Having a Really Hard Time Scheduling Day to Day Activities.

you sound like a great mother to me!
at 2.5 your child does not need structured activities - if a child is in daycare then their day is structured because they have 30 other children to deal with, but at home just do what your doing.
think about what your mother did with you when you were a child, chances are she played with you now and again, but mostly left you to your own devices because she had stuff to do.
do YOU need more structure?, maybe you are feeling like you need a bit more routine, especially if you are used to working, i know i felt that way, after 13 years of working full time, to being a full time sahm, that was really difficult as i was used to a routine and a very structured day. i really dont know how to play with my kids either, i usually just do what they ask to do, i homeschool though, which does give me a lot of structure to my day.
you are already doing outside activities 3 times a week, that is really enough.
when you are at home you can have your son help you with cooking and cleaning.
really though your day sounds great - normal and happy, but if you need more structure maybe you can draw up a daily plan like they do in daycare and follow it.

This is a tough spot to be. I too am a sahm and do not have a husband coming home but once every couple of days. It will be hard but first shut off the TV. Let your son help with all of the things you have to get done. let him help with the laundry handing things to take to the table to prepare dinner. Get crayons and print coloring pages from the computer. Play-dough and cookie cutters is something he can totally do while you cook with minimal help. I let my daughter watch tv but an hour in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. Blocks are a huge hit with both of my kids and they can entertain themselves for hours. Plus it is really easy to just jump in and out of that activity while you tend to things. You certainly do not need to do major craft projects but coloring and other easy things will find hours of entertainment for him! Good luck and keep up the good work!!!

I think it is very important for children to learn to occupy themselves, instead od depending on you (or someone else or TV) to entertain them. Give him crayons and paper, or those big legos, or some dolls (action figures, stuffed animals) and tell him to create something for you. I have two boys, now 7 and 4 and I started them very young with entertaining themselves. It causes them to use their mind and be creative and independent!! I also included my kids with everything I did. By 2 they were both helping with emptying the dishes, seperating laundry, sweeping, cooking, anything I did! It takes a little patience and a few broken dishes, but they loved (and still do) doing it! My 7 year old loads and puts the soap in the washer without assistance. Both of them can make there own PB&J, make their beds, and vacuum. I am not saying I don't have to re-do some of what they do, but they love helping out and I know that they won't turn into helpless men as adults. Each kid will have things they enjoy more and want to learn more about. My 4 yo is not that interested in cooking and making a PB&J is about his extent of knowledge. My 7 yo was making breakfastevery Saturday by the time he was 3. He could flip a fried egg without breaking the yolk and had a real passion for cooking. He has since moved on to other interests, but he loved it. I hope this helps. Good luck.

I think it sounds like you're doing a great job, but since you said that you think he watches too much TV and mentioned that he watches TV while you cook dinner I think that's an opportunity to make a change. Instead of having him watch TV, bring him into the kitchen with you to make dinner. Let him help where he can (washing vegetables, pouring ingredients into a bowl, etc). If he can't help with what you are making, give him his own plastic measuring cups and a bowl so he can pretend to cook along with you. Or have him sit at the table and color a picture of his favorite dinner. Talk to him while you are making dinner. He'll learn about following directions and measurements.

Good luck,
K.

I share your struggles. I worked for a long time before kids and I'm not a homebody so sometimes its a struggle to face having to entertain a growing preschooler every day. While I agree to an extent we have to keep idle hands busy, I also believe preschoolers are too overstimulated these days and don't get enough down time. Here are my suggestions...

-Subscribe to a parenting magazine such as Parents, Parenting, Family Fun or Houston Family Fun - they are full of age appropriate ideas for mom and child.
-Get out of the house! Get some fresh air, take a walk, drive to a park, go downtown, explore your city and surrounding communities.
-2 yr olds like to copy everything you are doing so if you like to work on cars, get him a preschool tool bench or a big truck with a bag of plastic (or real!) tools and have him pound away on his ride while you work on yours!
-Keep a schedule but don't be a slave to it. Decide what kind of play time and how much you want him to have each day
1) interactive (with you), 2) semi-independent (plays by himself but with you in the room or you play with him on occassion) and 3) completely independent (plays by himself and you are in and out of the room).
-Plan activities, and even meals and snacks to have, the night before. The temptation to turn on your tv is greater the moment you want to do something but have nothing planned or prepared.

Good luck and maybe I'll see you when the new Terminator opens!

L.,

Do not feel like a failure as a Mom. The fact that you get to stay home with him and want to try new and fun things to enrich his life makes you a great Mom! I struggle with the fact that I work from home- and so some days my sons only fun is watching tv and a little play time. That is another reason I am trying to put together a small playgroup so we can get out a little more.
One thing I love to do with my son lately is play with blocks. We also just enjoy going outside. I agree with the other poster about the magna doodle- that would probably be fun too. HOpe this helps!

You sound like you are doing fine, you just need some new ideas. This is the perfect time of year for it too.

Make a schedule.. this is really just an outline, so that you an have some guidance.

mark it for the week. then divide it into parts so that it can be interchangeable if the weather changes or your needs change.

Wake up, breakfast, get dressed.
Go outside and play.. Running, jumping, climbing. Throw the ball kick the ball. Maybe some sand time in a bucket or tray, with trucks and cars or buckets and shovels.

Snack and run errands or snack and then play inside. Hide and seek, play house with cooking utensels. Play restaurant. He can be the cook. you can be the customer. Build with blocks, legos.

Maybe another day at this time there is a story time at the library or the book store. Many times they also have an art project. Remember to have a snack before you go. Swimming is also a wonderful after nap activity. We would go every other day and as she got older we went almost every day.

Come home and have a quiet lunch. Have your son help carry his plate, carry his drink to the table, ask him to carry moms plate. Ask him to find an apple that you 2 can share. Or ask him if h would like to peel the tangerines for the 2 of you.. Have clean up time. "Please carry moms plate to the kitchen"..During all of this use the "thank you" and "your welcomes" with each task.

Maybe one day have a picnic in a park or at a downtown location. In Austin during friday's at noon, there are free concerts outside City hall.. Dance with your son. Spin with your son.. Take a camera.

Visit a petting zoo. Go to a school campus once school is out and let him ride his trike all around the school. We loved doing this at The University of Texas or the State capitol grounds. Museums just to see the bones or fish.. They do not care about the other stuff, so do not expect him to want to look at Texas history if it is mostly text and mannequins.. Also do not be surprised if all he wants to do is go up and down the stairs, just remind him no running inside buildings and to always use his inside voice.

Nap time or quiet time. Quiet music or book on tape. May need to darken his room.

Once or twice a week is a morning of "running errands". Plan it out and give you son a list of what he is supposed to help you remember. At Target we need, Toilet paper and soap.. At the grocery store we need milk, eggs and ice cream for dad. Help me remember to by gas for the car. Remind me to check the oil. Have him be responsible for always having his diaper bag or travel bag. Let him decide what snack and drink will go with you all.

Have him remember he needs you to put his sunscreen on and he needs to always wear his hat when you are going outside. Bug spray too if needed.

In the afternoon maybe an art project or playdo time.. Then outside again lots of running, jumping climbing. Snack time can be during this time.

You can get an idea.. I would always write down dates of free shows and activities and they would be tentative in case we had time and emotionally a good day for an adventure.. If not, it was no big deal.

I just want to say, Hooray for you! I think you're a great mom! You're not content to stay in what you feel like a rut, instead, you're asking for help! A bad mom wouldn't care. You've already gotten some great advice, I just want to say, Good job!

A day is a hard thing to fill...luckily they don't need a lot of creativity to grow and thrive...they really just need to be around you and to be kept out of too much trouble :) With our first I remember having so much time I'd run out of things to say and wonder, "What should I do now?"

Now that we're on our sixth I don't know where the time flies!

My little guy is loving any type of bubbles, especially from dish soap as he's helping do dishes with a little scrubber on plastic plates and dishes. He loves to put the socks in the dryer when they are coming out of the washer. He tries to use the big broom, but I've found a little wisk broom works better. I "read" him books, by pointing to the pictures and he holds his board or cloth books. Crayons and paper provide major scribbling pleasure while you make dinner. You can even have him put napkins and forks on the table as you hand them to him.

Smiles, zurpies and tickle games are great fun even as he grows older. My mother always played a sweet game as she traced our face saying:
Eye winker, Brow brinker
Nose nuppy, Chin chuppy
Cheeks cherry, Mouth merry
Gully Gully, Gully Gully (as she tickled our tummies)

We do this with our little guys and a whole lot of peeky boo...A scarf works well for this (besides hands) and you can dance with it too.

You are teaching him all the time (they see both the good and the bad, but I hope they remember the good most, they tend to see us with eyes of love, whether we feel loveable or not) But at this stage of the game the things they learn best are done through play, whether they are structured or not. Have fun!

buy or make some playdough and get some cookie cutters...cut out shapes and make up stories...increases his imagination...My kids CONSTANTLY ask if they can play with their playdoh...

get a cheap handheld magnadoodle (you can get them for like $5) and sit with him and write his name and tell him what it is...Write the ABCs and go over each one. I used to do this with my son until he got bored...He would bring it to me three or four times a day and ask me to write or draw things for him. You can do the same with shapes amd numbers. Recognition of these things will come over time, right now he will just be amazed at watching you do it...

play games where you tell him to bring you toys that are or have certain color on them...That will help him learn to recognize his colors.

take a few of his toys (small ones) or a few simple items from the house that aren't dangerous (cotton ball, penny, piece of paper, etc) put them in a shoe box with a lid...cut a hand size hole int he lid then let your son put his hand in it and describe what he's touching. You can teach him new words to describe things when he pulls oit out and you describe it together.

and don't underestimate the power of simply getting a few of his toys, sitting on the floor and letting him tell you how he wants to play...you can learn a lot from him about how oyu are doing as a mom that way...Children emulate us in their play a lot...so get down and grity with him and have a good time...

Good luck ;-)

You sound like a great mom to me! Are there any playgroups or moms groups in your area? That might be fun for both of you. :). I'm wildly impressed that you make your own diapers! How did you do that?

library time...call the local library and check into story hours. Also, what about an art class or mom and tot swimming class?

My 2.5 year old loves to color and play with play dough. Also , we started a veggie garden. We had a lot of fun planting plants and seeds and now watering every day. You don't need much space for this. You can even grow tomatoes on a balcony in a pot. If you are really brave, 2 year olds love to finger paint and glue things to paper (googly eyes and pasta and scraps of paper and anything else) and get messy. I let my daughter help cook too. She can stir and pour pre-measured items. My daughter also loves music. We have some favorite kids music and dance and sing together (also some grown up music, her favorite is James Blunt). Remember, he is not a baby anymore, so you have lots more ways to have fun!

There are lots of learning fun activities you can do...have you checked out My Baby Can Read? Or the Baby Einstein series?

http://www.preksmarties.com/babies/

http://www.justmommies.com/articles/baby-signing.shtml

http://life.familyeducation.com/baby/toddler/34411.html

http://www.teachingstrategies.com/page/AR_BabysBrainParen...

"It seems that every day there are new research findings and insights into the human brain. One thing is certain--the first 5 years of life are critical for brain development."