Is it normal for a SAHM to become bored? I find that my 19 month old also becomes very bored w/me quickly and this doesn't help my boredom. I have tried to engage my little one in several activities suggested by other Moms like chalk, water table, books, painting...etc...but he becomes bored with these things very quickly.....what can we do during the day to prevent boredom???? Thanks, Wendy
Have you checked into your local YMCA? They offer a TON of classes and they do offer them to non-members. If you can join the Y, the price then sometimes is free for some classes or very low cost and you could also enjoy their pool, too.
We belong to Spring Valley Y in Limerick and its wonderful there! My hubsband and I both work FT but he has his 2 days off during the week and he takes our almost 2 y.o. little girl to a gym class there 1x a week and she loves it plus it kills some time! I take her to the pool there on the weekends and there are a few pools, a play area, etc.
Another thing if you can see if your local library has story time. Its free. Check on line.
Good luck!
you need to meet other moms and have a play group...
HI!
It's Summertime!! Get the little one outside. Buy a wading pool and splash around in the water. Take a walk, go to the park, go to the local library and look at picture books. Get icecream and indulge on a hot day. At this age baby cones are a great treat! Go to the zoo, amusement park, petting zoo, anything! Just get some good ol fashioned exercise. YOu'll feel better and your child will love it.
interact with others, join playgroup, mom's group
Find a change of scenery with others around... go to library storytime or the park. It doesn't have to be expensive or require a lot of prep. It doesn't even have to be a long outing - just change things up a bit and find opportunities for interacting with other parent/child pairs.
The other thing I find helpful at home is to do the same thing - change the environment around a bit. You don't need to go buy new toys, just arrange them differently. Exchange toys from one room to another or rearrange within the same room too. Sometimes it's even good to pack away a couple in the closet and then bring them back out again a month or two later and pack something else away. It just freshens things up and gives a different perspective to a normal day. My kids always rediscover a toy that was right in front of them, but they hadn't touched in months when I mix things up like that. Then they become more interested in playing for longer times without complaints or problems.
Hi - I just recently became a SAHM myself and found that the boredom that I am experiencing is not of being home with my children but instead boredom of not having any type of adult conversation or interaction. I often feel lonely and at times as though I really have no idea who I am. I love being home with my kids but I do need to have a few hrs. each day that I can make "my own" I joined a gym that had free child care and I am thinking about taking a class at night so that way I have something to look forward to on my own.
Hi Wendy,
I think it is totally normal--but it doesn't ALWAYS have to be that way. I agree with the other posters about playing in different rooms, switching toys, heading to the library, park, splash in a pool BUT remember he is only 19 mos. old and don't expect too much too soon. I was always surprised that my son was the most entertained by the most ordinary of things and toys: blocks, books, looking in the fridge, playing with safe kitchen stuff etc. Keep his toys age appropriate and he should be fine. Simple puzzles? The idea of having every day jam packed with one fun activity after another is a MYTH. Try to aim for several fun outings/activities per week. You can meet other moms at the library, play groups, etc. Your son and needs his rest too--so I found that sticking pretty close to his routine made us ALL happier!
Hi Wendy! Have you tried playdates? My Son gets bored easily as well, so we have been trying to do a playdate each week. On the weeks when we can't seem to get together with someone, I take him to Barnes and Nobel... they have the Thomas train station for kids to play with... he loves it! Amy
Being a SAHM is very lonely and boring...just know that you are doing a wonderful thing by staying home. I agree with all the moms...playdates help.
I got the Toddler's Busy Book from the Library. I love it! I am going to order it from Amazon because it has so many neat ideas!
Being a SAHM myself I do find that if we stay stationary for too long we become bored quickly. We try to do something every day that involves leaving the house! Grocery shopping can be educational... while walking through the produce department point out different veggies and colors. They love that! Join a group of some kind. We do One Fit Mama every Tuesday and ALWAYS sneak in time to play at the park after wards. I have also met awesome moms that I can call for play dates. Go to the Library, local park. Try to arrange time at a coffee shop with a friend and yes, bring your LO. Starbucks usually has a little kids table with books and toys! We also go to Tanners in Richboro for some yummy ice cream and will sit outside to eat it and watch the cows. Go to the zoo. There is so much to do and see there and if you buy an Individual Membership you get to bring a guest for free and parking is free - don't forget to pack your lunch. I usually spend about $10 when I am there and that is because I treat myself to a Starbucks Coffee and my LO rides on the train ($3). Join www.dancingmeatballs.com. This web-site sends weekly emails with events happening in the area. It is a hard job but remembering to laugh often helps. Also, don't feel like you need to keep your LO entertained all day long. Teach him to play alone and use his imagination. Have fun!
Hi Wendy! My daughter is also 19 months old. I watch a few children from my home.....and there are times, we all get bored. Routine to them sometimes needs to be shook up as well. Children copy our attitutes, so even when we don't feel up to it, we need to seem peppy and energetic and excited about all things. My daughter loves to be outdoors. Even to just play with her same old toys outside, makes it seem more fun to her.
Here's some fun projects.....make sand castles out of brown sugar (messy but entertaining) play with edible playdough and plan trips or playdates. Sometimes you both just need to see other people. When you only see each other, you will get bored, it's not a lack of love, just a lack of change.
I find on some days, I'm exhausted from just sitting on the sofa doing nothing. Check library events, mommy & me groups, even Craigslist.com for other moms who need playmates for their kids.
Good luck and have fun!
Sincerely,
Stepmarie
i think it's very normal to experience some boredom. when i had my kids, i was 400 miles away from any friends or family in a very rural area and my husband was away alot. so i did experiene a bit of boredom. a ouple of things that really helped me were setting strong goals for myself and having some structure. i never thought i liked structure till then. i worked out 2 times a day, every day. i would put the baby in his walker or playpen and i would tell him stories the entire time i was on the exercise bike. or whatever. he liked it cause it was activity and it seemed like something exciting was going on. i walked alot with him in a stroller and we really had a lot of healthy benefits from all of it too. we planted a little flower garden and a small vegetable garden. although the baby wasn't much of a gardener he thought he was helping. we would water and he would have a little plastic pitcher of water to help!! i lost a ton of weight and he really enjoyed the benefits from being outside!! i think babies that age do get bored quickly with activities. there were a few things that i found that my kids played with for a long time. stuff like fisher prices main street where they had little people in cars that could go up and down ramps and into their hosues etc was great fun for them. toddler safe too. maybe take up and indoor hobby like needle work or aomething so you have something that you can see you have accomplished too!!
My recommendation is to get out of the house and do things. I had the same problem with both of my boys. The days we stayed home were rough. I took them to a play place in South Hills called the Seesaw Center, which is a church basement with TONS of toys and costs just $50 for the whole indoor season. Try local parks in the summer. I also loved going to a mall with a play area. It is great for kids to learn to socialize too. He is the perfect age for this. Also, try playdates with other moms and their kids, at your house and theirs. Changes of scenery are really important! Good luck!
Get out of the house! Do all the things that YOU want to do. (Shop,exercise, etc....and bring your little one along.) At this age he won't ask you to take him to Chuck E. Cheese or the park....so take advantage of it. Take him out to lunch with some girlfriends. I wish I had done that sooner with my kids. The earlier you take them out, the earlier they learn what is expected of them when you DO take them out.
Also, you could join your local chapter of the MOms Club so you can get together with other Moms and their children.
Good luck. Have fun!
sounds like you need other moms with children same age to connect with.Plan your days and maybe go to the library they love the computer at that age also. Find story times ,Go to a lake or pool break up the day because just staying home gets very boring especially in the summer.look on the web for ideas in local areas maybe with farm animals even a museum .Sounds like you both need more stimulation. good luck, lisa
www.momsclub.org to get yourself a playgroup and a local network with some activities. Also, is there a 12 year old nearby? My neighbor hasn't started to babysit alone yet, but advertised as a Mother's Helper. I have her come in for 2 hours a week ($5!) and she keeps my 16 month old running around the entire time. I told her we'll "graduate" her to a full-fledged babysitter sometime in the future:) This lets me do things like clean the bathroom, organize paperwork and paint (my daughter is in the "into everything" stage), and my daughter is so excited to see her "buddy" as she calls her. They play with the same toys and little pool on the deck that we do, but I guess the new person makes it very exciting for her! Plus, I get a sense of accomplishment, a toddler that passes out for a good nap, and I can handle the rest of the day:)
ahhh my little one always gets bored with me. He'll literally pick up what we're playing with and move away lol I give him his "own" time thinking he's just sick of me, then I put on a Wiggles DVD or some music and we dance. he LOVES to dance so this always erases boredom and puts him in an awesome mood. Or we run around outside. Even if it's hot 15 min does the trick, even on the porch! HTH, Good luck!
Do what I did. I am new to the area and I joined the local MOMS club. Without this I would have gone crazy months ago. We moved away from all of our family & friends. The other SAHM are my only form of adult conversation. We do go places with our kids and have socials at other members houses. MOMS club is my salvation. Google MOMS Club and you can probably find one in your area.