What does your 3 year old do when you are getting the baby down for a nap?

[Aletheia]

Mine watches videos. And that's about the only time that they are allowed (we don't have a TV, but we do have a computer. And it is in the living room. And he calls it the TV.)

But lately he has been having tantrums, requesting that I put "baby" down for a nap... just so he can watch a video. I didn't feel great about starting the whole video thing 18 months ago, when my second really was a baby. But now he is an 18 month old. This habit has been going on for EIGHTEEN MONTHS. And my "baby" still needs to be cuddled to sleep (or I still need to cuddle him to sleep, same dif.)

So... what do you guys do? Do you have a "special toys" basket? My 3 year old is in a really mischievous phase right now, and I am really afraid that unless I let the "TV" babysit him, he will get into trouble.

Please throw some (really) creative ideas at me and some extra willpower to help us cut the videos. I'm not against videos period-- but I feel like they need to be watched with an adult and discussed. I don't like just sitting him in front of the tV. But it is just so easy, and it gets me attachment time with my littler one.

Help?

[MommaCrystal]

Well, when my second was an infant I rocked/nursed him to sleep or walked around with him in a carrier. My older one was just there, playing with his toys doing his thing. If I felt the need to lay down with the baby he just played in the room we were laying down in.

Now a days, he's 4 now and the "baby" is 2. My older son must sit in his bed with books having a "rest" until his timer is done. Sometimes he falls asleep.

What will make things hard is breaking the habit. His tantrums for the TV will probably get worse before the get better.

[homefrontgirl]

Audio books might work. Could you set up an art space with paper and crayons for quiet time? Does your child like building? Maybe some special blocks that only come out when the little one naps? My 3.5 year-old loves both of these activities.

[atreyyena]

what works for my mischeivious 3 year old is if-then statements.........

so " Mommy really wants to see the show with you, so (the if) I need you to wait until LO is down, and then we'll watch One together."

Then, you can give him options. My LO loves water, so maybe have him 'clean' his toys in the bathtub, fill it a half inch with water and bubbles.

Or have him set up everything he wants to watch tv with him too, blankets, pillows, stuffed animals......

Basically give him a mission. Or, make that snack time, set him up in the kitchen. One thing mine likes as well is watching the swirls on windows media player when music is playing. so maybe watch that?

Good luck!

[Aletheia]

Thanks for the ideas! I sometimes just get so tired of thinking up solutions to problems.

So here's what we've done so far- the computer no longer gets used in front of the kids (quite a challenge, really) and we think of it as "off" when they are around. I even put a scarf over it.

We rushed out and checked out a ton of audio books that are only for times when I am helping little guy nap. Big guy loves them!

I have help three days a week, and I arranged her schedule so that she is sitting with big guy while I am putting down little guy. Yes, it costs $5, but in this transtional time where we are getting used to no videos, it is worth it.

I think the next step will be to get a basket of some new things-- arts and crafts things and maybe some good will toys with small parts (legoes?) that big guy can use when little guy is not around.

[MommaCrystal]

I should really get my guys going with audio books. They'd LOVE them!

[LDSmomma]

Originally Posted by homefrontgirl

Audio books might work. Could you set up an art space with paper and crayons for quiet time? Does your child like building? Maybe some special blocks that only come out when the little one naps? My 3.5 year-old loves both of these activities.

Originally Posted by atreyyena

My LO loves water, so maybe have him 'clean' his toys in the bathtub, fill it a half inch with water and bubbles.

Love these ideas!!

[marie1080]

Well, last week she went out on the deck and cut her hair

Usually she eats a snack or plays with her toys....