Any ideas what to do when my 3yr old wakes up earlier than usual and I still need to get ready and shower... He wants to watch a video and I'd rather not have him watch tv so often. He's usually really great at playing by himself while I cook dinner... but he wants to see me. What are things you've tried? He doesn't like to be in his playroom unless I'm w/in ear shot.
My daughter likes to sit with books and puzzles outside the shower door, where we can see and hear each other. Sometimes she also demands a sing-along. (We sing her favorites over and over...)
For my son, he liked the big Duplo Legos and trains. He also used to sit outside my shower door. Now he's older and plays his DS or reads a book in the living room. LOL.
I think Jayne give you good advice, TV can be very educational, as long as they are watching the right things. My oldest now 26 loved the Price Is Right in the mornings, the sounds the lights going off when numbers were lit up, he learned his numbers before the age of two siting on his potty chair watching the show, by 3 he was watching Jeopardy. There are so many cute movies for toddlers, a movie a day is not going to hurt him and then that will give you time to do the things you need to do for you. One thing that I always did, was I took my shower the night before bed, to save time in the morning. J.
Get him a Leapster.
My son is 3, he's been using his Leapster since 2 years old. He loves it. It is educational and a 'learning' toy. It is great. My son can do it independently... and really learns from it.
Next, he can play with his toys too... my son really loves pretend play with his figures... and it keeps him really immersed... and he knows he can always call me if he needs me and even if he is in the same room as me while I get ready or cook or clean, he will often "help" me too...
The thing is, there is 1 of you, and your child. We Moms have things to do around the house. A child, will 'know' the 'routines' of the home and if you have a ROUTINE, everyday for him, and let him know what is next... then that helps... that is what I do. My son, knows our routines and what 'we' do and what 'I' do, and what "he" does.
Your son can "see" you cooking dinner... he can be in the kitchen too. Play there. My son does that. He also helps me cook. He can chop things, he can even break an egg open and cook and scramble his own eggs, while I supervise. I incorporate him INTO 'our/my' routines. He can be near you, next to you.... and you can still do what you have to do.
He does not only have to be IN the play-room.
The thing is, you need to help "organize" the child too and what they do... so when he gets up early and you need to get ready/shower... then explicitly explain to him what he CAN do... his options. Tell him there is a certain time for tv... etc. A child can find things to do... when I take a shower, my son is in the next room and I tell him to either come to the bathroom or yell REAL loud, to call me... but I make sure he is first, playing with something that I direct him too... and its fine.
Have a ROUTINE... for your child.
all the best,
Susan
We have a kids table and chairs. When he was three, I left crayons and coloring books out. By 3, he knew the rules with crayons and it wasn't a problem. And if you worry, Crayola makes the magic markers that can only be used on their special paper. We also LOVE playdoh. We do it in the kitchen and my house doesn't have carpet, so it's not a big deal for me. In fact making our own becomes a project in and of itself. I just taught him that it stays on the kid table. Magnets are also great. We keep them out of reach and pull them out periodically. Using a cooking sheet, they can be portable.
I have a toy bin in the bedroom so my daughter can play in the room and still be occupied while I am getting ready. When showering and my husband is not home I simply close her in the bathroom with me. Temds to work pretty well most of the time.
I know many parent's think TV watching is bad however my 2 1/2 year old loves her disney and curious george movies and she knows every weekend she gets to choose one movie in the morning to watch. She understands more and more of what is going on in the movies, laughs, sings the songs and asks questions whenever she doesn't understand something. After showering and getting dressed I normally cuddle with her with my book/computer while she is watching the movie and I respond to her when she does these things. I love that she's starting to understand what is going on or when she sees a scene and laughs and says that's funny. The rest of the day we spend going to the bookstore, park, grocery shopping, walks, hikes, etc. I think it all balances out. Oh, and she watches the shows in Spanish as we are trying to teach her how to speak English and Spanish.
I definitely understand not wanting him to have to much tv time. Have u tried moving around his t.v time and splitting it up to where he can watch tv while u shower and then later in the day? Also u may want to look into some educational videos. My 16 month old likes to set in the bathroom with me while i shower and play with his cars. I realize the age difference but sometimes there may be an alternative to the tv time. Good luck!!!
My husband starts work late so he is home with our 2 yr old during the day but leaves before I get home. Anyway, when the older kids are in school he is in a bind. He cannot leave her to watch TV or play with her things because she knows how to open the doors and get out. He has her sit in the bathroom while he showers. She usually just sits with a doll or something and sometimes they will have a "talk" while he showers. Other things I do are allow her to watch some TV. I try to get her out as much as I can. I figure when i am taking a shower a little tv won't be bad. Plus she watches Blues Clues or Mickey Mouse or maybe Dora or Handy Manny so they are not totally empty shows.
I don't typically like for my kids to watch TV that early in the morning, but I do put in a TV show for them or PBS or PBS Sprouts. It keeps them entertained so I can take a quick shower and it is cute to hear them laugh and interact with the shows. I don't know how your bedroom is setup but we lock our bedroom door with the boys in our bed sitting or under the covers watching Curious George or what ever is on PBS at the time. Then I am able to keep the bathroom door open a little to hear any commotion going on. Hope this helps. -- L.
Actually that IS video time at my house, or PBS.
It's not safe to leave a three year old alone for that long....there's so many dangers even in a generally child proofed home. When I sleep later then my girls they get knives, scissors, go outside, eat raw things out of the fridge, it's really scary some of the things I've found! I have to keep a child monitor on to alert me that they are up, but it doesn't always work for me. Right now I'm sick and I get up when I wake up, but they are up before 6 and I'm so drugged up from the night before (one Benadryl wipes me out) I don't even know they are up. They are 3,5,6,7.
My girls are old enough to circumvent the childproofing locks but you might want to put a little brass latch up at the top of the doors that go outside, as well as a door knob thing. Get a lock for the fridge. My knives are in a locked box. The medications are all in the master bathroom. If he is going to have access to your bedroom and bathroom, look around and make sure there's nothing in the nightstands ect that he car get to. A common mistake I've seen is a razer on the bathtub. When I was a little girl I went to a friend's house and her three year old brother came out of the bathroom screaming, with blood all over the place. He was shaving his legs!
If possible, keep him in the bathroom with you and give him a drawing pad and pencil or Leap Frog toy or other such toys. That way you know where he is and what he is doing at all times! People USUALLY remember to not leave a child in the tub alone, but leave them alone in the house often. There are other dangers equally as deadly as the bathtub.
Explain to him that you still need to get ready. Tell him Mommie needs to get ready but before I start we are going to make a house for you to wait in until I finish, set up a small space just outside the area you will be in but he can see the door. Use two of his small chairs and his little table if you have it or use a mat area. Put some toys, a stuffed animal in one of the chairs a few of his favorite toys and say to him. Will you please take care of whatever his favorite toy is untill I finish? He (the favorite toy) told me he really wanted to play with you he has been waiting for you to get up. Leave your door open just a little so you will be able to hear him.While you are in the shower you may call his name and ask are you ok? He wil respond and he will feel safe.
