SAHMs to under 1 year olds…what do you do all day?

Question

Genuinely curious… I feel like get nothing done all day and yet we are still kind of bored. Do you make a schedule for yourself or just live day to day? My daughter gets tired of toys quick. We go for walks, parks, and stores but that gets old as well. Is it just my attitude or do others feel this way? Maybe I need to find a playgroup…

Answer

Are you saying you’re bored?? You must only have 1 child. I have 4 ages 4 (will be 5 in July) 3, 20 months, and 3 months. I feel like I don’t get much done during the day, but I’m constantly busy doing things. I guess cleaning with young kids around is like washing dirt with mud. I remember when I had my first, and it was just her (obviously) I just hung out with her all day, I was able to clean, but there wasn’t that much to clean as it’s not like I had other kids making messes or like she could wreck the house yet. It was easy to snuggle her and let her nap on me for her naps cause I didn’t have other kids to tend to. I could play with her, take her outside, read to her, (not that I can’t do those things with my kids now, but it’s a lot more work and hectic with multiple, so it’s not as easy, but is still worth it don’t get me wrong) yeah, maybe there were times throughout the day where I didn’t know what else to do, but truly, just enjoy this time while you just have 1, I’m not saying motherhood gets unenjoyable once you have more, but try to enjoy every stage of life you are in, cause you won’t get it back! Even if you don’t have any more kids, take in every moment with your baby being at the age she is at now, today is the littlest she will ever be, and it’s ok to have moments each day where you feel “bored” your baby/child doesn’t need to be entertained every second of every day, be thankful for the slow days or slow moments, the busy, hectic, crazy days will come, and you will wish for those calm moments. Soon your baby will be running around, asking tons of questions, and have loads more energy, while that’s not a bad thing, I’m just saying enjoy every phase you are in. There is always something you will end up missing, and something you will look forward to.

Answer

we went on a lot of long walks when he was napping. but I do also remember a lot of being bored because you're kind of tied to the house as well...
they wake up, they need food, you clean up after having food, they sleep, they're not very mobile but you try to play with them but they're not doing much yet, they need food again, you clean up after having foodthen there's laundry and chores and play again and then they need food again, and you clean up after food and it basically goes on and on... 
There were definitely times where I felt what you're saying now..
what could be nice for you as well is a playgroup.. We found one you can bring your kid into and all kids are between 0m and 2,5yo (when school starts where I am)

Answer

Definitely joined to baby/toddler activities!! These saved my sanity over the winter. We were in swimming lessons, kindermusik, and “gymnastics”

Answer

I totally flew by the seat of my pants with both my kids- now 3 & 5. 😆 Covid restrictions definitely impacted what we could actually do for months on end. We took lots of walks during Covid. I would read a few books to my kiddos, then set them up with toys & go do laundry or dishes. I found they learned how to entertain themselves fairly quickly. Don’t feel like you need to constantly stimulate them. They need to learn to play alone too- boredom actually fosters creativity.🙌🏼🙌🏼 After they got a bit older I had a bit more of a choice in what I could accomplish during the day- but mostly just kept the house running, bums cleaned & mouths fed😆. This too shall pass. You sound like you’re doing a fair bit already. That said, a once a week mom’s group (like MOPS) or library story time can be great!

Answer

Here’s my schedule with my 6month old 
7:30am- wake up, we lay in bed together and cuddle 
7:45-8:30am- meditation practice. I will play my crystal bowls and chant and baby will be laying on the floor engaged and loving the sound of the bowls.
8:30-9am- Reading time/tummy time
9:30-10:30am- 1st nursing and short nap
10:30-11:30am-Meal time with solid foods (mainly playing in food lol)
11:30-12:30pm- Spending time outside on our property picking fruits and veggies and collecting eggs from our chickens.
12:30-1:30pm- Playing in walker/bouncer and song time (I sing her songs that are engaging that requires movement such as “if you’re happy and you know it”)
1:30-3pm- Second nap and it’s her long nap of the day.
3-3:30pm-second tummy time of the day and reading time.
3:30-4pm- back outside (if the weather is nice enough) watering plants, watching our goat and chickens.
4:15-5:30pm- We make dinner together. My baby watches everything I make and smell all of the ingredients before making so she can become familiar with the ingredients. 
5:30-6pm- Dinner time for family
6:30pm- Bath time
7pm- cuddles and nursing to sleep. 
Our days are filled with tasks and having a schedule helps so much! Granted some days we are off schedule when we have to run errands, or her older sister needs to go places but for the most part we stick to this schedule. Our activities will change the older she gets but it’s so nice having a schedule and it makes transitioning from one task to another super helpful. If you’re bored maybe try and make a schedule where you can plan things and do them with your child.

Answer

Routine routine routine/ ours was: wake up feed baby feed mommy stroll “about 1 mile walk” to coffee shop - usually baby would sleep at this time- get coffee for me, get baby snack, stroll back home, make lunch, feed baby feed mommy 2nd nap, sometimes we’d repeat the stroll in the afternoon as well  come back make dinner and so on… Sounds pretty boring but being on the move helped greatly with any ppd.. or zero social life:)

Answer

I get the same way. I pack our summer so we are out and about. Library programs, splash park, when my friend is off she goes with us and we take them to the amusement park we have passes for, swimming, and then if I want to do a sensory project I try to plan it and have it ready to do with them the night before, play doh, have them do a baking activity… They are 4 and 1.

Answer

Having a routine helped me not feel that way. I also focused on developmental milestones and found ways to play with my kid. Before she could play with toys I had a really hard time not being bored. By 6 months things started to get better since she could sit in a shopping cart and wanted to explore the world more.

Answer

We try to go to Target or the grocery store or something, but then I end up spending money lol. Also, walks.

Answer

I’d say day to day. I’m currently 13 weeks pregnant & absolutely exhausted. 
But before pregnancy, I’d drop my older off at school then do some cleaning, take my younger son for a walk or to do something, have lunch, nap time, pick up older son from school, let them play outside, start dinner.

SAHMs to under 1 year olds…what do you do all day?

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