Cleaning with a SPIRITED (aka NAUGHTY) child. - Page 3

[delicious]

oh, bummer about the TV! i was going to suggest it.

i would totally do the paper plates. you absolutely deserve it, kwim?

when my dd was 20 months, she was potty trained, (really on her own, too) so i don't think she's too young. esp with the taking off her diaper to go. that will make your life easier. altho, my dd also regressed a bit after ds1 was born (she was 2.5 then) and needed diapers at night for a bit. so keep that in mind.

do you have one of those two sided sinks in the kitchen? could she have "bathtime" on one side while you wash dishes in the other side?

my heart goes out to you guys.

[chfriend]

Originally Posted by JamesMama

unless of course I could get a 45 minute running loop of the opening of Elmo's World, that might hold her attention for a little bit but JUST the opening lalala part...the rest she don't care.

Maybe youtube?

Glad you got a bit ahead of the game. Congrats on catching up with the dishes.

Tell people who ask what they can do to help that dinners in disposable pans and paper plates and cups are what you need.

You can :later.

[DaughterOfKali]

I remember my son was like that for years. He still turns into a bit of a Tasmanian Devil when I clean.

Do you belong to a Mom's group?
Or join a UU church if there's one nearby. They have a Caring Committee that would help. Seriously. You don't have to be religious to join a UU church.

Many to you.

[ancoda]

No real ideas for you, but just to let you know that my 18 month old is almost the exact same. He is very, very energetic, destructive, and determined.

[greenemami]

Originally Posted by chfriend

18 months is waaaaaay early to be trying to potty train. She is a baby. Really, really, honestly. A baby. She isn't potty trained, wants to be right with you and has a short attention span because she's a baby.

Here's what I would do (and I've lived with a chronically ill partner so I get where you are coming from): Get plastic dishpans. Sit them on the floor with towels around you. Wash and rinse the dishes together with your baby (dressed only in a diaper). She'll likely love getting all wet. You'll get the dishes done without stress and have sweet bonding time with your little one.

Do not hesitate to buy disposable plates, pans, etc. during this time. Focus on keeping things going without doing any more than you absolutely have to on the house.

My dd was potty trained fully at 19 months. It is not too early, although of course you should not push her if she is not ready.

I too used the plastic bowl full of soapy water and plastic dishes. That lasted about a week before she caught on and got bored She will sometimes stand on a chair next to me and hang out while I do the dishes. She is 26 months now, and has gotten SO much better! good luck!

[JamesMama]

Bought some disposable dishes (everything, plates, bowls, silverware) we'll have utensils and pans and knives but I can deal with 6-10 dishes a day vs however many I was dirtying before.

My mom is coming over early next week and helping me with the floors and the bathroom. If I can at least get them spotless cleaned once hopefully I can keep up on them before DH leaves for work or before bed (run a rag over the counters/stove, swiffer the floor, wipe out the sink, etc).

I had high hopes of keeping it all up when we moved in but we picked up some sort of recurrent bacteria/virus that went on for months (all of us except for DS were in the bathroom constantly pretty much weekly for 5 months, honest to God. It all stopped the very day I quit working outside the home, I'm thinking I kept picking something up at work) so we kept getting sick and I kept not being able to do anything because I was always sick or recovering from being so sick that it all got away from us, kwim?

[averlee]

Hey, even if you are totally embarrassed and mortified, you may be able to ask for help from your church. maybe they'd donate paper cups/plates, maybe take your kids for a walk every Wednesday, etc. Good people really do appreciate the opportunity to be generous.
I live in California- but I'd help you in a heartbeat. Many other mamas have said the same.