Struggling with 15 month old please help

**Adiamond** · 04-08-2009, 07:24 AM

Morning, as my title says I really am struggling. I have a 15 month old mindee she is my one and only at the minute, she has been with me for a month now and settled really well mum is great so everything is fine BUT I am really struggling to find things to do with her!!! she likes playing with whatever is there but then after 5 minutes is wanting something else out and it goes on and on. We go out to the park or to feed the ducks every time she is with me but if we are in the car for more than 10 minutes she falls to sleep then she won't have her afternoon nap which then means she is grumpy all the rest of the day. She is with me from early morning to late at night so I need some sort of routine with her but I feel we can't do or go anywhere because it affects her sleep pattern and then I have a grumpy mindee who doesn't know what to do with herself.I have become quite attached to this little one but at the minute I am feeling unsure if I can cope with these long long hours!!!
Any advice will be much appreciated, thank you x x x

**LittleAcorns** · 04-08-2009, 07:45 AM

Hi Zoe, Even though I give a month as a settling in period also, I feel thats just really to iron out any initial problems, its setling for me and the parents also..

Sometimes it can take longer for the children to adapt, and also with her being your only mindee at the minute that can be harder on you than having 2 mindees..

Im sure you are doing just great, try to relax and let routines fall into place, along the time you will find what works for you both.

**deeb66** · 04-08-2009, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by LittleAcorns

Hi Zoe, Even though I give a month as a settling in period also, I feel thats just really to iron out any initial problems, its setling for me and the parents also..

Sometimes it can take longer for the children to adapt, and also with her being your only mindee at the minute that can be harder on you than having 2 mindees..

Im sure you are doing just great, try to relax and let routines fall into place, along the time you will find what works for you both.

Good advice

Dee

**It's a small world** · 04-08-2009, 09:21 AM

I'm kind of in the same predicament as you . I have a 17mth who gets very tired in the afternoon and a little ratty. He only falls asleep in a pushchair. But gets upset when I put him in it for a nap even though he's tired...he then usually falls asleep on the school run which makes things difficult!!! So what I do is. Various activities in the morning...playing with garage/zoo/duplo/Painting/colouring whatever.... Then after lunch go for a ride to a park/feed the ducks. He then falls asleep in the car on the way home. I transfer him into the pushcahir and he wakes up just before afternoon snack which is just before school, pick up. He's then a happy chappy just before mummy comes to collect him.
Works for me.

So try and do your trips out in the car in the afternoon --see if it works...

HTH ????

Don't give up you will get a routine and figure out what works for you...

**youarewhatyoueat** · 04-08-2009, 09:35 AM

I mind 2 17 month olds and they are so easy together but if its just the one its really hard work keeping them occupied. I would suggest socialising with others in the morning, I know that most of the toddler groups are closed at the moment but have you a childrens centre close by. I find we are in a really good routine of activities out in the morning, home for lunch, half hour freeplay then at 1pm I put them in the double buggy and after 10 mins either of walking round the village or listening to slow music theyre asleep for 2 hours just in time for the school run. I hope thats the same after the hols as I only have them occasionally in the holidays but 3 days in term time.

**Roseolivia** · 04-08-2009, 10:50 AM

I agree with Caroline i'd try to attend as many toddler groups/library, softplay etc as much as possible on the morning then have nap times on the afternoon which willgive you time to do planning, activities, obs, paperwork etc...

**Adiamond** · 04-08-2009, 07:46 PM

Thank you all for your great advice, I will try doing my morning things in the afternoon see if that will work better.
But the strangest thing happened earlier, I have had an enquiry for a lo a month older than my mindee

she came this evening and mum and dad seemed quite pleased sooo fingers crossed I get this one

Hopefully make things easier

I will keep you all posted x x x

**nannymcflea** · 04-08-2009, 08:15 PM

Good luck with your prospective newbie. I find 2 easier than one as they bounce ideas and laughs off each other and you do not have to be the one talking constantly.

**helenlc** · 04-08-2009, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by nannymcflea

Good luck with your prospective newbie. I find 2 easier than one as they bounce ideas and laughs off each other and you do not have to be the one talking constantly.

Yes, definitely agree with this.

**Cazz** · 04-08-2009, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by nannymcflea

Good luck with your prospective newbie. I find 2 easier than one as they bounce ideas and laughs off each other and you do not have to be the one talking constantly.

I agree, not from a mindee point of view as I haven't started yet, but from experience with my own children.

My dd is 19 months and although she will play with things herself she does want me to be doing things with her for a fair amount of the time - I don't mind though as she is adorable and I have enough time to be able to do this at the moment. When my twins were that age they would play alongside and "chat" to each other for the majority of the time and didn't demand so much interaction from others.

Fingers crossed you'll get the new mindee and the two of them will get along brilliantly.

**newandlearning** · 05-08-2009, 07:22 AM

hello.. I used to do quite a few things with my own LO at this age.... I would put him in his highchair and we would paint, colour, he'd stir ingredients when we cooked etc.. I know it can be a bit tricky as its summer but you'd get your LO in free to most soft plays, parks, farms, local tourist attractions?? (if you have any

in your area)..
how about putting some toys in the car for your mindee to play with, play music/rhymes etc, I remember someone saying to me that sometimes she would give snacks to her LO in the car as a means to her not falling asleep (possibly this could work??)...

hope all goes wellxx

**Adiamond** · 05-08-2009, 07:41 PM

Thank you all again for your great advice

Just wanted to update you on the new enquiry I had yesterday, well they came and I thought everything went well she said she would ring me this morning I tried not to think about it too much as I didn't want to get my hopes up!!! anyway she rang this morning and said she would like to use me

and she wants me start on Monday

the lo is lovely going to be having her 8-1 Monday to Friday so a little play mate for my other one.
Hope I can cope with 2

x x x

**Cazz** · 05-08-2009, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by jessiebessie

Thank you all again for your great advice

Just wanted to update you on the new enquiry I had yesterday, well they came and I thought everything went well she said she would ring me this morning I tried not to think about it too much as I didn't want to get my hopes up!!! anyway she rang this morning and said she would like to use me

and she wants me start on Monday

the lo is lovely going to be having her 8-1 Monday to Friday so a little play mate for my other one.
Hope I can cope with 2

x x x

Congratulations!!

You'll be fine - as I said before I think you'll find they play alongside and occupy each other for some of the time.,

Let us know how you get on.