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I HATE SUNDAYS help me
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amother
Apricot


 

Post Sun, Dec 27 2020, 4:53 pm
Been there. For so many years. Yes to clubs for the preschooler, yes to a mother's helper or babysitter. You can likely find a middle schooler who loves kids or a high schooler looking to make money. It sounds like you're flexible about when, so that can help.

How are they in the car? Some kids are nightmares but some calm down. What would happen if you put them all in the car and just drove around to different fairly local places and looked out the window?
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amother
Saddlebrown


 

Post Sun, Dec 27 2020, 5:02 pm
Oh op,
I remember those days so so well. Now they are like a blur I don’t care to think about, but they were so so hard. I think pple don’t realize that it’s so much harder when it’s just young young kids and you. There is no structure to the day, not even someone going to yeshiva or a Sunday program for a few hours.. for me it got better as they grew up and eventually my husband switched to a job with much better quality of life. But I fully fully empathize with you. I remember crying every single Sunday.
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Good Friend




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 27 2020, 5:30 pm
I can totally relate as well with two toddlers and I live on shlichus in a tiny place so they are going to be home until they move out. I have help during the week so I can get things done for my work but on Sundays it's just me and them playing all day. I try to make a schedule even if it's really nothing special, and get the kids excited. I tell them the schedule in the morning and we follow it and I keep mentioning the exciting parts. For example:
Wash, get dressed, breakfast, daven
Dance with music
Play on the playground
Snack
Paint
Nap (time I use to clean up the house, make lunch, etc.)
Special lunch for those who sleep nicely (french toast, pizza on sliced bread, etc.)
Trip to the grocery store
Make a big tower with blocks
Other free play (I basically have to stay with them)
Watch our wedding video while I make supper
Supper
Bedtime

I try to keep my attitude positive and it makes the kids happier too.
Hatzlacha!
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amother
Emerald


 

Post Sun, Dec 27 2020, 5:42 pm
What are Sunday clubs? I would love to find something like that nearby.

Sunday is my hardest day as well. It’s even worse now than ever with covid restrictions and winter. We are losing our minds here.
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amother
White


 

Post Sun, Dec 27 2020, 6:37 pm
Sundays are the hardest! DH also works extra long hours on Sunday. It’s my hardest day of the week. It’s endless. I definitely allow more screen time, just for sanity’s sake.
I’m still looking for more ideas too.
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amother
Black


 

Post Sun, Dec 27 2020, 6:50 pm
I'm in the same boat...Sundays are impossible!

My husband used to be in Kollel, so at least he had a one hour lunch break when he would take the kids on a short outing. Now he works and I don't see him the entire day
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amother
Lavender


 

Post Sun, Dec 27 2020, 6:56 pm
I hear you. Now with Covid and not being able to go places it’s so hard. I spent money on quality cold weather gear for everyone and now we go out for a walk and to the park, regardless of weather. I’m miserable but somehow kids seem unaffected. I find outside time to be the only thing that works. If I can keep them out all morning, I can usually get away with calmer inside play after nap time.
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amother
Seagreen


 

Post Sun, Dec 27 2020, 7:05 pm
Playdough
Fruit loops necklaces
Bake cookies
Give them a package of plastic cups to line up, a roll.of toilet paper to unroll, packing bubbles to pop
Paper plate puppets
Put them in the bath
Colored paper, markers, scissors and glue
Stickers

Where would you go with your husband? Is there anywhere you can go alone? Go to the park even if it's cold, the dollar store, anywhere

Sit them down for a video when you are most ready for your 15 minute break
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amother
Pumpkin


 

Post Sun, Dec 27 2020, 7:39 pm
My kids are teens now but things that helped me were setting aside fun toys that you only bring out on Sundays so they keep the kids busy for quite a while; having a secret stash of junk food in my room to eat while the kids were napping; watching a little bit of a clean movie while they were napping (this was back when netflix meant little red envelopes in the mail with dvds in them!), making frozen pizza and frozen french fries for supper; having a schedule with pictures so the kids knew what was coming next — included activities like helping mommy fold the laundry, brain breaks where we’d do exercises to music, reading time; transitioning the kids from one activity to the next before they got kvetchy; and having an agreed-upon time with my husband where I was off duty in the evening so I could chill without feeling guilty.

These days I wish I could turn back the clock! Enjoy these sweet simple times at home being cozy with your little ones! Teenagers are a whole new level of challenging.
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silverlining3




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 27 2020, 9:53 pm
Op, not everyone who has their husband home Sunday goes out every single week. And even if they do, it's not always for the entire day. Please check with neighbors, friends, and family if their child is in the mood of company. And yes, expect a, sorry not today or now. It's okay to ask.

Otherwise, yup, I got all my kids home on Sunday as well while my husband works. It ain't easy, but it definitely gets better as they grow up.
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amother
Natural


 

Post Mon, Dec 28 2020, 1:00 am
I agree with other posters
1. It will of pass and you will look back and smile (or grimace!) At this young age of your kids every 3 mths they've grown and changed so you don't need to wait ages to see things change and Pg improve. Hang in there.
2. Send kids out a bit or get help in a bit. And when a girl comes you disappear. If you don't want to leave the house then go in your room with headfones on so you don't hear them. If you think they will come looking for you pretend you are going out so they don't know your chilling in your room an HR.
3. Make a schedule even if it's just in your head for you.

But I also want to say. It sounds like the kvetching is something on the side and not really related to you and your Sundays. Sure they kvetch more BC they may be less stimulated than when in school but this kvetching needs to be managed a little imho.
"You kvetch please go sit on the stairs. No kvetching in this room . This is a happy room with music on and Duplo building. I can help anyone who needs help etc but no kvetching allowed". To me it's a bad habit that you can't completely kill (after all kids do kvetch) but you can definitely reduce big time

Sending you strength.
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imaima




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 28 2020, 1:37 am
I feel your pain! I so remember these days, and my husband did not even work Sundays. But we were bith completely wiped out from Sundays with kids.
I say, give up the idea of a perfect outing, just dress them in very warm clothes ans go out. Fresh air will do wonders to your and their sanity. Play outside as much as you can.
Another obvious solution is to hire a sitter for Sundays, or invite a teenage girl. This is money well spent! Even if she plays eith them at home ans you go out and have a coffee by yourself.
Never hesitate to invest in your sanity.
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baby12x




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 28 2020, 2:39 am
Wow! This sounds so difficult!

I agree with trying to find a babysitter or a club to send one or more kids to.

Do you need activity ideas or is that not helpful?
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amother
Babypink


 

Post Mon, Dec 28 2020, 4:25 am
Can you get a membership to a play place in the area and take them there often? Or go to Chuck E. Cheese etc? My kids also drive me up the wall if we stay indoors all day.
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amother
Puce


 

Post Mon, Dec 28 2020, 4:44 am
im so sorry for you. it IS extremely hard. my advice:

SHABBES: make sure your husband entertains the kids: oves ubonim, reading stories, playing ball (even inside) so that YOU CAN REST after the seuda or before he goes for mincha...whenever it works for you.
start planning sundays on wednesday: make a plan, definitely leave the house for walks (even if you let them only count the trees/dogs, take picture of every public garbage can or sing songs while counting stairs) unless there is s a storm. Smile
set up 3 or 4 playzones, where the kids can occupy themselves:

a small table with plastic cover and playdough (set rules: playdough ONLY here, gibe them tasks: create sa pink monster, form your favorite animal etc and take pics)

a corner woth a planket,, some pillow, dim light an old mp 3 player (or discman) with stories....let them answer questions on the stories later, if they can write or draw to the story).

a carpet full of cars and building bloks: today the construction workeers nbeed to build a huge bridge. coutn at least 12 cars on the bridge...

let them choose, set boundaries BEFORE: they mustnt quetch there is enoughj to do.

after lunch take them outside.

make dinner in the crockpot and prepare all ingredeients you need for baking a simple cake/muffins/cookies. when youa rrive at home gibe them a healthy snack (which was prepared on friday and waiting in the fridge for this moment) and surprise them with a bakind activity where everyone can join UNLESS they help cleaning afterwards.

THEN before dinner let them watch a movie or finish a morning activity WHILE YOU REST an hour.

by the time dh comes home hopefully you had 2 hours for yourself and dinner should be ready in the crock pot.

thats what I do.

its tough but evetually my kids became less quetchy cos they were occupoied (in the supper we are out all day, before covid we had friends over ..., now we do the above)
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amother
Floralwhite


 

Post Mon, Dec 28 2020, 4:47 am
Hugs op. Hope some of the great suggestions mentioned above help!

On a lighter note, you can always move to Israel.... Sunday is Wednesday here Smile
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behappy2




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 28 2020, 5:18 am
Maybe deal with the one hard kid and figure out how to help him be less difficult.
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Iymnok




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 28 2020, 9:57 am
Memberships!
The zoo is good any day. Go to the reptile house or whatever until it clears up.
Are any museums open by you? Those are great too.
A drive to relatives or friends, a ferry ride.
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baby12x




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Dec 28 2020, 11:12 am
I wrote this list of indoor activities you can do. All are budget-friendly and can be done indoors with minimal prep by you.

Tip: do as many activities as you can on a tray (I got mine from IKEA) it helps keep the mess at bay and also really easy to pick and move out of reach.

https://adimesaved.com/cheap-I.....-kids
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amother
Forestgreen


 

Post Mon, Dec 28 2020, 11:50 am
I feel for u! I was in ur position few yrs ago. The ONLY thing that made my life easier was going out right after breakfast. So I packed everything up motzei Shabbos. Went somewhere museum, park if not freezing, library.. now with COVID it’s so much harder cuz so few things open. Chuckecheese is open most states. It’s fantastic for kids all ages and very well priced! It tires the kids out. Come home for supper - try takeout will make life easier. Then bath and bed. U will b exhausted at end of day but so will ur kids!! After few weeks they’ll get in rhythm of the schedule and rlly react and behave well!
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