days at home--typical day?

brachysira · May 2014

I feel like this used to come up all the time when LOs were smaller. If you SAHM or are home some days, what does a typical day look like? Include a few days if you do really different schedules. We are watching too much TV and I need motivation to change it up.

pb_bride · May 2014

I'm SAHM and DS is 19m. With him just recently switched to 1 nap (18m) and the weather is finally warmer/nicer, this is what we typically do (everything is give-or-take 30 minutes)

7:30-8a wake-up

8a-10a b'fast, get ready/get dressed

10a-11:30a out for toddler activity (play dates, library story time, playground etc)

11:30a home for lunch

12-1p play at home; read; wind-down for nap

1p-3'ish nap

3'ish-4p snack

4p-6p out for walks/playground, or sometimes play dates

6p-6:30p home - he usually does independent play while I cook

6:30p dinner

7:15-7:45p read with DH

7:45p bedtime routine starts, bed by 8:15p

Our TV is never on when DS is awake. We live in New England so we don't get to spend too much time outdoors, so I'm taking advantage of that as much as possible right now. If it's rainy, we go to a library, or to friend's house, or to a mall just to walk around.

Our days are fairly scheduled because that's when he does best (knows what to expect, knows when to nap etc). The only thing that varies is where we go - some days we have "class", some days we go to the art museum (they have toddler play dates on Mondays), some days we go to story time, some days I drive into town and visit a part of town, some days it's just grocery shopping with me (you get the idea).

On weekends when DH is home, we will go out for lunch on one of the weekend days.

brachysira · May 2014

Good job moms. We didn't watch TV before I got pregnant, but now that we do, I don't hate it. At 16 months, she knows a ton of words from it. However, we cannot waste all day doing that. We used to do 2 library storytimes, 1 morning playgroup, and 3 afternoons at the park, but the library and morning playgroup are off for the summer. It is such a bummer to have our favorite activities not available. I suspect the neighbor, who has a 2 year-old, is on a hyper schedule because he comes outside at 4:30 every day and also is reading, so they must do some kind of home educational thing. I don't believe in trying to formally educate my 1 year-old, but I do want to add in more structure so we use what we have more. Most of the museum, nature center, etc. programs here start at age 2 and I asked one place if we could come (and it was a costly program) and they said no. So I guess we can visit on our own sometimes and then we can do more regular mom and M playtimes at home.

brachysira · May 2014

Heh, well, she definitely didn't learn "Peppa Pig" "map" "go, go, go, go," or "backpack" from us. However, maybe she would have learned more words if I was talking to her during those times. Pregnancy has just taken it out of me, or we'd be on the go more. She also just needs to decompress from some events and is only doing one nap so TV is a "good" way for her to rest when we've just been at the splash pad for 2 hours. I just need to tell myself that we'll get out puzzles, do playdough or similar, do some kind of drawing, and read each day. We do read every day, but it is haphazard, and I'd like us to at least spend a little bit of time on scheduled reading instead just looking at books when we trip over them. But good news--I just learned about an outdoor morning playgroup once/week, so that's something.

dufferoo · May 2014

We never watch TV. The keys to my sanity are: #1 family-friendly gym membership, and #2 playing outside as much as possible! I work 2 out of 5 days during the week, but I am off Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This is what we usually do on those days: 7:00 wakeup, breakfast, get dressed, play with my daughter and her friend. 8:20 walk older girls to school, sometimes we extend this into a longer stroll around neighborhood. 9:00 head to gym where he goes to childcare while I workout and shower. 10:30 grab snack at gym Subway, then play together in play area with other kids. 11:15 head home, have lunch, play inside with toys or outside in yard with dirt, water toys, etc. (sometimes this turns into a walk around block.) 12:30 naptime 2:30 wake up, play a little/read books. 3:00 walk up to school to pick up older daughter. Play on the playground while we wait. 3:30 head home, share snack with sister, run around like a madman. 4:15 my husband gets home from work, so he usually takes ds for walk or supervises him outside so I can de-compress a minute before starting dinner. 5:30 dinner. 6:00 more playing outside or inside with toys. 6:30 bath-time/getting ready for bed. 7:00 nursing and then lights out.

brachysira · May 2014

Thanks. Outside is more of an option now--we go out in the early morning unless it is raining and do some water play in the late afternoon. Was winter for like 9 months, and now that I am pregnant, we don't go outside when it is over 80 or I throw up. I definitely want to set up a space to run around in the basement, but I have to wait until the cat dies because he is nearing the end and that is his domain. DH does not get home until 6:30 so that is rough. I usually make food in the crockpot so I do not have to try to get dinner ready so late. A gym membership sounds key and it is what a lot of moms in my town do, but baby 2 is not going into that sort of situation until he's had some vaccinations, and so I'll probably wait a year or so. Totally sounds like a good way to spend the morning tho! And maybe I will meet some other moms.

dufferoo · May 2014

I can't imagine running after my toddler all day with the added fatigue of pregnancy on top! If I were in your shoes, I would probably just be in "survival mode," and not worry too much about the formal education for now. I've always subscribed to the belief that toddlers learn everything they need through play, and you will hopefully have lots more energy down the road when all the educational stuff becomes more important. In the meantime, I just gotta say it again, JOIN A GYM, even for the few months of summer. Even when I'm too tired to actually work out, I still drop off my son, and just do easy stretches, sometimes even while reading a magazine, and then I take my shower all by myself! It's a wonderful way to charge your batteries and break up the day a little bit. Plus, if you go to a family-type gym, there might be a pool to take your tot in, and there will likely be other kids hanging around to help entertain him, and of course moms to chat with.

pb_bride · May 2014

brachysira said:

Good job moms. We didn't watch TV before I got pregnant, but now that we do, I don't hate it. At 16 months, she knows a ton of words from it. However, we cannot waste all day doing that. We used to do 2 library storytimes, 1 morning playgroup, and 3 afternoons at the park, but the library and morning playgroup are off for the summer. It is such a bummer to have our favorite activities not available. I suspect the neighbor, who has a 2 year-old, is on a hyper schedule because he comes outside at 4:30 every day and also is reading, so they must do some kind of home educational thing. I don't believe in trying to formally educate my 1 year-old, but I do want to add in more structure so we use what we have more. Most of the museum, nature center, etc. programs here start at age 2 and I asked one place if we could come (and it was a costly program) and they said no. So I guess we can visit on our own sometimes and then we can do more regular mom and M playtimes at home.

I am really surprised there aren't more toddler (under 2) activities where you live. But of course, being pregnant with a toddler changes the equation too; I can only imagine how exhausting it can be. Having said that, there are music class, toddler gym class, swim class, & programs at animal/community farms near us that welcome kids under 2. Moreover, some days I take my son to the library even when there aren't any scheduled story time. It's just a safe place for him to wander around without people side-eyeing me. FWIW, there are 4 different towns' libraries I can go to that are within a 15-min drive from my house. Have you checked any of your nearby towns' libraries? The library in the town I live in, don't have many toddler activities at all... I tend to go to neighboring towns' ones.

How about local zoos or aquariums? We took a membership at the aquarium this year so we can visit any time. It's an option when summer gets too hot to be outside.

I also second PPs' suggestion of joining a gym. Even if you don't work out much, you can still drop off your LO and get some time to yourself. Plus, most gym membership gives you a discount for baby swim classes.

[Deleted User] · May 2014

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LisaLisa1980 · May 2014

emberlee3 · May 2014

Ugh, being pregnant with a toddler is rough. When I was pregnant with DD, I begged DS to watch shows because I had horrible migraines every day. He only wanted to race cars. Luckily, I was only miserable until about 14 weeks. On my days off, we did story time or play dates, took walks, or just played at home.

His daycare schedule always included both fine motor and gross motor activities, so I tried to do the same. Also, sensory play, cooking, and helping with chores are great for young children.

zbeesma86 · May 2014

I'm a SAHM. DD is 22 months (holy cow time flies!)

She's up around 7:30/8am.
We get dressed and come downstairs.
Eats breakfast (I usually put a show on while she eats- Guppies or MMCH)
I go for a run and she sits in the stroller
Go to the park and play for an hour/hour and a half. Or splash pad.
Go home and have lunch
Nap 12:30/1-2:30/3
Wakes up/ snack
Go to the library, go out and play (chalk, kick the ball, run around), get out her pool, go to a different park.
Come in and I'll put the TV on for dinner prep while she plays.
Dinner.
TV time
Bedtime routine at 7:45/8 (bath, reading, cuddles, talking)
Bed at 8:45/9 (rock her)

Depending on weather and other activities usually determines if we are inside after nap. If we go to the beach all morning and afternoon and she takes a small snooze on the beach, we will come home around 2 or 3 and she will just hang out and play with the TV on in the background. It all depends.

MrsBigTime · June 2014

I try to get out of the house every day. Wether it's running errands or meeting a friend for a playdate or whatever, we have something planned for most days. I've also joined a local Baby Bootcamp, so three days a week DD and I go to the park and I workout while she sits in the stroller. Sometimes we'll play after, sometimes we go onto another playdate, sometimes we just go home after.

A typical day looks like this:

8 am: (on a good day!) Awake, breakfast, maybe a TV show (Daniel Tiger or Winnie the Pooh)

8:45 am: get dressed

9:00 - 11:00: Bootcamp (including drive times)

11:30 - 2:30: Nap time

2:30: Lunch

3:00: Errands/walk to splash pad

5:00: Back home, independent play while I am in the kitchen

6:00: Dinner

6:30: Playtime (read books, build blocks, play together)

7:00: Bath

7:30: Jammies, stories, snuggling

8:00: Bed

a13049 · June 2014

I don't have a hard rule against tv dd at this age doesn't seem to be interested for a long period if time anyways. We wake up at 7, if she wakes up before that we usually bring her to our bed and she watches barney or bubble guppies until 7.

7 we make and eat breakfast nothing elaborate as dd is yelling and signing eat eat eat until she is fed
8 am dh goes for he gym and we go to the park, if it's raining we go to the indoor playground at the mall

10 come home have a snack play in the playroom

1130 lunch time

1- fun activity for the day, could be visiting grandma, playing with one of her cousins, pool, water park....

3- nap time
430 wake up, play with daddy while mommy cooks
530 dinner
630 clean up play tine
730 bath
8- cuddles story bed
She watches tv while falling asleep

skibunny59 · June 2014

I'm not a SAHM but I am a teacher so I have summers off and lots of breaks throughout the year. DD just turned 2 in March. Honestly, we don't really have much time to turn the tv on.

The only thing we really have a set schedule for is meals, naps, and bedtimes so I'll just give you an idea of what we do in between those times.

If it's nice out we spend most of the day outside. We walk the dog, go on the scooter, play in the backyard in the sand and water table, her slide or her house. Sometimes we will go for a bike ride (I have an Ibert seat for her on my bike). She likes to go in her little tykes car. Sidewalk chalk is fun. Bubbles, playing in the baby pool, etc. We also go to the playground or sometimes we go to this park by our house that has tons of walking trails. We bring the dog, have a picnic, etc. There's also a great community pool with a splash area for the little ones. We also live right by the beach so we spend a lot of time there in the summer.

We also go to the farm. We buy eggs and produce and DD loves seeing the chickens. There's another farm by us where you can buy animal feed for like $1 and feed the animals.

If it's crummy out: finger paint, play doh, watercolor paints, playing in her kitchen, puzzles, coloring. Hide and seek. A lot of times I'll put music on and we will play instruments or dance. We go to the library or go to the mall and just walk around or play in the play area.

Some other things we do regardless of weather: visit with friends or family, go on errands (Seriously, stuff that I find so mundane like going to the supermarket, DD loves it and I let her "help" me.) She also loves to help me cook.

Anyway, the day goes by in a blink if you keep busy. I'm also signing DD up for swim lessons this summer which will also keep us busy. I feel for you on being tired though. I am also pregnant and am exhausted especially with working. Blah. I can't wait for summer vacation.

I also understand about not as many programs being offered during the summer. My library seems to have a ton of programs during the school year but not as many in the summer which is a bummer since that is when I'm home. But our library still has a great kids area with puzzles, color tables, etc. so DD still enjoys going and it's something to do.

Also, you could still take your LO to a museum or nature center on your own. Most of the times they are cheap and admission is free for your LO.

lana22 · June 2014

my day seems similar to many others on here, although i'm horrible about planning crafty things, and it's hard with my kids close in age but not quite at same stage. i'm a big tv watcher but decided before ds1 was born to leave tv off during the day. i'll put on march madness and world cup will be on A LOT this summer, but overall i stick to it.

wake up around 6:30/7am, eat breakfast

play around house, sometimes outside. if ds2 is up before 7 i plan for two naps and will very occasionally run errands before he goes down for first nap.

8:30-9:30 - ds2 naps and i'll take ds1 outside,or read, color, play around house. sometimes we'll have people over. s

11 - head out for morning excursion once ds2 is up. sometimes quick snack to tide kids over. if it's a one nap day we head out earlier and start lunch a little earlier. gym, park, library, friend's house, or grocery store are main stops, although sometimes i'll just make up an errand so i have somewhere to go! haven't been to target in awhile? ok, we'll go there!

12/1 - lunch

1:30/2 - put both kids down for nap. now that i'm pregnant i usually nap myself, but i used to watch tv or surf internet. this is my big break of the day!

3:30/4 - wakeup, quick snack, play outside or meet friends at park, go to friend's house, run errand, etc.

5:30 start dinner

6:30 upstairs to play and put ds2 down - ds1 plays in upstairs playroom if dh isn't home yet

7:30 ds1 is in bed

RELAX!!!

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