How how how do you do it???!!!

[PinkPeonies22]

How do you cook a meal, or do anything really, with an 11 month old without someone else to look after them while you do it? He used to be happy enough in the jumperoo or sling, but not any more, he wants to climb up my legs, open the dishwasher, crawl underneath the stove. If i put him in playpen he screams, if i put him in the sling he just twists and grabs and tries desperately to get out. Any advice or tips warmly appreciated. Thank you xx

Let them watch, get involved, imitate you.

They can be in a high chair next to where you are prepping, with toy food or real safe food and a toy knife, let them imitate you.

About once/ month I batch cook LOTS of dinners and then get one out of the freezer the night before. Then all I have to do is chuck whatever into the oven/pot and put on sides eg frozen veggies/rice. If I am cooking ill do something super simple and give my daughter her own bits to do. She's over 2 now to sometimes after nursery when she's tires we'll pop on a show

I do think SOMETIMES you just have to let them scream. And this phase doesn't last long, usually. Very soon he'll be able to "help" or watch a little TV or play alone for a bit. This too shall pass.

Batch cook at nap time. It’s the only way. I had Irish twins and no help around (hubby worked away).
Husband used to joke that I should write a cook book for one handed cooking, as I was always cuddling one of the kids whilst attempt to make something.
it might get a bit harder before it gets easier.

Slow cooker
Batch cook

Pan. Wooden spoon.

12 years on she’s an awesome drummer!

Depends on the 11 months old as they are all different but generally you get absolutely nothing done while looking after a baby on your own.

People distract with food or screens or strap them in but all of those are harmful.

I made them cook with me. High chair in front of kitchen island, a vegetable to mangle with a blunt knife (something relatively soft but not too soft, peppers or courgettes are ideal) and they kept busy while I cooked.

As they grew older they actually started to become helpful and now they are both good cooks!

I just left them to play. Tv on, toys out and keep an eye on them.
Baby gates, if needed.

High chair with snacks
A bit of TV
Playpen (mine screams for a minute or so but then starts happily playing)

Also, whenever you can, make at least a double of your dinner so you can have it either the next day or freeze it for later. This way you'll incrementally build your freezer stash without having to spend an entire day or two doing full on batch cooking.

Good luck finding what works best for you!

Harmful? 😂

Prep in the morning, make a sandwich or something for lunch too.
I found the baby was easier to manage in the morning. Would watch tv and see snack.
One pot or one tray dishes are good.
I'd batch cook on the weekends occasionally too.

Solidarity op, I have great difficulty with my nearly 1 year old! She is lively and loves doing dangerous things. It's hard! I used to be able to put her in the high chair and guvs her a wooden spoon / melty puffs / my keys or whatever but now she can stand up in her high chair and threaten to launch herself onto the floor which is terrifying! She can also turn on the oven and press a load of random buttons on the washing machine. I really can't relax for a minute. You're not alone.

Be one meal ahead. Prep lunch before you get them up for the day if you can. Prep dinner during lunchtime nap (or any nap). Pretty much anything can be made in advance and kept in the fridge. If it can't be reheated safely we just eat it cold 😂

Things that are helping me survive:
Easy meals e.g jacket potato
C bee bies
A 'busy box' that only comes out a couple of times a week so it's not just the same old toys and likely to occupy her
I've also trained her 4 and a half year old brother to alert me if she's doing something dangerous. I obviously don't rely on him fully but if he's chilling watching tv in the living room and I'm sorting dinner or whatever in the kitchen then it's handy if he can yell danger if she goes for the tv stand. I obviously check on her loads but can't watch her constantly or we wouldn't eat.

One handed!

Pan and a wooden spoon for the 10 month old. Toddler baking tower for the 1 year old so she can stand up with me and "help" with dinner (play with the ingredients and make an unholy mess)

Hey Duggee. Couldn’t get anything done without Duggee. (It’s only him, no one else will work)

100% this. I had 3 under 3 at one point. No one eats the food anyway! Kids chuck it around or rub it in their hair. Oven chips are your best friend until they're about 4!

It depends on your kid. I had one who I could put in the high chair with yoghurt and berries or similar and let them do messy play, or had them pottering about in a walker thing.

The other wouldn't tolerate any of that but was a better sleeper so I tended to do meal prep whilst they napped.

As others said, use nap time / prep stuff the night before. So minimise what needs to be done at actual meal prep time. Then either TV or pop into high chair / activity station type thing with some finger food. Also, massively lower your expectations re how fiddly your dinners are. It gets easier!

Sometimes you just let them whinge, you have things to do.

I'm sorry-harmful? In what way, exactly? What do you suggest the mothers of multiples do? Or

DD2 wanted to be held constantly. I put her in a backpack while cooking. She was happy as Larry.

Thanks so much for all the great messages and tips. I also really appreciate the solidarity. ❤️. Lots of good stuff in here. We do the wooden spoon and pans a lot, but it doesnt keep him entertained more than 5 or max 10 mins. I dont put him in highchair as if i do, by the time we come to eat, he will be fed up of it and protesting. Like the idea of getting him to cook along with me with vegetable and blunt knife, and being a bit more firm with putting him in playpen. Thank you xx