What do you do all day to stop yourself going crazy???

[rosyrabbit]

DD is 10months old. I have never been to any baby groups. But I am going to make an effort to start going.

I feel that we are stuck in the house all the time and I feel fed up. I think dd does too.

How often do you go to baby groups? What else do you do all day?

I feel very lonely at home all day so need to get out and make friends, as I have no other friends that have babies.

Also how often do you have time away from your dc's?

[rosyrabbit]

shitemum - Are you still feeling crazy at home? How old is your dc??

[hellisotherpeople]

i'm in clapham with a 10 month old and no friends with babies... maybe we could meet up!

[Shitemum]

rosy - DDs are 4.7yo and 1.7yo. Have been a fulltime SAHM for about 2 years. Where I live there are no groups to join, at all, and we have no relatives in this country (Spain). Most of my friends work so are never able to meet up during the day and they do things with their families at the weekends - we don't because we have a retail business which is open 7 days a week and DP works there. DD1 is at nursery full-time, DD2 starts in September.
DD2 is taken out by a nanny twice a week for 3 hours. That's the only time I have to myself except the evenings.
It's a lot better now the DDs play together. I just find it really frustrating not being able to do anything I want to do in the house without interruption.

I would suggest you do your very best to find like-minded people with babies.

[S1ur]

Actually its mixed with more than one. They play a bit you see. And then they argue (not so good)

Anyway, surestart good, library, swimming, the occasional p&t, maybe some godawful gymboree thing...

mine were really just cafe babies when little enough not to care, I met friends in parks etc.

ALso, start doing stuff at home that you might need to do/enjoy and she can join in somehow. Gardening/washing floors/painting.

eg I am currently writing some stuff and dcs like to illustrate. in that I tell bits of story and they draw something random.

[rosyrabbit]

hellisotherpeople - maybe we could go to a group together.. Or meet somewherehalf way..

[rosyrabbit]

Shitemum - i'm sure you are not that shite...

It must be very hard work with twi dd's, I hope things get better for you when dd2 starts nursery..

[rosyrabbit]

And when you are going to the baby groups, if you go most days do you find you still have time for cleaning and cooking?

I am finding that as I feel down at the mo housework gets ontop of me alot and sometimes the house is very untidy and unorganised.

Maybe if I am out more and having more fun I might feel more inspired to do more cleaning and cooking.. Or might be too tired to bothered..

[hellisotherpeople]

rosyrabbit, that sounds like the beginning of a plan! sorry about the delay in replying, duty quite literally calling. what do you reckon on somewhere like herne hill as a midway meeting point?

[Thankyouandgoodnight]

I conjour up 2 'jobs' per day that involve leaving the house - e.g. going to local book shop and letting her crawl on the floor / going to the supermarket to buy a lettuce. Are you in to cooking? You could shop each day for dinner that night to force you out. Also find any groups you can, try them all and then just go to the ones you like. It is hard and it is soul destroying but they love watching us doing stuff and going with us, so just a change of scene entertains them and the exercise and fresh air does you good too. Also - go on the bus somewhere....

[Thankyouandgoodnight]

Oh yes - the house stuff - maybe spend a week or two just clearing each room in the house until it's as you would ideally like to keep it and then can you and DH do a quick tidy up each evening to bring it back to that ready for the next day?

A cluttered house is very claustrophobic!

[RedFraggle]

Baby groups 2 x a week.
Food shoping one morning
See parents for the day on one day each week.
Work 2 days
Then weekend!
Also think about trips to the lcal park for a walk, your local library will probably have all sorts on. Ours does Bounce and Rhyme, story time etc. All free and a good excuse to meet other mums and just get out of the house. (pick up some books for your DD and yourself while you are there).

If you are having a bad day getting out for a bit will almost always help.
I have a rather small amount of time away from my DC. Currently, I do an evening class once a week for 2 hours and then I get maybe 2 hours at the weekend if I am lucky. That's it!

At the baby groups just accept that the first time you go you are there settling your child and then you won't worry if you don't pluck up the courage to speak to anyone. Then the the next week plant yourself near to where the mummies you liked the look of were sitting. They almost always have their "favourite area" then you just say "hello". I have been going to the same ones for about 2and a half years now and I keep a look out for the lost souls to say hello to. I'm sure there must be other mums like me...

[tyaca]

helios and rosy, can i crash?? am in s w london with a three month old and going so stir fry i have even started thinking about going back to work

[EffiePerine]

Def get out of the house every day if poss. London is pretty good for child-friendly stuff: local cafes and parks, also try the museums (both local and central) as they are usually v child friendly and have nice cafes (see a theme here?)

[PetitFilou1]

Swimming
Meeting up with NCT friends
Toddler group
Going for walk round the shops
Going to the park (get dd an all in one waterproof suit and she can crawl about if necessary!) and feed the ducks
Soft play areas often have a baby area (but very boring on your own)
Music group (like monkey music, jo jingles etc - there are hundreds in London)
Library - often they have baby music or storytime

I rarely have time away from my dcs unless it is when I am at work (which is why I work partly!) Am pregnant with dc3 so only doing two days but have done three days until recently.