Enjoying toddler boys, help!

I realized that I have a problem. Ds, age 15 months, is very curious. He likes to explore everything. Which is very cute. When I have nothing else to do. I am finding it very hard to get anything done. It's two steps forward one step back. Like, I managed to make dinner tonight. Except that there was some spilled rice and a puddle next the sink afterwards. Etc. So I catch myself waiting for his naptime or bedtime when I can get peace and quiet and don't have to be constantly on the alert, catching him before he tumbles from the recliner head down. The problem is, I don't think I'm enjoying him as much as I should. I enjoy him when we go to the park or something like that. But usually, especially when we are home, all I can think of is my long To Do list and how he keeps getting in the way of that.

So how do you enjoy toddler boys?

My first two are boys (one is 26 months so still fits into the toddler category, I think). They make messes. It's what they do. They pull out pans. They dump out toys. They try to get into the spice drawer. My two entertain each other a lot but they also beat on each other a lot (a source of frustration for me).

When I only had one, I think I made sure everything in his reach was ok for him to play with. My pans lived on the kitchen floor. I got used to picking up the recycling every day or multiple times a day. My house was (and is) always messy.

Actually, my dd (13 mo) is like this, too, only she is more often distracted by her brothers' antics and joins in.

I sometimes put her on my back while I do dishes. Or I put her in her high chair with a snack or some measuring spoons (or other toys). It's hard to channel their energy at this age since they are interested in what is in front of them at the time. She takes out the recycling (though now we have taller bins - aha! - so she can't quite empty them) and empties my cupboards. I save serious cooking (prolonged frying or boiling) for when DH gets home from work (or put her in the high chair across the room).

You have older dds? Can they help?

At least they can chase him around while you clean up the last mess he made.

Todo list, what todo list.

Toddler boys are so much fun, though. They're like little Energizer bunnies.

My dh always says "You know where children get their energy from? They drain it from their parents"

My girls do help. I can even go to the bathroom all by myself -- a luxury I didn't have when they were little. But at some point they just say, "Mommy, he's impossible!"

Elisheva, I'm so glad to know that I'm not the only one whose pots live on the floor .

Girls and boys play differently. A girl without older brothers might not know what to do with him, either.

You might make a list of "stuff ds likes to do" and let them go through the list. Like:

bang on pots with mixing spoon
Run in circles around the house
Chase a ball across the room
Fake race (they go in slow motion while he goes full speed)
Wheelbarrow (walk on hands while feet are being held by another person - this is actually a famous upper-body exercise for toddlers, who often do need strengthening here)
Jump 3 times
Somersaults

When my boys were little, we not only had pots on the floor, our entire house was knee-deep in their stuff. I don't mean ankle-deep, I mean knee-deep.

when toddlers my girl and both my boys were all wild! My toddler (boy) in playing at my feet - pulling pots, pans and spoons out of the drawer as I speak. this is a good day so he's letting me do an occasional chores whilst he undoes them behind me hehe... but some days I get nothing of much done aside from raising him (which is a lot!)

My girl might have even been worse actually... she liked to stand from the countertops and throw things off. sounds funny, right? it isn't. it's dangerous and exhausting!! but... I guess it will make funny memories, right?

p.s. they grow up. My 10 yr old hardly ever stands on the counters and throws things off


no, really they do get a lot easier after toddlerhood. Toddlerhood has never been my favorite season of their lives, but it has it's joys if you look at it the right way.

My ds was a fairly mellow toddler, and two of my dd's were very active as toddlers. I'm not so sure it's gender, just personality.

My youngest turned 1 last week, and she has already learned how to push chairs to where she wants to climb and reach things. I am not prepared for this, but that doesn't matter to her at all.

I always answer, "and isn't it WONDERFUL?!" in a really cheerful voice. And I mean it, too. But then, I'm also the mother who smiles at my baby as I catch her (ideally) before she hits the floor. I'm not the one who gasps, ykwim?

Labels are dangerous. Even now, a label like "impossible" can stick if you aren't careful, and then he has to work to live up (or down) to it. Toddlers, boys or girls, are SUPPOSED to get into everything. That is their job. The part where it keeps us from doing ours is absolutely irrelevant. It's up to us to focus on how focused they are when do what they have to do. At the very least, seeing the positive in his antics will help you to be less frustrated with your ds.

Now excuse me while I go put back everything that just got pulled out from the two bottom pantry shelves...

zephyr - my miss 12m has also learnt to do that recently. she's much more of a climber than her brothers

i totally agree though about trying not to think about a to-do list. or keep it down to the barest of essentials. its more important that you enjoy his toddlerhood rather than resenting it than it is important to have much for dinner. or too many clean clothes. plus - your dds are definately old enough to be contributing to the 'musts' in your house.

and boys do often play differently to girls. my grandmother had 3 girls first and was telling me yesterday that she still marvels over how different her ds's play was. apparanty he spent hours lining things up

if it works maybe try to spend 5 minutes every hour to stop and enjoy him. even if it means interupting yourself. i find that sometimes i need to consciously stop everything and sit down with my kids to appreciate them properly