BabyCenter Guest Blogger
posted in Parenting
By Bree Najera
The weirdest thing about having a baby or a toddler is that you are always busy and tired, but often bored at the same time. These little creatures invade our lives, consume our arms and our hearts and allow us to do little else during their waking hours.
It’s frustrating to have so much to do and no margin in which to do it. This dynamic creates a great deal of frustration.
Particularly as a disabled mom, there are many days when I’m unable to leave the house, which can make me feel a little bit stir crazy. On some of my most desperate days, I’ve found that letting my “weird side” out has been fairly effective for my survival. Try these things the next time you feel this way too.
7 Things to Try When You’re Feeling a Little Nuts at Home:
1. Gently squish your baby’s face
Have you ever looked in the mirror and made weird faces to yourself? When I was struggling as a brand new mom, my friend suggested doing this with my baby’s face (gently, of course)! It was pretty funny. This is for a truly desperate time– when you’ve been alone with a baby ALL DAY.
2. Make weird sounds and have your kid(s) mimic them
When I feel like I’m losing my mind being at home with a toddler, I make various weird or animal sounds. My daughter thinks it’s a fun game to mimic them. We can do this for quite some time!
3. Turn annoyances into games
When I’m feeling bored, I often get more irritable. Sometimes, lightening the mood can help. Here’s one example:
My daughter hates having her face wiped and won’t do it herself most of the time. We used to just fight every single meal over it. Then, at a certain point, I decided to make it a game.I created the face-cleaning monster, complete with hand motions and growling noises. My daughter thinks it’s hilarious (most of the time). More often when I do this, she doesn’t resist me cleaning her face quite as much, because she is laughing.
4. Have random dance parties
My daughter’s at the age where every song is an opportunity to dance. When your kids are in this phase, dance with them. It’s fun, silly and gives you endorphins.
5. Channel your inner yogi
Whenever I feel out of sorts, I’m always amazed what five minutes of light yoga can do to boost my mood. Now that my daughter is getting a bit older, she often mimics my movements or just lies on top of me while I practice. An added bonus: I get to wear yoga pants in the middle of the day.
6. Play with ordinary household items
For some reason, kids often find ordinary household objects endlessly fascinating. (It never ceases to amaze me how much time my daughter can spend playing with an empty paper towel roll). If you’ve exhausted your toys for the day, household items can be your saving grace. We play with tupperware, empty coffee containers, toilet paper rolls (stacking them), tampons, cotton balls, my hair brush and Q-tips— to name a few. Hand them to your child and see what creative things they invent to do.
7. Crawl in bed and hide
If all else fails, hide. If your kid is napping, hide alone. If they are wide awake, bring them in bed with you with their books and toys. Cuddle, play peek-a-boo or even watch a favorite show on your phone. It’s cozy and fun and will keep you from drowning.
Hope these help! You are not alone, mama and you certainly aren’t the only one who gets bored.
How do you keep from going fruit cake crazy when hone alone with your little kids?
I’m a 33-year old mom with a passion for lattes, toys that don’t make noise and bubble baths. Although I battle daily with chronic Lyme Disease, it is my passion to find joy in life– through faith, fun and a healthy dose of sarcasm. My super awesome husband and stinkin’ cute 2-year old help me through the ups-and-downs of life with a chronic illness. Although I’m unable to work, for now, my background is in elementary education. I’m passionate about integrating my knowledge from the classroom into my daily life as a mom.
This post was originally published @ Room for Joy.
Photos from iStock
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