desperately need ideas for keeping 1yo busy while I work - Page 3

[EFmom]

Originally Posted by claddaghmom

This was just delved into on another post w/ almost identical issues.

And I'll say the same thing I said there:

It is not right to expect a one year old infant to play independently while you, the primary caregiver present, are working. It is not allowed in daycare centers or schools. It is not conducive to developing a healthy relationship and it is not conducive to the infant's physical, emotional and mental development.

I wonder how mothers managed to raise children since the day those opposable thumbs evolved, while they were working in the fields doing subsistance farming, hauling water, or gathering wild food. Heck, I wonder how my SAHM mother managed to raise me, while she was busy pretty much full time cleaning cleaning and cooking and caring for my myriad siblings. She spent every bit as much time doing family chores for the brood as another mother would have done with a WAHM job. Work is work, whether or not you get a pay check.

Somehow, children were raised in healthy relationships and seemed to have just fine physical, emotional and mental development. I think the notion that we have of children getting the constant undivided atttention from doting parents is a relatively recent development.

I do think that a mother's helper is a great idea.

[Amanda Williams]

At that age, my babies LOVED ribbons. I'd cut 20-30 short pieces, all different colors and they would dump them from nesting cups. Over and over again.

You can do it! Sounds like the naps are getting better.

ETA: I have four kiddos six and under and hubby travels for work 25/30 days. It sucks and it is hard. NONE of my kids get me to themselves for more than 20 minutes at a time. You're doing a great job and it does get easier as they get older.

[sassycat]

thank you for the ideas and support!

[Astraia]

All these posts from people about how you can't expect that kind of thing from a 1 yr old and your job is to be an involved parent.... well, it made me think of this article, actually: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6620793/ Which in turn made me think of this article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/fa...-children.html ***** To the OP: I have a 15 month old and a 1 month old. I've spent a long time trying to find things to occupy my daughter while hugely pregnant and then with a newborn. I agree the messiest stuff is the best. Birdseed and dry cereal go over well here. SNOW is a huge hit, I'm going to be sad once its all gone. She also loves tub time. I can fold laundry and clean the bathroom while she plays. I've also stripped her down and put her in a dry tub with a bucket of chocolate pudding. Very messy, but I read a good chunk of my book while she played (which i needed for sanity purposes!) Finger painting, edible playdough, and my bucket of pointless but intriguing dollar store items (only for special occasions so it stays interesting) is also good.

[mckittre]

Listening to the ideas here myself. I do think the naps help a lot if you get them right. We just got my 1 year old settled into a good nap schedule, and he'll take one 2-2.5 hour nap in the middle of the day now! So helpful.
The problem I'm having is that I think my 12 month old has entered a more interactive age. So instead of playing with his toys himself like he used to, he much prefers to bring them to me (he wants me to read the book, me to take his stuffed animals and make them do things, me to throw the ball back and forth with him, etc...). I will have to see if he enjoys the messy ideas.

[BetsyS]

I agree that 12-18 months is a hard age (for me). It's when they drop that morning nap, they start to interact more, they understand more, but they don't have a lot of language yet (at least mine didn't). It's just hard, for me.

Mine have liked messy things at this age, too. Pudding in the bathtub, playing in beans/rice/dry pasta with measuring cups and spoons, and dumping things out are big hits.

My now 19 month old still likes dumping things out (smaller objects in baskets and bowls). Now that he's a little older, he likes pouring things from one container to another.

I'm a SAHM, and I admire all of you WAHM. I think you are very organized, and I'm impressed at what you get done during the day! I do most household chores at naptime (mine do ease into being "helpers" around 17-18 months old), I always have someone with me in the bathroom, and sometimes, I don't even get supper cooked (and I'm a SAHM, this is a major part of my job!!). I wake up before my kids to have a bit of quiet time ALONE , and after bedtime, I insist they stay in their beds for some more down time ALONE. So, I really am in awe that people get actual paid work done during the day.

Kudos to you, mamas!