SAHM to a 4 year old and an 8 month old

[Isittoomuchtoask]

And I feel like I spend most of our time telling my 4 year old off 😫 He is the sweetest thing but obviously he is a 4 year old, so he is curious and wild and everything else that comes along with it.

The baby makes it impossible to explain why he can’t do something every single time. Baby also makes it impossible to give eldest the attention he craves. He wants to play with me 24/7.

We have no village. Their dad works and home in the evenings. I feel guilty as hell, he just wants to play and I don’t have the time to do it all day, and I find it so hard to gentle parent effectively now I have the 2 of them.

I go to bed at night really sad about it.

Anyone else?

It's really hard. Same here DD1 is 4 and baby is 8 months. I feel like I end up telling her off and she's still so young herself. I do find she's got much better lately, she is nearly 4.5 so not sure if it's an age thing.

Does DS have any special friends? I've found arranging play dates / days out with her friends mums helpful. Gets us out, DD is occupied with her friend, gives me more hands for the baby. Other mothers are also helpful if I need a hand. Nice to have adult company.

I also try to focus on DD when baby is napping. Sometimes she will nap for 1/1.5 hours at a time. I try and do 10-15 mins of cleaning to keep on top of stuff and then play the rest of the time. Leave the rest of the housework until the evening if possible. I'm lucky that DH works from home and might do some washing up etc on his lunch break to keep on top of things as well.

Im trying to go with the flow and enjoy her company the last few weeks of the summer as she will be in full time school on September and I anticipate it might be a little bit easier then (though I'm sure someone will be along shortly to tell me that's not the case).

I'm sure your doing a great job x