Oh the joys of getting ready for work..

[Satori]

I have to be to work at 6pm for a support group I need to run and its 4:45pm. So I get dd interested in game at the pbs site and hit the shower. 10 min later I come out and she's gotten out the sugar, dumped out all the salt into the sugar then added baking cocoa to the mix then spilled it every where! So now i'm taking a 5 min break to calm down becasue she's been doing this all day and i'm really getting upset with her and everyone I would usually call to take her when i'm this fustrated is out of town. How the heck do you get ready for work with out your kids burning down the house while your eyes are off them for 10 minutes? Taking her in the shower is not an option and she will not sit in the bathroom while I take a shower. During the week its not so bad becasue I can shower before she wakes up but on weekends its another story... (aka I refuse to get up at 6am so I can take a shower)

ps: i'm a single mama so I cant just wait till DH gets home

[june'smom]

I am sorry you are having a rough day.
Big hugs, this too shall pass,
Louise

[1jooj]

I typically go in the AM, so you see something similar in my house from 6-8 AM.

DS will inevitably have an accident, or refuse my breakfast, or something...or Dd will re-poop just as we are heading out to the car--which means un-do her in the seat, change her dipe, re-do the seat and get out--unless ds decides he needs to poop, in which case we are back to the bathroom. Then, dd might decide on our way in that she does not like to be in the car seat today, and so she wails for the 15 minute drive. 15 minutes if the train doesn't stop us, that is...

I'm married, but dh leaves for work in the wee hours. I often envy his AM routine: fall out of bed, wash face, change clothes, eat breakfast, watch news, leave--no interruptions, just his own needs to attend. He thinks sleeping to 5-6AM is such a treat (and I suppose when the nightwaking ends it will be)...for me, a real treat would be just one AM of solitude.

[Piglet68]

First of all...

What exactly do you mean by her not wanting to sit in the bathroom while you shower? Have you tried bringing in some fun toys or something?

I think, if I were in your situation, I'd probably do that and just deal with her being upset for such a short time. When you leave her "out there" alone in the house, you are really setting her up for failure (mind you, I should ask how old she is b/c I'm assuming she's a young toddler, lol) and maybe it would be easier on both of you if she could stay confined for the short time it takes you to shower...

[Satori]

She's almost 4. She refuses to stay in the bathroom and the door doesn't lock. (Wouldn't matter either because she figures out locks pretty quick) I've tried books and games and talking to her. Works for all of 2 minutes then she gets a bright idea and she's off to do it. I put on her favorite movie/TV show, favorite computer game, leave out favorite activities but its the ones mom wont let her do that she does while she knows I cant see her. The only saving thing I have is the fact her hands are not big or stong enough to open the front door with that spinny door knob cover thingy. I dont think she's ever done anything really dangerous, she just makes huge messes which eat up what little time I have and adds stress to my day.

[darkstar]

I know the feeliing. I got one of those eye and hook locks for my bathroom, and I put it way up high. They only cost about $1. Goos luck, I came out of the bathroom the other day and dd had drawn huge "pictures" all over her room with permanate marker. I have no idea how she even got it???

[kerc]

argh!!!

I skip the shower, pull thehair back into a pony tail and go.

or
put the kiddo in her crib /room/ whatever and let her deal for 10 minutes. (hook and eyes seconded here).IMO (flame me if you want) a 2 year old can deal with the concept that mom needs a shower and please be non destructive for 10 minutes.

or
I take kiddo in the shower with me.

[dreadmama]

As a fellow single mama, I know how you feel! I end up skipping my showers more often than not before my classes, because it is so hard to fit it all in. I got some nice jasmine essential oil to make me feel better about it!

My little one is only 21 months however, so I mostly shower when she's napping in her crib.

Maybe she'd like to take a bath with you?

Or, maybe you can try to wash your face and upper body sponge bath style?

[Indigomama]

HUGS! Now my ds doesn't necessarily destroy the house, but usually pulls the let's get naked as mommy takes out the stuff to the car right before we're supposed to leave, or let's hide my shoes so we don't have to leave, etc...

Sometimes I don't wonder how I go insane and at least I have someone to back me up a coule of days a week. HATS OFF SATORI!!!!

People always talk about the terrible twos but my ds is almost 4 and I think part of this is an age thing that just has to pass soon. Bless my ds's heart, but man does he come up with some wild ideas.... went to the bathroom last night (OH MY!... < 1 minute) to come back to a rainbow on the wall. Half the time he has that look of utter pride in his job well done and the other half is that mischievious smile that tells me he really secretly an put on this earth to grant me patience

Hang in there... utilize that labor breathing...comes in handy to keep you cool.

[Indigomama]

other thoughts that came to me after i posted...

not knowing you or your ds... these are just ideas... some could be really off base....

maybe she's doing certain things cause she's trying to mimic mama? maybe expanding her grown up tasks around the house will make her feel as if she doesn't have to try this stuff while she's by herself? you could give her these tasks... like sort laundry or pick up clothes, sweep the floor, etc while you're in the shower?

or maybe she's acting out cause she doesn't want to go anywhere? kids are insatiable about mama love...

with the limited info, it sounds more like the first idea, but maybe brainstorming on what she thinks she's doing and why may help come up with some creative methods of being able to retain your shower time. I know there's NO WAY I could do without one.

[EFmom]

I get up at 5:15 am every single day of the week so that I can be showered before the kids get up. I do not love getting up that early, but I don't function without being showered.

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

Can you expand her "mess-proof" space beyond the bathroom but not so far as the kitchen? For example, our bathroom is off of the master bedroom. If I'm showering, my kids can be in the bathroom with me or in the master bedroom or their bedrooms. In my bedroom I turn on the TV or video. This works for us because we have a gate on the top of the stairs, so it gives them enough space to keep busy and amused, but doesn't give access to dangerous (for many different reasons) parts of the house. Take a look at your house and see if you can design some similar space somehow. My 4 1/2 YO cannot open the wall-mounted gate at the top of the stairs, so maybe you could find something similar to use to block access.

A practical note: Just because its a mess doesn't mean it has to be cleaned up right away, unless its dangerous or will get much worse while you are out (probably depends on where your child is when you are gone). I have been known to walk away from some real major messes because I didn't have time for them. Yes, dealing with them when you get back isn't fun, but it might beat being late.