Hi! My daughter will be one next week and I have been very lucky that she is still holding on to her morning nap. This is when I take a shower and get dressed. However, I know it's only a matter of time before she gives that up. I was wondering what other moms do to entertain their toddlers while they shower. (I realize that I could shower at night but my morning shower is like coffee to me. It wakes me up and sets the tone for the day.) Any ideas are welcome!
Thank you all for such great ideas! We have a tiny house and no master bath. I ended up parking her play yard right in the bathroom doorway so I can still see her but she is confined to that space while I shower. It takes a little effort to roll it in place and then roll it back to the living room but the peace of mind is worth it!
Hi E.,
My daughter is almost 20mos and loves to play in the bathroom while I shower. She has also showered with me and just loves it.
If she's not showering with me, I have her in the bathroom with the door shut--bathroom is very child friendly. I talk to her and play games through the glass--she thinks it's funny!
Goodluck,
Sumitra(o:
Hi E.,
The Exersaucer was my best friend! I would put on a Baby Einstain video and let the kiddos watch while I showered---- until #3 came along- he could actually dump the thing over and escape.
I have also used the pack and play or gated the kids into their (safe) room.
I am now up to #4 and I just get up and shower before anyone else is up!
D.
Well, depending on how early your little one gets up, you could shower before they wake. Or you could shower while you husband is still home in the morning, assuming he works days.
I, personally, bring toys and such into the bathroom and let my baby sit on the floor and play while I take a quick shower, but my shower is glass, so I can see him at all times.
Also, if your baby is able to eat on her own, you could bring the highchair in there and let her eat while you shower.
hope this helps!
Hello! I am a part time working mother of three and I have twin two year olds that stay home with me during the day. I have serious delimmas when it somes to taking a shower. My sons take late naps, usually when I am at work so I have to shower with them awake. They usually sit in the bathroom with me and I let them bring books or blocks to help keep them entertained. I have also tried putting in one of their favorite Baby Einstein movies, but they go where ever I go. Hope this helps some!
B.
I shower with my 12-month old all the time and love it! I find it is actually easier to clean ALL of her body this way. She really likes it too. The biggest thing is getting them used to the way the shower water comes down into their face. We have always just poured water over her head even in her baby bath and dunked her under water in the pool this summer. Your little one will get used to it too. She plays with the bottles and loves to take the cap off of my shaving cream and bang it around on the floor.
Another thing I do is put her in the empty tub while I am in the stand up shower (if you have this configuration). I give her some regular toys and let her go to town. She is confined but I can still see her and talk to her. I do this when I am blow drying my hair too.
Good luck!
We've done two different things, and the layout of your house will affect whether they're possible for you. Our bathroom has a pretty big walk-in closet attached to it, so we always have the pack&play up and I can see it from the shower. (Dd actually sleeps there too when we have guests staying in her room.)
A few weeks ago while we were doing some work on our shower and had to use the bathroom attached to dd's room, I opened the door between the bedroom and bathroom and put a big bin of clothes in the doorway. We could see each other (sorta) but she couldn't actually get into the bathroom. I closed the other bedroom door so that she had to stay in there. The first day she just banged on the bin and tossed toys into the bathroom, but after that she just played in her room until I was finished.
Hi, I had the same problem. With my first one, while he fit in a baby carrier car seat, I would put him in that. With the second one, we had what I called "control central," one of those toys he sat in the center of and was surrounded on all sides with toys to play with. With #3, we had a bounce chair that vibrated and had toys attached to it. With all these, I sat them in the bathroom with me while I showered and got ready for the day. The hard part comes when they can easily get out of these things, or get bored and start screaming the whole time you're getting ready. Then you may have to fall back on the nighttime showers. I did. :0) Hope this helps.
Best Wishes,
D.
Great Ideas. I would add that you need a safe spot in your house. A place you can put/lock your child into that you know they will not be able to to get hurt. There are many gating systems. This is necessary for more than showers. You will use this space when you can not focus on them and need to address another issue. It does not need to be visable from the shower. You know the area is completely safe. If they scream they will get use to it. Also it will foster alone play time. Which it is very important for children to know how to entertain themselves. They will also use thier brain in a more creative ways when alone. It may take some rearranging however it will be temporary. Within a year they will be much safer on their own in more areas of your home. Good Luck
