'm not the only one who's not a domestic goddess keeping her kids happy all the time while being able to do everything she needs to do too.

wobs - ds2 was a nightmare to look after between the ages of 1 and 2 because he is Dangerboy - turn your back on him for a second and he'd find something dangerous to do - eg standing on the table, top of the cistern, top of the sofa - you get the picture - the sort of dangers you can't remove because a house needs things like furniture and toilets!

One awful week he had 2 black eyes - one done at home - fell off ds1's bed (low pine bed) and banged face on desk and one done at nursery - climbed up the doll's house and slipped.

Oh no!!! You poor thing!!! And I thought I had it bad because dd keeps heading for open doors, tries to fall off the sofa and climbs places where she can bump her head on something higher!!

Suppose I just have to find a job sharpish and try and bury the nagging fears about childcare!!!

wobblyknicks you're not lazy, you just have a lot of things to do which need doing. what i found with dd, was that if i took her out somewhere in the morning (anywhere, even just for a walk) she was more likely top play happily on her own in the afternoon. i think that's because when you're out of the house you are giving 100% attention to your child, and that's what they want, then they can go and play at home on their own and you get on with the rest of your work.

cheer up wobs - only another 10 months to go before the terrible 2's

Gotta go and look busy now - cook some food for the kids - ds2 is almost 3 now, so he's survived all his dangers so far

thanks branster - I'll give it a go!! iota - thanks for the confidence - I can't wait, lol!!!!

and when the wather is bad, you can still go out for a walk in the rain (they actual;ly like that I think) wearing suitable clothes or put aside a box of paints/colouring and sticker books, crafts stuff and set aside a specific amount of time you'd spend with dd in the morning doing fun things. or just put some music on and 'dance' together. failing all this, buy a lot of children's videos and hope for the best!

Thanks branster