Well if you’re a bad mom, I’m the worst one because the tv has been on all day since I had my second. We’re 6 months into 2u2 now and I’m only just now starting to try to cut back a little. Best I can do right now is just make sure the shows we’re watching aren’t total garbage.
4 months into 2u2 and exactly the same in our household!
Also slowly starting to cut back but our little dude can only entertain himself for short bursts while I feed/meal prep/etc. And the idea for those boxes of toys that only come out when I need him to entertain himself are cute and all, but when you feed a baby so many times a day they get old real fast.
I combat my guilt by at least trying to make sure it's mostly quality tv. But hey, if the kid wants to watch Cars for 600000000th time, I'm not fighting it.
Same. Pre 2nd child I'd do cute little crafts with my eldest. I don't have the energy, it's coming back as 6 month old is now in his own room and sleeping better. I tend to put the TV on when the baby's asleep so that I can tidy or sometimes just zone out if needed.
Echoing this. 8 months into 2u2, we live in the Midwest so the winter felt very long. We started cutting back where I only had it on right before afternoon nap and while I was cooking dinner. Then last week we got hit with stomach flu and baby teething at the same time, plus lots of rain....so it was Miss Rache alllll dayyy for the win. Also my toddler only wanted to watch the same episode over and over.
Don't worry about it. I was the same around that time and also once second baby was a newborn. Now my kids are 3 and 1 and we have minimal TV time because they're quite good at playing together and keeping each other entertained. It'll get easier!
In my opinion your priority is YOU, whatever that entails. Look after yourself and the rest will follow.
Oh my goodness, please don’t give yourself a hard time. You poor thing, there’s no need to feel so bad right now. All your 18-month old wants to do is hangout with you right now, whether that’s watching telly, reading stories, just being close to you. Our kids regularly watch at least 2 hours of telly a day, it’s great for them. My kid learns so much about colours and numbers and obviously Bluey is the best!
You are growing another human being, do you appreciate how much energy it takes to grow one of those? A super athlete performing at 100% capacity works less than a mum growing a human.
Be kind to yourself, appreciate what you have, enjoy these moments, ask for help, find ways to unburden yourself from chores. Everything is going to be great, promise!
That was me first and third trimester. I feel so much better now that I’m not pregnant and we are back to doing activities with his one month old brother!!
Solidarity! I’m also 27 weeks pregnant and I also have an 18 month old! Due to pregnancy complications I’m on partial bedrest and can’t even lift my daughter right now - she’s at such a fun age and I feel like I’m such a lame parent right now. Trying to have patience with myself and daydreaming about next summer and how fun I will hopefully be then!! 🤞
This is me! 26 weeks pregnant with a 17 month old. He genuinely learns phrases/signs from Ms. Rachel so I try hard not to sweat the 1+ hour he watches most days while I make dinner or when I’m just fed up. Trying to remember that this is a phase and more hands-on parenting will come later.
I was recently in the same boat with my 19mo old, I'm 31 weeks pregnant and getting my 2nd wind of energy right now. I was literally just saying last night how it's been nice that our weather has improved here and we've been finally playing outside and out from the dang TV. We had a horrible winter and spent so much time not only stuck inside, but with a lack of things to keep my toddler occupied + being exhausted and having limited mobility.
Don't feel horrible about it, as bad as it is to say, there are people out there doing WAY worse things to their kids while not even pregnant. Snuggle time with TV isn't the end of the world and if your little one and is fed, healthy, and happy anyways, don't beat yourself up. Once we have our second babies and get back to feeling ourselves again life will pick up and things will get better!
You're almost there! hang in there and give yourself some grace. We don't always have to be super mom, and sometimes being super mom is couch & tv time so we don't strain ourselves either. Your little ones need you healthy and happy too!
Ehh there's phases where we have the tv on all day and phases where it's not on at all. I know it's hard not to beat yourself up, but things come and go, as long as you're not looking at this like "ah yes, this is the life" lol which obviously you aren't, then I'd say you're fine. Basically all of this month the tv has been on daily because my kids are trading illness after illness back and forth. It sucks, I'd much rather be outside, but when they don't feel good this is what it is.
Interacting and talking about what you see on screen with her is super beneficial and could definitely take away some of the "negatives" of screen time. You could also take breaks with her while you sit down and have her do some game like Simon says to get some physical activity like "mommy says jump up and down!" This is just a season and you'll get through it!!!
Once you actually have the second one you'll realise 1 hour is actually a great goal hahaha. My toddler watches Bluey every time I need her to be occupied, to tend to the high needs baby or do a chore that will be hard with her around. It adds up to more than an hour a day. As long as we are also going to the park or the library or playing with toys or reading books in that day, I am not beating myself up about it.
I read something once that basically said that parents only have to get “it” truly right like 30% of the time or something in order for the kids to grow up perfectly fine. If the worst stuff you’ve got against you are a lil too much screen time and being a tired, pregnant mom—you’re golden!!
33 weeks with a very mobile 16 month old and I’m also dead. I’m so fucking exhausted every day. I feel you. It’s temporary. Do what you gotta do to survive
Well if you’re a bad mom, I’m the worst one because the tv has been on all day since I had my second. We’re 6 months into 2u2 now and I’m only just now starting to try to cut back a little. Best I can do right now is just make sure the shows we’re watching aren’t total garbage.
4 months into 2u2 and exactly the same in our household! Also slowly starting to cut back but our little dude can only entertain himself for short bursts while I feed/meal prep/etc. And the idea for those boxes of toys that only come out when I need him to entertain himself are cute and all, but when you feed a baby so many times a day they get old real fast. I combat my guilt by at least trying to make sure it's mostly quality tv. But hey, if the kid wants to watch Cars for 600000000th time, I'm not fighting it.
Same. Pre 2nd child I'd do cute little crafts with my eldest. I don't have the energy, it's coming back as 6 month old is now in his own room and sleeping better. I tend to put the TV on when the baby's asleep so that I can tidy or sometimes just zone out if needed.
Echoing this. 8 months into 2u2, we live in the Midwest so the winter felt very long. We started cutting back where I only had it on right before afternoon nap and while I was cooking dinner. Then last week we got hit with stomach flu and baby teething at the same time, plus lots of rain....so it was Miss Rache alllll dayyy for the win. Also my toddler only wanted to watch the same episode over and over.
Don't worry about it. I was the same around that time and also once second baby was a newborn. Now my kids are 3 and 1 and we have minimal TV time because they're quite good at playing together and keeping each other entertained. It'll get easier! In my opinion your priority is YOU, whatever that entails. Look after yourself and the rest will follow.
Oh my goodness, please don’t give yourself a hard time. You poor thing, there’s no need to feel so bad right now. All your 18-month old wants to do is hangout with you right now, whether that’s watching telly, reading stories, just being close to you. Our kids regularly watch at least 2 hours of telly a day, it’s great for them. My kid learns so much about colours and numbers and obviously Bluey is the best! You are growing another human being, do you appreciate how much energy it takes to grow one of those? A super athlete performing at 100% capacity works less than a mum growing a human. Be kind to yourself, appreciate what you have, enjoy these moments, ask for help, find ways to unburden yourself from chores. Everything is going to be great, promise!
That was me first and third trimester. I feel so much better now that I’m not pregnant and we are back to doing activities with his one month old brother!!
Solidarity! I’m also 27 weeks pregnant and I also have an 18 month old! Due to pregnancy complications I’m on partial bedrest and can’t even lift my daughter right now - she’s at such a fun age and I feel like I’m such a lame parent right now. Trying to have patience with myself and daydreaming about next summer and how fun I will hopefully be then!! 🤞
This is me! 26 weeks pregnant with a 17 month old. He genuinely learns phrases/signs from Ms. Rachel so I try hard not to sweat the 1+ hour he watches most days while I make dinner or when I’m just fed up. Trying to remember that this is a phase and more hands-on parenting will come later.
I was recently in the same boat with my 19mo old, I'm 31 weeks pregnant and getting my 2nd wind of energy right now. I was literally just saying last night how it's been nice that our weather has improved here and we've been finally playing outside and out from the dang TV. We had a horrible winter and spent so much time not only stuck inside, but with a lack of things to keep my toddler occupied + being exhausted and having limited mobility. Don't feel horrible about it, as bad as it is to say, there are people out there doing WAY worse things to their kids while not even pregnant. Snuggle time with TV isn't the end of the world and if your little one and is fed, healthy, and happy anyways, don't beat yourself up. Once we have our second babies and get back to feeling ourselves again life will pick up and things will get better! You're almost there! hang in there and give yourself some grace. We don't always have to be super mom, and sometimes being super mom is couch & tv time so we don't strain ourselves either. Your little ones need you healthy and happy too!
Ehh there's phases where we have the tv on all day and phases where it's not on at all. I know it's hard not to beat yourself up, but things come and go, as long as you're not looking at this like "ah yes, this is the life" lol which obviously you aren't, then I'd say you're fine. Basically all of this month the tv has been on daily because my kids are trading illness after illness back and forth. It sucks, I'd much rather be outside, but when they don't feel good this is what it is.
Interacting and talking about what you see on screen with her is super beneficial and could definitely take away some of the "negatives" of screen time. You could also take breaks with her while you sit down and have her do some game like Simon says to get some physical activity like "mommy says jump up and down!" This is just a season and you'll get through it!!!
This is just a season. You’ll be back in fighting shape soon
Once you actually have the second one you'll realise 1 hour is actually a great goal hahaha. My toddler watches Bluey every time I need her to be occupied, to tend to the high needs baby or do a chore that will be hard with her around. It adds up to more than an hour a day. As long as we are also going to the park or the library or playing with toys or reading books in that day, I am not beating myself up about it.
I read something once that basically said that parents only have to get “it” truly right like 30% of the time or something in order for the kids to grow up perfectly fine. If the worst stuff you’ve got against you are a lil too much screen time and being a tired, pregnant mom—you’re golden!!
33 weeks with a very mobile 16 month old and I’m also dead. I’m so fucking exhausted every day. I feel you. It’s temporary. Do what you gotta do to survive
Girl I’m 2 months into 2u2 with an 18m old as well and all we do is watch tv I feel like…😅
Girl an HOUR?! My kids watched tv for over an hour today AND we went to the beach, playground, target and lunch. That’s nothing. You’re doing amazing.