Bored at Home

I found that the best thing for me was to be on the go. We would go to parks, to the mall (I had 2 boys then a girl, so the mall stopped with the boys at around 20 months). I joined moms groups and went to bookstores when the had activities. Anything where there were others in the same lifestyle. New mom's are all looking for another new mom (or adult) to talk to. One of the best things is to have a group of moms to talk to and share. I hope this helps!

browns Mills moms group has been a great outlet for me and my 3 year old twins. The next meeting is Aug 4 at 1030 am at the browns mills library behind the Acme. They plan outings for the month and it is loads of fun.

ahhh my little one always gets bored with me. He'll literally pick up what we're playing with and move away lol I give him his "own" time thinking he's just sick of me, then I put on a Wiggles DVD or some music and we dance. he LOVES to dance so this always erases boredom and puts him in an awesome mood. Or we run around outside. Even if it's hot 15 min does the trick, even on the porch! HTH, Good luck!

Yes, it's normal to become bored looking at the same 4 walls all day! Parks are a huge hit with my 18 month old if you have one close. He also loves books with pictures of animals. We got a basketball hoop that can be used inside (Little Tikes) and he loves that as well. We also have a turtle pool, which can also be used as a sandbox, that he loves to splash around in. Story time at the local library may be an option or the YMCA, if you have one close, offers very affordable activities that you can do together. You can get a program membership for just him for $30 for the year and most programs are under $50 for an 8 week session. Do you have a MOMS club near you? They offer many activities for a nominal fee ($25 for the year) that you can enjoy together. Best of luck!

They have free story time at Barnes and Noble. You can also join a music class or swim class for your little one. Going to any group consistently will help you to meet other mom's with children close to your son's age and getting together for play dates can be a great way for the day to fly by! In the house, maybe try new places for him to play. If I put my daughter's toys in the tub (no water) in my bathroom vs hers, she thinks it is a whole new environment and will go to town for at least 30 minutes non stop! I am also a stay at home mom of an 11 month old. If you live near the Yardley area, we would love new friends to play with!

www.momsclub.org to get yourself a playgroup and a local network with some activities. Also, is there a 12 year old nearby? My neighbor hasn't started to babysit alone yet, but advertised as a Mother's Helper. I have her come in for 2 hours a week ($5!) and she keeps my 16 month old running around the entire time. I told her we'll "graduate" her to a full-fledged babysitter sometime in the future:) This lets me do things like clean the bathroom, organize paperwork and paint (my daughter is in the "into everything" stage), and my daughter is so excited to see her "buddy" as she calls her. They play with the same toys and little pool on the deck that we do, but I guess the new person makes it very exciting for her! Plus, I get a sense of accomplishment, a toddler that passes out for a good nap, and I can handle the rest of the day:)

W., heck, I would say you were not normal if you didn't get bored. I know exactly how you feel. I did not have the fortunate experience of staying home with my children. I had to work outside the home, but I found I just needed something more (for myself). I don't want you to think I am selfish. I took my kids to dance classes, soccer, gymnastics, drama classes, cheerleading camp in 110 degree temps and cheer compititions. I just needed to find something that was mine. In my search I found a direct sales company that sells All natural food. I found that helping other moms and dads learn how to feed their families healther, made me feel fulfilled. If you want to know the name, please look at my profile. I don't think it is appropriate to list it here. I really just wanted to let you know that if you are fulfilled as a woman and an individual, you will be a happier, more effective & confident Mother, Wife & WOMAN. Don't let yourself feel bored, find your passion and when your son gets bored with you, let him play by himself (it is good for kids to use their imagination and not have to be entertained by you at all times. While he is playing use that time for something that will make your day more fabulous than it already is or will be.

Being a SAHM myself I do find that if we stay stationary for too long we become bored quickly. We try to do something every day that involves leaving the house! Grocery shopping can be educational... while walking through the produce department point out different veggies and colors. They love that! Join a group of some kind. We do One Fit Mama every Tuesday and ALWAYS sneak in time to play at the park after wards. I have also met awesome moms that I can call for play dates. Go to the Library, local park. Try to arrange time at a coffee shop with a friend and yes, bring your LO. Starbucks usually has a little kids table with books and toys! We also go to Tanners in Richboro for some yummy ice cream and will sit outside to eat it and watch the cows. Go to the zoo. There is so much to do and see there and if you buy an Individual Membership you get to bring a guest for free and parking is free - don't forget to pack your lunch. I usually spend about $10 when I am there and that is because I treat myself to a Starbucks Coffee and my LO rides on the train ($3). Join www.dancingmeatballs.com. This web-site sends weekly emails with events happening in the area. It is a hard job but remembering to laugh often helps. Also, don't feel like you need to keep your LO entertained all day long. Teach him to play alone and use his imagination. Have fun!

Have you thought about taking him to your local library.
I live in Bethel Park which has many activites and story times for children of all ages. My daughter who will be 3 next month enjoys going for the social interaction once or twice a week. Not to mention it is a good way for you as a SAHM to interact with other parents and share advice with one another.

You need a break from your ds and he probably needs a break from you! If you can afford nursery school one or two days a week that would be a great break for you both... a chance for you to do some of "your" things, and a chance for him to play with different kids and different toys. Don't feel guilty about this-- everyone needs a break sometimes. If that seems to drastic to you, find a mothers' morning out program. Even a couple hours can chase the boredom away!

I have been on vacation and am just getting to my emails. I joined a Moms club when my kids were young. They have a monthly calender with different events and also have play groups according to the childs age. I think if you do a search for Moms club you will find something, hopefully in your area.

Make yourself happy! Figure out some activities that YOU think are fun, and let him join you. Don't feel bad that you can't keep his attention at things he should be liking. It will get easier as he gets older and his attention span increases. For now, if you're bored, he's bored. If you're happy, he's happy. Take him out on errands you like, do some projects for yourself at home, and just let him hang out and soak up your positive energy. When my daughter was that age, I had to sew some insulated curtains for our bedroom. It took three weeks and my husband was out of town. I just cranked my favorite music and tried not to trip over her to much, and we actually had fun just singing weird songs and doing weird dances while I worked. Taking quick breaks to give her attention was enough to satisfy her, because she had a short attention span too. I just kept enough toys laying around to interest her. It was rough sometimes, but if I kept myself busy and happy it helped a lot. Just do your own thing, don't try to force it! Good luck!

I find both The MOMS Club and MOPS to be very helpful to me. They are very different groups. The first (I noticed referenced by several others) is secular; the second is faith-based. I like them both for what they have to offer and by the way they are organized differently. MOPS puts the kids in 2 1/2 hours of basic Sunday School [My child is nearing 4.] while we mothers are upstairs, all adults. MOMS has a much busier calendar available with the expectation that your kids stay with you.

Even boring settings are more interesting with a pal. Once your child gets to know some other kids a bit more regularly, ... just hanging at someone's house for a morning or afternoon will be plenty. Maybe you'll get to meeting for lunch or trying parks/places together with other mothers. This particularly helped me since I did not grow up here.

Good luck!

*If I went without the groups... with no siblings yet for my child... I'd be depressed for underperformance. It can't 100% be on you by yourself to entertain.

Join a playgroup or a MOMS Club type of group. This will expose you to other stay at home moms and their kids which gives you the chance to have adult conversation and your child the chance to learn to socialize with others around his age.

Also, going to the local libraries or museums can be a wonderful day for you both. If you are in the Pittsburgh area, the Carnegie museums are wonderful as is the Children's Museum. A few other places to visit in Pittsburgh... The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Acquarium, The many citiparks (which also have activities such as the Roving Art Cart and concerts in the park), the Toy Lending Library (run by volunteers so usually only open until 2pm and so you are aware, it is a peanut free establishment), the National Aviary, Phipps Conservatory. I'm sure there are others but that is a start for the Pittsburgh area. Oh, and don't rule out malls especially on rainy days. The play areas in the mall are full of other moms/parents to talk to and a great place for your little one to let off some energy and run around.

Also, find a few books you would like to read or a hobby (like knitting or scrapbooking). Get your little one set up to play for awhile. Let him choose what he wants to do. At his age, they are more solitary players so let him amuse himself. You can sit and read your book (or check email or do your hobby nearby) while he is doing his thing. Just so you can see him and hear him from where you are.

Anyway, hope this helps. Good luck with your little guy and your boredom problem.

Join a moms group for you and your little one! www.meetup.com should have a moms group in your area. We were bored a lot and now I am an organizer (going on a yr) for a mom's group in my area. I do at the least 3 things a week with our new friends! We both love it!

Do what I did. I am new to the area and I joined the local MOMS club. Without this I would have gone crazy months ago. We moved away from all of our family & friends. The other SAHM are my only form of adult conversation. We do go places with our kids and have socials at other members houses. MOMS club is my salvation. Google MOMS Club and you can probably find one in your area.

sounds like you need other moms with children same age to connect with.Plan your days and maybe go to the library they love the computer at that age also. Find story times ,Go to a lake or pool break up the day because just staying home gets very boring especially in the summer.look on the web for ideas in local areas maybe with farm animals even a museum .Sounds like you both need more stimulation. good luck, L.

Have you thought about joining a gym? i take my kids (20 month old twins) with me almost every morning, and they love to play in the kids club - which is only $10 a month per child. By the time we get home it's lunch and naptime...and when they wake up there are only a few hours left until dinner! They love it, its great socialization, and it gives me a nice break. Believe me...there are many days i dont feel like working out, so i read magazines and walk on the treadmill.

Hi. You may want to look into a local Moms Club in your area or moxiemoms.com to connect with other moms. When I had my oldest the moms club was a life saver and still plays a big role, even 5 years later. I hope this helps.
K

interact with others, join playgroup, mom's group

Find a change of scenery with others around... go to library storytime or the park. It doesn't have to be expensive or require a lot of prep. It doesn't even have to be a long outing - just change things up a bit and find opportunities for interacting with other parent/child pairs.

The other thing I find helpful at home is to do the same thing - change the environment around a bit. You don't need to go buy new toys, just arrange them differently. Exchange toys from one room to another or rearrange within the same room too. Sometimes it's even good to pack away a couple in the closet and then bring them back out again a month or two later and pack something else away. It just freshens things up and gives a different perspective to a normal day. My kids always rediscover a toy that was right in front of them, but they hadn't touched in months when I mix things up like that. Then they become more interested in playing for longer times without complaints or problems.

Have you checked into your local YMCA? They offer a TON of classes and they do offer them to non-members. If you can join the Y, the price then sometimes is free for some classes or very low cost and you could also enjoy their pool, too.

We belong to Spring Valley Y in Limerick and its wonderful there! My hubsband and I both work FT but he has his 2 days off during the week and he takes our almost 2 y.o. little girl to a gym class there 1x a week and she loves it plus it kills some time! I take her to the pool there on the weekends and there are a few pools, a play area, etc.

Another thing if you can see if your local library has story time. Its free. Check on line.

Good luck!

Hi - I just recently became a SAHM myself and found that the boredom that I am experiencing is not of being home with my children but instead boredom of not having any type of adult conversation or interaction. I often feel lonely and at times as though I really have no idea who I am. I love being home with my kids but I do need to have a few hrs. each day that I can make "my own" I joined a gym that had free child care and I am thinking about taking a class at night so that way I have something to look forward to on my own.

Hi, What helped me was joining a Mommy group. The one I found had Mom only nights twice a month but had play group and play date scheduled at least once a week. It was great social interaction for both me and the kiddos. It also gave me a network to learn about other local activies. I also try to find simple ways to add adventure to their day. Even if it is to take a trip to the mall. We look for things in the environment like someone with a red shirt or we count how many birds we see at the park. You can try story time at barns and noble (at SHV) on tuesday. That can give you a change a pace too. Here's the web address of a mom group. peterscanonsburgmoms.com
There are a few chapters in this area or there might be another group (like MOPS) through a local church that will suit you. Good luck!!

My recommendation is to get out of the house and do things. I had the same problem with both of my boys. The days we stayed home were rough. I took them to a play place in South Hills called the Seesaw Center, which is a church basement with TONS of toys and costs just $50 for the whole indoor season. Try local parks in the summer. I also loved going to a mall with a play area. It is great for kids to learn to socialize too. He is the perfect age for this. Also, try playdates with other moms and their kids, at your house and theirs. Changes of scenery are really important! Good luck!

Being a SAHM is very lonely and boring...just know that you are doing a wonderful thing by staying home. I agree with all the moms...playdates help.

Trips to the library, many libraries have toddler story time, and play areas, find the local park or playground, is there a local pool you can join? Find a playgroup with other moms and kids your sons age, join your local MOM's club to join activities with other moms and kids...

And yes, every mom gets boerd!

Get out of the house! Do all the things that YOU want to do. (Shop,exercise, etc....and bring your little one along.) At this age he won't ask you to take him to Chuck E. Cheese or the park....so take advantage of it. Take him out to lunch with some girlfriends. I wish I had done that sooner with my kids. The earlier you take them out, the earlier they learn what is expected of them when you DO take them out.
Also, you could join your local chapter of the MOms Club so you can get together with other Moms and their children.
Good luck. Have fun!

W.,

You are not alone. The one thing that I found was that getting out of the house is a huge help. I take my kids to Gymboree at least once a week. Its an indoor play gym and they do art and music classes for kids from 0-5 years old. We also have a pretty structured day as far as meals and naps go. The time in between is divided into a lot of little activities like reading, singing, free play, playing ball, walks, shopping, etc... We also enjoy going to events at the library like story time. Even just going to the library is a good relief from the monotony of home. If you know others in your area, get a play group together once a week. Then, you can socialize while your son does the same.
Good luck!

Hi W.! My daughter is also 19 months old. I watch a few children from my home.....and there are times, we all get bored. Routine to them sometimes needs to be shook up as well. Children copy our attitutes, so even when we don't feel up to it, we need to seem peppy and energetic and excited about all things. My daughter loves to be outdoors. Even to just play with her same old toys outside, makes it seem more fun to her.
Here's some fun projects.....make sand castles out of brown sugar (messy but entertaining) play with edible playdough and plan trips or playdates. Sometimes you both just need to see other people. When you only see each other, you will get bored, it's not a lack of love, just a lack of change.
I find on some days, I'm exhausted from just sitting on the sofa doing nothing. Check library events, mommy & me groups, even Craigslist.com for other moms who need playmates for their kids.
Good luck and have fun!
Sincerely,
Stepmarie

I thought this was about your boredom then it turned into the baby's boredom. I would concentrate on how to fill your days: thrift store shopping, walking the block, cleaning the garage...

you need to meet other moms and have a play group...

i think it's very normal to experience some boredom. when i had my kids, i was 400 miles away from any friends or family in a very rural area and my husband was away alot. so i did experiene a bit of boredom. a ouple of things that really helped me were setting strong goals for myself and having some structure. i never thought i liked structure till then. i worked out 2 times a day, every day. i would put the baby in his walker or playpen and i would tell him stories the entire time i was on the exercise bike. or whatever. he liked it cause it was activity and it seemed like something exciting was going on. i walked alot with him in a stroller and we really had a lot of healthy benefits from all of it too. we planted a little flower garden and a small vegetable garden. although the baby wasn't much of a gardener he thought he was helping. we would water and he would have a little plastic pitcher of water to help!! i lost a ton of weight and he really enjoyed the benefits from being outside!! i think babies that age do get bored quickly with activities. there were a few things that i found that my kids played with for a long time. stuff like fisher prices main street where they had little people in cars that could go up and down ramps and into their hosues etc was great fun for them. toddler safe too. maybe take up and indoor hobby like needle work or aomething so you have something that you can see you have accomplished too!!

I got the Toddler's Busy Book from the Library. I love it! I am going to order it from Amazon because it has so many neat ideas!

Hi W.,
I think it is totally normal--but it doesn't ALWAYS have to be that way. I agree with the other posters about playing in different rooms, switching toys, heading to the library, park, splash in a pool BUT remember he is only 19 mos. old and don't expect too much too soon. I was always surprised that my son was the most entertained by the most ordinary of things and toys: blocks, books, looking in the fridge, playing with safe kitchen stuff etc. Keep his toys age appropriate and he should be fine. Simple puzzles? The idea of having every day jam packed with O. fun activity after another is a MYTH. Try to aim for several fun outings/activities per week. You can meet other moms at the library, play groups, etc. Your son and needs his rest too--so I found that sticking pretty close to his routine made us ALL happier!

HI!

It's Summertime!! Get the little one outside. Buy a wading pool and splash around in the water. Take a walk, go to the park, go to the local library and look at picture books. Get icecream and indulge on a hot day. At this age baby cones are a great treat! Go to the zoo, amusement park, petting zoo, anything! Just get some good ol fashioned exercise. YOu'll feel better and your child will love it.

Hi W.! First of all, it's important to remember that we don't need to entertain our kids 24/7. They need to learn to independently entertain themselves too--because we are moms, and we are BUSY! That being said, I suggest you create a cabinet in your kitchen with plastic bowls, cups, utensils, etc. Open that cabinet and let him go to town! My kids always loved doing this! Give him some plastic blocks, etc., ask him to make you some soup, and make games that way. We all know that our children love to play with our "toys" way better than their own--so let them! Another suggestion would be to let him help you with your work--folding clothes, etc. Make it a matching game with the socks. Hope these ideas help! Good luck!

Hi W.! Have you tried playdates? My Son gets bored easily as well, so we have been trying to do a playdate each week. On the weeks when we can't seem to get together with someone, I take him to Barnes and Nobel... they have the Thomas train station for kids to play with... he loves it! A.