mama2cntrykids Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 This is our second day of school and my toddler (14 months old) doesn't want anything BUT me. It's getting frustrating. I can't give the other kids the attention they need with their work with her crying/whinning at me. I've tried giving her toys to play with that she hardly ever gets to play with, holding her (she just whines and whines), giving her a snack, etc. Any other ideas? The kids are having a hard time concentrating and I'm losing my mind:confused:. If this keeps up, it's going to be a loooong year. It was MUCH better last year when she was a little infant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Would she be happy in a baby carrier on your back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraciWA Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Ah, yes. I had two of those. It is a struggle. You will survive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Would she be happy in a baby carrier on your back? :iagree: Even when DS2 wasn't thrilled to be in there, I knew he was getting some comfort by being close, he was getting some stimulation, and he was safe. I got to the point where I figured if he was cranky and whiny and clingy, he might as well be on my back and cranky, whiny, clingy so I could get things done with the other kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Yep- baby carrier. Youngest DD spent hours on my back when she went thru her whiny phase. They still whine and cry a bit, but at least you know they are safe. I always blamed it on teething, but honestly I think she just needed more mom-contact than my other kids. I had a soft wrap one without a frame that I was able to use until she turned two without too much trouble. After a few days, I found I could do pretty much anything with her wrapped on - except get the clothes out of the dryer, my older kids had to do that for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Well, I nursed mine and taught a lot at the same time. I also just held her in my lap a lot as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 You know, when I was younger, I could do that, and I did it a lot. The kids were fine. But I am older now (!) and get too tired and hot, and the little one doesn't like being squeezed either. I seriously can't do it. And I have one who climbs furniture, draws on the walls, unrolls the tape, grabs at everything, takes pencils and erasers away, and generally gets into everything. I don't know how to do anything except during nap time or if someone else watches him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stayseeliz Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 I have a 5th grader, 3rd grader, 4k'er and a 16 month old. I feel your pain!This is our third week back to school and I'm learning as I go. I've given up trying to do anything that takes my full attention when the baby is awake. We get up, make beds, eat breakfast and the kids work on their independent work until the baby goes down for a nap. As soon as she goes down we hit school HARD and do history, Bible, science and anything else that I facilitate. I don't have her nap time "free" anymore to exercise etc but it's worth the sanity not to have to try to teach around a rowdy toddler! Hang in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama2cntrykids Posted August 8, 2012 Author Share Posted August 8, 2012 Ha! After I posted I thought, "Why don't I teach the more involved stuff while she's napping???" So, I think I might try that. We also have two carriers, one sling and one soft backpack thingy. The backpack thingy doesn't fit me right and she complains in it. The sling *might* work however. I guess I need to just keep trying! ACK! You know, my dd6 wasn't like this when she was a toddler and I was teaching my oldest ds 1st grade (at the time...he's now in 6th!). Different kids, I guess... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 My current plan is to nurse and do whatever, and to try and give DS things to do he doesn't get any other time...but we may give in and send him to daycare in the mornings on days we need to do schoolwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stayseeliz Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Ha! After I posted I thought, "Why don't I teach the more involved stuff while she's napping???" So, I think I might try that. We also have two carriers, one sling and one soft backpack thingy. The backpack thingy doesn't fit me right and she complains in it. The sling *might* work however. I guess I need to just keep trying! ACK! You know, my dd6 wasn't like this when she was a toddler and I was teaching my oldest ds 1st grade (at the time...he's now in 6th!). Different kids, I guess... I've found that nap times are the life saver here!! It's nice and quiet and fairly easy to teach when the toddler is napping. My oldest was in second grade when my almost 5yo was a toddler and it's just easier to teach a younger student I think. There isn't so much work and concentration needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather R Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Could your older 3 each take 30 minutes of time to play with her in another room? I just read Managers of Their Homes, by the Maxwells, and this is what they suggest. I only have 2, so it has never worked for me, but it sounds great in theory! You could get one of those "365 Activities to do with your Toddler" type books for the older children to get ideas of what they could do together... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Could your older 3 each take 30 minutes of time to play with her in another room? I just read Managers of Their Homes, by the Maxwells, and this is what they suggest. I only have 2, so it has never worked for me, but it sounds great in theory! You could get one of those "365 Activities to do with your Toddler" type books for the older children to get ideas of what they could do together... My dd 5 and 2.5 play together a good amount now, although it wasn't so much until she was between 1.5-2 y.o. that they were able to do that more. Then things got a whole lot easier. Of course now I'm doing little bits of schooling with dd5 so it doesn't work all the time. She does like to color some now though so that works for a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgilli3 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I feel your pain. This is what is currently working for us - I have one in: 9th grade, 8th grade Prep (kindergarten for those in the US I think) and Ds is 18 months This is how a day sometimes looks Morn- the eldest watches the youngest for 1 hr so I can do school work ( math and reading) with preppy. 2nd child starts school work When hr is up, oldest joins me at table, and starts independent work. The two younger ones play together - I usually have some interruptions, but they aren't usually too bad. After lunch,youngest naps ( from roughly 1-3pm) During this time we more together work (history, science,economics etc and preppy does art or brings out small toys she cant bring out when baby is up) When little one up, we are usually finished or close too. Then 2nd child watches youngest for an hr ( this time I do meal prep or go for a quick walk) Their roster looks like this ( we rotate week 1 and 2,so the hours even out) Mon: #1 has baby in morn -1 hr #2 baby in afternoon -1 hr Tues: #2 has baby in morn-1 hr #1 has baby in afternoon -30 min #3 has baby in afternoon -30 mins Wed: #1 has baby in morn- 1 hr #2 has baby in afternoon- 30 mins #3 has baby in afternoon - 30 mins Thurs: #2 has baby in morning- 1 hr #1 has baby in afternoon- 1 hr Fri: #1 has baby in morning- 1 hr #2 has baby in afternoon -30 mins #3 has baby in afternoon- 30 mins There are days where things just.don't.come.together- but overall it is quite manageable. The whiny days drive me insane though...go on,ask me about today :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 No idea. :001_huh: If mine isn't begging to nurse, climbing the table, or ripping papers away from her sisters, she's destroying something in another room. Sigh. The only things that work are snacks, play doh, or letting her stand on a chair and play in the sink full of soapy water. She likes bubbles. :D I usually have a big mess after, but it buys me half hour of time. We do use some of her nap, but not all of it. I need a break too!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I have DS3 (almost 13 months, not walking yet) on my lap a lot, often nursing. We also have the schoolroom set up so that it's completely safe for him; he can play on the floor and be near us. I haven't been wearing him much this summer, because it's just so hot, but I do use an Ergo a lot to put him on my back. Sometimes I hand him things he's not really supposed to have, like pens or rubber bands, and he thinks he's getting away with something and will play with the ilicit toy (but I can keep an eye on him to make sure he's safe). Usually, he's happy to play on the floor for a while in the morning, so he plays while I work with the older children, and we read history when he is ready to nurse to sleep. Sometimes DS2 (almost 4) plays with him, and the oldest two (10 and 7) also like to take turns with him, so that might be an option -- have one of your big boys entertain the toddler while you work with the other, and then they can switch. Maybe taking the toddler outside would be a good option? I think sometimes it just depends on the child too. My younger two boys are generally happier to play on the floor near me than my older two; my DD always wanted to be doing Whatever Mommy Was Doing, every second, and my oldest son was a velcro baby who didn't want to take a step from my lap until he was close to three. Sometimes kids are just like that -- it will pass. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 The only things that work are snacks, play doh, or letting her stand on a chair and play in the sink full of soapy water. ! Mine isn't very steady on a chair! There goes that idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Let the older children take turns playing with the baby. Save teaching complicated subjects for naptime. Remember that this, too, shall pass. The year YDS was just over one to just over two was really difficult. I saved ODS's subjects that required his full concentration for naptime, but other than that we just dealt with it. It did get better a bit after YDS turned two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camche3 Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I can so relate to this! I have my dd2-9th grade and ds2-16 months at home with me. He will nurse but gets up and down constantly. If he's not nursing he is trying to climb on the table on the table and grab papers, books or pencils. When I encourage him to play with toys, he throws them in my lap for me to make them work or show him how to play. He makes me feel really guilty when he is putting books in my lap, saying "read". We can't do naptime because that is when my dd goes to work. From what I have read on the forum, it will get better next year. I hope!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiannaC Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I have a 14 month old as well, but thankfully I'm only doing K5 this year and we do school during her morning nap. I would do as much as possible during nap (does she/he still nap in the morning?) & then try to have brother/sister to take turns playing with her in another room. I completely understand about the clinginess, but I keep reminding myself, "this too shall pass!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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