19 month old! Help!!

[Curlysue93]

My 19 month old boy is active and running me ragid. I’m exhausted. I’m loving it and him, we tried for a long time and had a successful ivf run to get him. So he is adored and loved more than life itself. But I’m feeling wacked. He doesn’t need a nursery but I need to find new ways to entertain him. He reads, we walk, go to the park on his trike, go to stay and plays, helps me clean, plays with his toys, watches ma Rachel or pepper pig. Walks out dog. We go swimming. We do all sorts. He is a fantastic eater and loves his food. He has a fantastic diet and drinks lots of water and milk. I just don’t know what else to do. lol. He seems bored of all of this stuff and I’m running out of ideas. I have Crohn’s disease and he is draining me! Help xxx

You say he doesn't need nursery and then go on to describe how he needs nursery.

He needs nursery.

He needs nursery

You are right he doesn’t need nursery, they don’t really socialise until they’re about 3 however it sounds like you may need nursery? Perhaps putting him in for a morning here and there to just give you some respite? Also crohns can be incredibly debilitating so well done for keeping up so far but you do need some downtime as well.

Make sure (assuming there is a partner) is pulling their weight too.

Have to agree, stick him in a nursery or a child minder so he has something else to do/somewhere else to go. Or start teaching him numbers and phonics so he's tiring himself out more by using his brain instead of just being physical

Some other ideas for places to go: soft play, play cafe, city farm, museum, art gallery, zoo, gymnastics hall, trampoline park, theme park (e.g. Gulliver's), toddler cinema screenings, inflatables park, library, aquarium, beach, Pets at Home to see the animals, garden centre, running errands together - obviously depends what is local to you and how child friendly the local museums etc are.

You could try to meet other local mums with similar aged children and do play dates in each others houses.

At home: building with blocks, painting, starting role play with toy food or baby dolls or a dollshouse, singing nursery rhymes and making music with rattles and drums etc and doing action songs, filling washing up bowl with bubble bath and some containers etc and doing water play, playing in the bath, Duplo, shape sorters? I'm struggling to remember what I did with mine at that age in the house to be honest. I do remember it being a difficult age. They don't have great communication skills yet, they have short attention spans, their motor skills aren't that well developed etc. Gets much easier as they get older!

@DinosandRegrets678@coxesorangepippin What an incredibly lazy way to parent! He’s hard work so put him in nursery? Of course he’s hard work - he’s a toddler. Nursery can’t provide anything a parent can’t. The only difference is that the environment is set up to entertain and the staff there are entirely focused on the children - although on a much higher ratio than 1:1.

@Curlysue93You’re doing a great job! Involve him in everything you do - sorting the washing, making meals, talk to him, take him to toddler groups. Don’t even think about numbers or phonics - he’s got the whole world to explore before he needs to make sense of those.

My toddler is the same, go go go from morning till night. Sometimes I stick a chair in the garden for me to chill on. Put some sand in his sand tray, and then place a random bucket at the other end of our garden, then I "time him" to see how long it takes him to take 1 spoonful of sand at a time from the tray to the bucket 🤣 its cruel because he spills most of it, but the determination he uses to carry it all the way and pour into the bucket and then run back for more! Perfect waste of time and energy! Works well with water and cups too.

I am so stealing this idea🤣🤣🤣

Well actually in this case, the mother is actually saying she cannot provide him the stimulation that he needs. So call her lazy then.

Maybe you had a chilled out toddler but mine would not be remotely happy with just what you described. He is like a duracell bunny from the second he opens his eyes. He also instantly smiles when he sees a room full of children so yes, nursery is going to be great for him.

Surprise surprise, many toddlers love nursery.

I really don't know anyone in real life who would be happy to be their toddlers entire source of entertainment 24/7.

As it’s summer buy a couple of tuff trays. We usually use one for sand and one for water but I have used ice, gravel, bark, compost and many combinations to make scenes to play in usually with dinosaurs or just messy play. Pinterest has loads of ideas.
I do wish I had bought one tray with a stand.

Do it 🤣🤣 I make myself a cuppa and everything, best time ever especially when it's warm haha

Try feeding him some locusts, my boy got big and strong because of this and I'm so proud of him. xxxx

lol. Go away.

lol. Go away.

Thanks all. We have building blocks etc . We go soft play too but maybe not often enough. Thank you for all the positive ideas. I’m due on so think I’m just having one of those days. He won’t be going to any childminder or nursery for a long time but thanks for the suggestion. 😘

Thank you: he’s very clever, he can count. He knows all his body parts. Fruits, transport , farm animals etc. he’s amazing. Im due on so think im having one of those days. You are right , he absolutely does not need to be at nursery with strangers all day. We go to a playgroup twice a week where I can stay with him and he loves that. I’m going to try some of these ideas and keep at it x thank you so much xx

He really does not , but thanks for your comments

lol. Go away.

Don't forget to educate shlawgington on the fanny x

We go to musical bumps and sing and dance too. I’ll try these things, thank you so much.

Of course he doesn't need nursery! People are so odd. He doesn't need to be looked after by strangers.

I have an 18 month old. We usually do

Monday: Swimming in the morning and soft play in the afternoon.
Tuesday: A home day but we do walk to the local park, play in the garden and go for a long walk.
Wednesday: Toddler group in a church hall
Thursday: Another toddler group in a church hall
Friday: Outdoor toddler group if weather is nice or Role play cafe if not.

I like to get out everyday even if its just the morning. At home I rotate his toys so he doesn't get bored of them, we have a big toddler friendly garden with sand, water tray, a little house, car, balls, bubble machine, trampoline, slide, bouncy castle and paddling pool if the weather is nice.

He loves soft play so we rotate between a few different ones. We also attend a story babies toddler class on some Saturdays. The library is also good for him to potter around. I recently found a toddler stay and play class at our local gymnastics place, he had such a good time!

I'm finding it hard at the moment though because literally most of what I take him to has stopped for the summer!

OK well I didn't mean to offend. You have Chrohn's, you're exhausted and he's bored. Some childcare is the obvious answer.

Yes, baby that age is best with his mum. But mum also needs a break and most of us can't be perfect all the time. Vast majority are working at this age anyway. Accepting some help doesn't make you a lesser mother. I have only known absolutely amazing nurseries and I don't know anyone in real life who is at home with a toddler 24/7. But you do you. Good luck.

I'll fuck off and hide the thread per your request.