started to provide childcare, now feel guilty

[larzanna]

Hi:

I have an almost 11 month old DS and am a SAHM.
I just started to provide childcare for an almost 12 weeek old baby boy. Its only the second week so i know that that is part of the problem...but i feel so guilty! Like i am not spending enough time with my son. Or more so, that i don't feel like i can handle going out and doing as much fun stuff for/with him because i have this baby now. I know that people have twins so really, i should be able to do the same stuff, just have little baby in tow, but i don't know how! My son is walking, errrr running so i don't know how to chase him with the little baby, especially since he still does need carried quite a bit too.
I am allowed to take this LO wherever i would take my son, the people actually WANT me to. They want him to have lots of fun experiences.

Places that i went before....the kids museam (baby area), story time, bouncy world (an inflatable place he can wander/bounce around), the park, errands such as Target, grocery store ect....
Is it as simple as putting the LO in a sling?
I just don't know, leaving the house is just SO daunting with 2 babies!!!

Am i doing too much for my DS? Should i feel guilty? Should i reconsider doing childcare for this little boy? Or will it all fall into place and my DS will be no worse for ware after a couple of weeks house bound with a mommy who cannot chase him or be as much fun?
Help!
Thank you for your thoughts!

[Luke's mama]

my situation is a little similar--I started taking care of a 10 mo old baby while watching my 21 mo old son (watching the two of them in the ams only). At first I thought well, now we can never go outside anymore in the mornings and I am really restricted because we can't go shopping or to the library, etc. admittedly I still don't run errands because I don't have a car seat installed and I can still do that stuff in the afternoons, but I think absolutely, just strap that little guy on in a sling--front carrier or whatever works for you (a back carrier will be great when the baby is bigger) and go have fun chasing around your son! Yes it is tougher and a bit awkward at times, but you can do it and can still pick your son up when he needs it--maybe take a blanket you can lay the baby on in some places? Good luck, I think you can definitely manage! But my experience does make me wonder WHY people sometimes deliberately have their children so close in age together!!

[Kelly1101]

Originally Posted by larzanna

Is it as simple as putting the LO in a sling?

Yep.

I'd just go places where your baby is able to go have fun, and wear the little baby.

[pumpkinhead]

Granted, my oldest was a little older when I had my second, but yeah, I just dumped the wee one in a sling/trekker/carrier of some kind and either pushed the bigger one in a stoller or let him go. You could also consider a double stroller if you could find a safe, cheap, used one.

[Tjej]

Give yourself a couple of weeks to get into a rhythm with this little one, and you'll probably find it less daunting to go out. Also, just go to one place/have one thing planned and no rush and it doesn't matter if it takes you FOREVER to pack up or FOREVER to get home.

Tjej

[rebeccalizzie]

My son and my niece, who I babysit, are two years apart, so he wasn't quite that young but he was into EVERYTHING at that age. One thing I found absolutely a sanity saver was to have my living room set up as one big play area. It's totally gated off from the rest of the house (which was a pain because it's an open floor plan, but worth it). It's also completely child proofed. I rotate the toys in the living room so they don't get bored, but it meant when I was feeding the baby, my DS could play without me worrying that he was getting into something! I could also run to the bathroom or grab a drink without them killing themselves.