Productivity Tips with Toddler

For some things, I let my son "help" me -- if I'm putting dishes away he can tell me where they go, or if I've got a lot of silverware to put away he can do that for me (he's almost three). I also have a drawer of plastic containers and tupperware that I let him play with when I'm in the kitchen making things. And I think it's pretty important for children to learn to pick up their own toys.
My best advice for actually cleaning is to pick one night a week that is cleaning night. After you put you daughter to bed, you and your husband pick one room and clean it thoroughly. (Or you could do two nights a week, or two rooms, whatever.) We have found it much more manageable to clean one part at a time rather than trying to keep the whole house perfect all the time.
And.... sometimes life will be just messy. :)

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It looks like this is your first baby...and I KNOW my first baby got a ton more attention than my second. Our second now--somewhat, and very limitedly--plays on his own. That helps; don't feel guilty about setting her up with a toy and EXPECTING her to play with it for a few minutes. I felt horrible about this kind of thing w/ #1; w/ #2, it's a necessity. He's so much more independent because of it. Also, don't feel bad about making her wait in the high chair until after meals are cleaned up. You can certainly give her a small toy to play with; don't make her stare into space far away from you--but maybe music, conversation with you, or a small toy should be able to occupy her until you've at least cleared the table. I have two VERY high energy, spirited boys, and it's taken me 5 1/2 years to figure it out w/ #1...I'm learning faster w/ #2! My first really loved to be involved in chores. We found parts he could do--if I was cleaning in the living room, he could have a Pledge wipe and clean the piano, the coffee table, the windows...anything! without doing damage, learning to help around the house, and not being in my way. Now, he's 5 and willingly, happily cleans the toilet and scrubs the bathtub! A backpack also worked well for us; we borrowed a very basic one from our daycare w/ #1... I've also found that having a number of chores going at once works for me. I have laundry in the basement, so when kids are down there, I can sort/wash/fold/dry whatever. I hang laundry outside, or rake leaves, or even mow the lawn, bit by bit, when the kids are outside. I do dishes and pick up the kitchen and put together meals when the kids are on the main floor. I clean the bathroom during bath time, or, since my "baby" is now 22 months, I sometimes put clothes away while he's in the tub, where I can check on him every 30 seconds! So--I have a chore going on in every part of the house...I rarely get things FINISHED all the way, but at least it's maintenance!

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I completely understand! Exploring is their job--they are driven to explore and it is best to let them explore, within limits as much as you can. Saying that, I know how frustrating it can be. I often found that with my older daughter that it took a mess to clean up a mess--meaning, I had to give her a drawer or a basket full of stuff that she could dump while I cleaned a different mess. I would let her empty out the plastics drawer while I cleaned the rest of the kitchen. I just knew that I my plastics drawer was always going to be messy--no big deal.

You may find that some creative furniture arranging during the day might give you some boundries. Slide a living room chair in front of the hallway entrance. Be sure these are safe alternatives, but it might just give you a little bit of time/room.

I have also heard of in-home daycares having designated spaces like a blanket with a pile of books or other toys. Make it fun, like an island or something????

Good luck!

I suggest having her "help" you as much as possible. My daughter is 2 and loves to sweep with her little sweeper and "fold" clothes. It takes a little longer, but I get things done!
Christa

Lower your standards. LOL
Since your husband is unemployed, and I know that doesn't mean he is home all the time, he can help out some. Have him take her to the park so you can get some work done in the evening or morning. That might even make her nap time longer if she is worn out. Or maybe your husband can help with some of the chores.
But during certain seasons of your life, most of us have to just lower our standards. Vacuuming and mopping every day is not gonna happen. I'm lucky if it happens monthly with 7 kids, but when I only had a couple of active toddlers I worked toward once a week.

You could try freecycle.org to find babygates or pack 'n play for free. You sign up by county. If you put her in her room with a baby gate she will have much more freedom and possibly be occupied longer, just check on her frequently.

I understand your problem. My daughter has always been a real "busy body" too, and as a toddler simply sitting her down with crayons or a book was not an option if I couldn't keep my eye on her contstantly. I'd turn around to find her climbing a book case or something. If you can't get enough done during naptime or after she goes to bed, I suggest finding another mom (or other moms) you trust and trading babysitting time.

Funny u should ask- I'm beginning to have a similar prob with my 13mo old! Thankfully, since we just moved from out of state, we don't have a whole lot of things on our main floor, so its pretty childproof. I created a drawer for my little one in the kitchen with stuff she can play with while I cook or wash dishes. I also have a baby movie that I turn on if I'm desperate (its called Baby Faith-really cool movies, jodie benson who plays the voice of ariel in little mermaid is the host/narrator) it is similar to baby einstien movies. I still end up holding her while I do things, but I know as she gets older, that will pass...ihope lol. You may also come to the same realization I did judt yesterday which is: I'm just going to have to wake up before she does and get things done, along with the chores I do when all my kids are in ____@____.com luck!

For a free pack n play, either ask around in your community to see if there is a "toy Closet" or other lending program. Or post a wanted ad on Craigslist Wanted: free pack n play. St Vincent De Paul or Salvation Army stores might be able to help you find one. You can also check with your local Health Dpartment or wherever WIC is done where you are at.

First, make sure your whole house is baby and toddler-proof! Then you don't have to worry about constantly having to keep the eagle eye on her. Second- switch to "green" or natural cleaners. You can get a lot done with vinegar or baking soda without having to worry so much about her getting into cloths with cleaner residue etc.

Tehn whatever the age of the toddler, give her something she can do to "help". This might be a slightly damp washcloth or a baby wipe to help "wash" walls or floors. Or it might be sitting inside a laundry basket of clothes fresh from the dryer. Or a small hand held broom and dustpan to "sweep" with. You can buy toy ones, but the smallest real size for adults is just as good and cheaper. There's almost always SOME way to incorporate a small child., or even a baby into what you are doing. Hand her a plastic dish from the dishwasher to handle, or several to stack or bang together.

I started right away getting my son involved with my chores, and while it can be incredibly frustrating when they slide through your dust pile for the 18th time that 5 minutes, it is worth the effort to keep them involved early on. Now that my son is 3, he actually goes looking for the broom and dustpan so he can sweep the floor himself. When she gets a little older, make sure she's got a trash can all her own, so she can throw away her wrappers and papers and dust piles etc by herself. Same thing with the laundry- it was annoying when all he wanted to do was throw all the clean clothes on the floor, but now that he's 3, he is actually capable of putting away the clothes that belong in his dresser, and he enjoys putting away mom and dad's socks and underwear, and knows which items like towels and washcloths belong where in the house now too.

It's true about needing to "make a mess to clean a mess" sometimes. I look for those times when my son is already occupied and then quickly do a small maintenance chore like the dishes or sweeping or washing a few windows.

If you are a schedule person, make yourself a list of all the chores you want to complete in one week, then prioritize them. Cross the last 5 or 10 off the list. Seriously. Then make a simple schedule of the rest. Monday-laundry. Tuesday- mop floors. Wed- clean bathroom. etc.

Another way to actually accomplish something is of course to have a babysitter. That doesn't have to be a paid sitter either. Use family if you have them nearby, work out a trade with a neighbor or another mom near you.

This is a part of her job! Try to relax and enjoy her inquisitive nature. Let some things go, get her to help as previous posts suggested. Baby-proof things by putting them out of her reach. Have hubby lend a hand with the housework. She is HIS child, too!!! Take pictures of her research. Since daddy is currently home, this should be part of his responsibility, too. Good luck! Takes two parents!

Well of course you can't get EVERYTHING done ;)!! But give her a washcloth to help clean up. I have one big drawer in the kitchen that is baby safe for her to play in, help put away dishes. A set of magnets for the fridge was an awesome find, we have animal ones. Just a couple ideas....
L.

I'm a SAHM with 3 kids and I do a little bit each day. I clean when they nap and I also fit in other things at that time as well. I usually only clean for about 30 minutes before going on to something else, like checking emails or even sitting down and reading a book. I like to keep a balance. I have also found that keeping disinfecting wipes around the house really helps. I wipe down the bathroom sinks and toilets everyday with these. Some people think that is anal, but I have 3 little boys and the bathrooms are a mess. Between me getting hair and makeup all over the sinks and the boys getting dirt, toothpaste, and urine on the sink and toilet they get pretty gross. I can wipe down all 3 bathrooms with the wipes in less than 5 minutes and that really helps in keeping things clean. I also sweep everyday, again a 5 minute job, and wipe up spills right away. I don't do these things at one time, but rather throughout the day when I get a chance. I'm sure you can find 5 free minutes throughout the day. I wipe my sink and toilet as soon as I'm done getting dressed, the boys' bathroom when they are finished, and the 3rd bathroom whenever I have a free moment. I also keep toys in the boys' rooms and in the basement only. This way the mess is limited to just those areas. I find that if I keep my kids on a schedule and myself on one too then I can get everything done. I hope some of this advice helps, you just need to find a good balance that works for you. Good luck!

My son is 20 months old and I have him help me with a bunch of tasks. It does slow me down some and everything is supervised obviously, but he loves to help and it keeps him occupied and out of trouble. He does the following things (and is very proud of his responsibilities...it's so cute!):
He helps put the pillows on the bed.
Helps take laundry out of dryer and puts dirty clothes in the hamper.
waters flowers.
takes out trash.
puts away some dishes (plastic containers) or hands dishes to me.
picks up toys.

When my husband is home and can watch the kids, I get the bigger stuff done, but the day to day stuff isn't too hard to keep up with and is fun to let my son help. I think these are great skills of responsibility to learn anyway. Hope this helps! Good luck!

A.

I do as much as I possibly can with my toddler. It is amazing what they can do, and they LOVE working with me. The jobs go much slower, but we are gaining so much more than a cleaner house or clean clothes or some household benefit. My child is in the ultimate self-esteem program, I am having more fun, and someday soon, my child will be able to do some of these jobs and free me up to do something else. And we are building our relationship. The older my children get, the more I realize that bonding isn't just for babies. If I adopt the attitude that they are "in the way of my real life", believe me, they can sense it. So I try to work them in wherever I can. And there are a lot of my "before kids" household chores, that I just don't consider as important anymore. Today we will curl up with a book and we can clean the chandelier glass in a couple of years.

You need to use naptime and bedtime and while Daddy is supervising....amd most importantly...some things may not get done and yo have to learn to let go just a bit! This to will pass! Time flies and the most important thing you have to do right now is play!

I do most of my housework while my younger 2 boys are napping. My oldest boy will usually rest and watch a movie or play quietly while I do what I need to. Or I sit him at the table with crayons or play dough or something.