When did you start doing activities with them?

Ruby_Tuesday

I think my boys are bored.  They are couped up in the house all day with the nanny.  Then on weekends we take them places but it's mostly to places like target where they are stuck in their carseats the whole time.  It's not exactly what you would call enriching activities. 

I kind of thought this was normal for this age, at least for multiples.  But, I went to a local MoM meeting tonight and a mother of 4 mo. old twins said that she took hers to Gymboree already and they loved it.  I feel kind of crappy that I'm not doing anything with mine.  I don't even know how I would until they can sit up unassisted. With just DH and I to take them anywhere, they are pretty much stuck in their carseats or at least one of them is, you know?.  I'm also feeling a little guilty for being a working mom so anything we do is pretty much restricted to the weekends.

I guess I'm just venting.  Any feedback would be appreciated.

chickaboo1974

I am a SAHM and have not taken my two out to those type of activities (I have been on lock down because of RSV peak season) - plus some places I have looked into have said that each child has to have a parent so well that leaves mulitples out. 

My library has "classes" for 4m-18m olds on a 5 week rotation- it has music, exercises, and reading/storytelling.  They have them at night too- you might see if your library offers something like this.  DH and I plan on taking our duo to the classes that start in May.

Leigh71

Holy cow!!  At 4 months? 

My girls are 8 mos. and we are just now signing them up for swimming lessons at a local pool/community center.  DH and I had to figure out when he could go, because he is always at work.  I took my DS (singleton) to all kinds of stuff...Kindermusik, Gymboree, Aquatot swimming, Library time, etc.  but it was SO easy with 1.  with 2, 3 or 4, babes our hands are full.   I always hesitate to enroll in stuff because if I go alone, I'm not always sure the instructor would help me out with baby #2.

 

caden

I'm a SAHM and I doubt I'm doing more than your nanny, as far as activities go. The weather is horrible here so we hardly go anywhere, and when we do my kids are stuck in their car seats. My mind boggles at the thought of Gymboree. It's limiting, like you said, when they can't sit up/crawl/walk and even more limiting is that they aren't awake all that long before needing a nap (since it takes me a while to feed them). Does it really matter if they do their tummy time at home vs some place they won't remember? I hope not b/c my kids will be dumb as rocks if that kind of variety matters.

Ruby_Tuesday

So you are saying she's the weird one, not me.  Good!

kafunder

We haven't taken them to any activities either. I swear my kids probably have every aisle of target memorized given how many times they've been there both in utero and since they've been born.  

I'd like to start taking them to new things soon when the weather gets warm and they can sit up, but for now, we're settling on trying to take them to places that are at least interesting to look at from their stroller, like walks to new parts of our neighborhood, down to the cherry blossoms in DC, local nature preserves, etc. However, ours do get to daycare three days a week and to MIL's house two days a week, so in my mind, I try to get past my guilt over sending them to daycare by saying that at least they are seeing new places.

leslie13510

What Gymboree did she find that allows her to take two kids by herself (unless you mean she has someone who goes with her)?  There are actually very few classes that I'd even be able to enroll the duo in because it's just me and them with DH deployed.  Most of them have that stupid "one adult per child" rule up until like age 3 or something it seems. 

To answer your question: The only thing even remotely resembling a class that they've done so far is story time at the library.  That lasted about a month, and then once they both started walking it was a disaster, because they refused to sit there.  We haven't been back since.  And I guess if you want to call going to daycare once a week for 4 hours an "activity" they do that too.  They get to socialize and play with friends and I get a few hours of relative sanity. 

Now that they're 2, I signed them up for a kinder dance class down on base that starts next month, and I am SO excited for that!  I won't even need to be in the room with them, and they both love to dance, so hopefully it'll be a win. 

 

Ruby_Tuesday

leslie13510:

What Gymboree did she find that allows her to take two kids by herself (unless you mean she has someone who goes with her)?  There are actually very few classes that I'd even be able to enroll the duo in because it's just me and them with DH deployed.  

I think she did have someone with her.  My thinking was that if I was a SAHM I might be able to get my MIL to do things like this with us sometimes, but then that still leaves one baby so I don't know that this is a solution anyway.  I guess I didn't really think it through.  I just thought... she's awesome and her babies are having fun and I suck...the end.

leslie13510

Ruby_Tuesday:

leslie13510:

What Gymboree did she find that allows her to take two kids by herself (unless you mean she has someone who goes with her)?  There are actually very few classes that I'd even be able to enroll the duo in because it's just me and them with DH deployed.  

I think she did have someone with her.  My thinking was that if I was a SAHM I might be able to get my MIL to do things like this with us sometimes, but then that still leaves one baby so I don't know that this is a solution anyway.  I guess my brain processed the experience this way... she's awesome and her babies are having fun and I suck...the end.

LOL, no it's more like, "If she's paying hundreds of dollars for classes for 4 month olds, what kind of crazy activities is she going to force them to do later?"  Don't feel bad.  Seriously, even if you have the time for it, it's a bit overkill at that age (IMO anyway).  When they're older and can really enjoy and participate in classes, then find something to take them to on the weekends (even if it's just to the park or child-friendly museums), but for now it's really not a big deal. 

MrsLnt

We've been on RSV lockdown so we haven't been too many places with the babies.  Every day it's the same thing: bottles, playmat, naptime, swing if they wake up mid-nap and won't go back down.  I do rotate who gets which playmat, and which toys, and sometimes during playtime, I'll put them in bouncies and read a story.  I can't imagine that they'd get too much out of a Gymboree class right now. 

Even as a SAHM, I feel pretty much restricted to the weekends to doing stuff because I'm intimidated at being outnumbered and most of my family works during the day.    Also, like Caden said, once everyone is fed and changed, there's not that much time left before naptime.  

The most "activity" I've done with mine is take them on walks around our neighborhood, or to the lakefront when the weather has been nice.  We took them to Mardi Gras, but that was not something I would have done alone; it was DH and me for one day of parades and DH, my mom and me for Mardi Gras day.  

I think the other MoM is the crazy one, not you!

juliannat

caden:

I'm a SAHM and I doubt I'm doing more than your nanny, as far as activities go. The weather is horrible here so we hardly go anywhere, and when we do my kids are stuck in their car seats. My mind boggles at the thought of Gymboree. It's limiting, like you said, when they can't sit up/crawl/walk and even more limiting is that they aren't awake all that long before needing a nap (since it takes me a while to feed them). Does it really matter if they do their tummy time at home vs some place they won't remember? I hope not b/c my kids will be dumb as rocks if that kind of variety matters.

ROFL, mine too! Our outings so far have been to the doctor, chiro, RSV clinic, Ikea and Panera. We were going to go to Home Depot today (crazy, I know!) but it snowed AGAIN.

It bugs me that you encountered a smug mom at your MoMs meeting...I kinda hoped that these meetings were supposed to be a "safe" place!

blondek8

I took the guys to a play group a couple of times when they were 3 months old. It was more for my sanity to get the eff out of the house. It was alright, but I haven't gone back since February. Meh. I'd like to take them to swimming lessons but I think I'll hold off for awhile. Mainly b/c the thought of putting on a bathing suit is terrifying ..

Better weather is coming here soon (I hope) so they'll have a bunch of other fun sights and smells to get used to. I can't wait to just take them in the backyard and let them roll around.

AFaul

I'm a SAHM and I haven't signed my kids up for anything. The thought of trying to get both of them ready and to the class on time, and then the thought of supervising both during the class wears me out. Plus IMO that is a lot of money to spend on tummy time and songs (things they can all do for free at home). I do meet with other moms for lunch, mall walks, etc but that is really more for me than for my girls.

 

LakeGenevaBride

Um, my babies are 9 months and I haven't taken them to any classes.  The most exciting thing they do is go to the gym daycare for an hour a couple times a week.  (I mostly go so I can take a long hot shower without hearing crying)