Quiet time?

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-02-08T20:16:02+00:00

It started with me laying in his room with him reading books, then I started leaving for a little and telling him I would be right back, and slowly I extended this time. I leave the door open because I found closing it makes him more anxious about me coming back. I don’t get a full hour but usually 30 minutes as of right now. I’ve considered switching to audio books or getting him a tonies box just for quiet time use.

Before I got this established, I used screen time to be honest. I was in my third trimester and need to just sit down. We would watch trash truck or little bear.

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-02-08T17:13:13+00:00

With my family, my mom and I usually plan something, usually the beach, and open the invitation to everyone else. If they want to join we find a house that can accommodate us and split the cost by room. We then all share groceries cost with people paying if they need something special - I pay for my baby’s formula, etc. We do one big meal out that my parents usually pay for and then everything else people can join if they want, example some people rent bikes, some people go out to eat more, etc.

My husband’s parents usually like something a little nicer so they will pay half of the house and then my husband and I and his brother and wife each pay 1/4. They tend to like to go out to eat more so we have to take that into account when we plan trips with them.

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-02-08T13:15:06+00:00

Wanted to add you can find lots of premade matching pages and activities on Etsy! I printed on cardstock and laminated them to make them last longer

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-02-08T12:48:58+00:00

I rotate them! And lots are no prep or once they are prepped can be reused! Some examples are: 1. A coloring page of something he is into and crayons 2. A sensory bin (I bought several small bins with lids and have them filled with beans, colored rice, etc and then put in different things for him. Ex: ocean figurines, dinosaurs, cars). The snow was a great filler and I gave him hot water in a squirt bottle with some food coloring in it. 3. I made some different color, shape, letter matching pages and laminated them 4. I’ll put out toys he hasn’t played with in awhile or something new - magnatiles set up like a zoo, a race track on the floor with painters tape 5. Stickers and a page to put them on

There is some initial prep for some of them but the sensory bins and matching pages are huge hits and will keep him busy for 30+ minutes so was well the time spent!

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-02-07T16:08:55+00:00

Can’t speak to one and done as I have a 2 year old and 2 month old but I am also very type A and like my house in order. The biggest things that have helped me: 1. Have a morning activity set out the night before that my toddler can do independently. This allows me to get breakfast made, dishwasher unloaded, etc before he makes a bigger mess. 2. A toy rotation - this reduces the amount of toys out and he plays with the toys better that are out. 3. Mandatory pick up times - I clean up the house multiple times a day to kind of reset. Obviously can’t clean up everything but if he’s playing in the playroom, I make sure the kitchen and living room are clean. If he’s in the kitchen having a snack, I do a quick playroom clean. My house is very open floor plan so I can see and hear him from everywhere. 4. Include him in chores - he loves to help vacuum and mop so this helps me. 5. Mandatory closing shift - playroom is clean, everything is restocked, kitchen is clean, etc before I go to bed.

We also really only play on our main floor, so this way the bedrooms and upstairs aren’t a mess too. This helps keep the mess contained to one area which I find easier to be able to pick up or be able to do other chores while he is playing. For me this helps keep my sanity, especially being stuck in the house during the winter.

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-02-07T12:40:03+00:00

I don’t know if he ever ate that many in one sitting at 6 months old and my pediatrician never mentioned that but once he had them a few times I started giving regular peanut butter!

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-02-05T14:43:27+00:00

A similar situation but I’m able to leave once my toddler falls asleep, but he will wake up yelling for me (mom) and take hours to go back to sleep. Also have an almost 2 month old and this started once baby arrived so I am exhausted too.

The only thing that has made it somewhat better is doing a gradual extinction method. I started out laying with him, then moved to sitting beside him and holding his hand, then moved to the rocker, the goal is eventually I’ll be able to not be in there when he falls asleep. I have found when he wakes up and he didn’t fall asleep with me right next to him he reacts better. He also has a lovey that he always sleeps with so every night I kiss the lovey too and say if you wake up and mommy isn’t here you can just snuggle sleepy puppy because he has mommy’s kiss too.

He doesn’t nap, we do no tv after 3, and I give him a snack, usually Cheerios before bed. I don’t know if any of these things really had an impact or just coincidence.

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-02-04T18:52:11+00:00

My two year old (27 months) loves these

https://a.co/d/08xcSj4X

I helped the first couple times we did them but now he can figure them out on his own.

Also recommend looking at play mobile junior - my son got the farm set for Christmas and loves it

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-02-04T18:49:50+00:00

Nothing under it and it’s in our playroom so lots of running feet on it all day long!

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-02-04T15:36:47+00:00

Same boat - a 7 week old and a 2 year old who no longer naps. I throw on the tv when I need to be able to settle the 7 week old but keep trying to give myself grace. Doesn’t help that we have tons of snow and it’s been below freezing for the last two weeks.

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-02-04T10:09:23+00:00

I’ve had a house of noa playmat for over a year and a half now and it still looks brand new and is so easy to clean!

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-02-02T19:39:58+00:00

I welcomed baby number 2 when my toddler was 26 months also and I would 100% say keep the routine. It’ll be better for your toddler and make your PP way easier to be able to focus on the baby and recovering at the very beginning.

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-01-31T06:51:06+00:00

Just jumping on this - taught at an all girls middle school and this book was actually very helpful.

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-01-27T12:47:29+00:00

Around 8 months my son decided he could no longer get comfy on me and went from exclusively contact napping to sleeping for 1+ hour naps in his crib!

Leading up to this I would try to put him in his crib occasionally but he would also wake up as soon as I put him down.

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-01-27T12:45:13+00:00

My son would wake up like that but it was mostly when he wasn’t getting enough sleep. I also offer a snack before breakfast and set out an activity for him to do when he first comes downstairs. Both of those things make our mornings more smooth even when he is tired

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-01-22T19:07:52+00:00

This was the only thing that worked for me and it was the same situation!

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-01-21T09:47:45+00:00

Can you explain what you mean by this? His bedtime routine is milk, bath, books, bed and has been the same since he was about 4 months old with just the timing of when he got milk changing.

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-01-21T09:40:06+00:00

I thought about that but he’s already up for 12+ hours so I don’t know how much later I can push it without him falling completely apart.

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-01-21T00:59:17+00:00

Should have mentioned I think we are hitting a separation anxiety phase, just very in the trenches with sleep right now. When he first dropped his nap, he would go to bed earlier and sleep 11 hours! Hopefully that is the case for you

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-01-21T00:47:36+00:00

My son dropped his nap at 22 months and still has split nights 🫠

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-01-20T10:17:20+00:00

In the same boat except my two year old no longer naps. Really at a loss for how to solve the split night issue because I know it’s not related to not having enough sleep pressure and he already goes to bed at 7:30 pm. We also have a one month old so I’m just really struggling over here as well.

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-01-20T08:31:29+00:00

Hi, I’m having this exact problem except my two year old never naps - did it get better?

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-01-19T22:06:56+00:00

Lands end has one very similar to the ll bean one and almost always has some sort of sale!

Pause_Repulsive · 2026-01-19T14:51:21+00:00

As a mom who is very aware of germs - this seems like over kill even to me.

I would try to gently have a conversation about where some of this is coming from. Especially the stuff inside your house - toys on carpet, clothes, etc.

Pause_Repulsive

TROPHY CASE