This can be a real test: the baby reacts with a roar if the mother moves away even for a second. But there are ways to distract the baby and get a break. Our author, the mother of a two-year-old daughter, tried them on herself.
From morning to evening, without a break for dinner and lunch, an endless “ma-ma-ma-ma-ma” is heard through the apartment and the street. You cannot go to the shower, you cannot check your mail, you cannot comb your hair, drink tea – the baby literally hangs on the skirt and requires constant attention. Our author Alena Bezmenova felt the immeasurable love of her two-year-old daughter – to be honest, more like tyranny. To make life easier for herself, the young mother tested on herself and made a rating of ways to distract the child without harming the psyche – her own and the baby.
Cartoons
The most obvious and effective way. Yes, when I need to go to the bath or do something urgently, I turn off the right mom and turn on cartoons. Educational. High quality. Who am I kidding! I include any, just to find a little freedom. I reassure myself that I use a projector for cartoons. Several advantages at once: less stress for the eyes, harmful radiation, Maroussia cannot switch the channel or make it louder.
In general, dad often sins with cartoons. His situation is much more hopeless than mine. Marusya without a twinge of conscience can snatch the phone from him during important negotiations or burst into tears that dad in a second did not respond to the child’s call to play a horse.
Toys
Only new or new-old, and only ten minutes maximum. This method is good for going to the bathroom or tossing vegetables into soup. In the top of the saviors there is an interactive dog that barks, walks, wags its tail and licks strokes on the head. Another favorite – an unexpected one – is a pyramid made of cups. Maroussia finds them a dozen uses: to drink dolls, scatter them around the apartment, nevertheless build a pyramid, hide a surprise under one of them.
Books
Children’s books with Aibolit and Moidodyr do not suit us personally. Oh gods, when I was collecting art albums, I had no idea how useful they would be. We have shelves with books at the head of our bed. Maroussia can easily and naturally choose anyone. The albums are down. He pulls it out, puts it around him and enjoys Raphael with Caravaggio and Repin with Serov. For some reason, he is encroaching on Harari’s Brief History of Humanity, which I have not been able to finish reading for the second month already. There are almost no pictures, but there are many attractive letters.
The newspapers are good. But recently the supply of fresh press has dried up, it is rarely possible to read something news in print. Previously, the whole family was touched by Marusin’s hobby: “The journalist is growing.”
Music
And here is a very cute and effective way in our case. Maroussia loves to play the piano. Not for children, but for quite an adult. At the same time, the instrument at our home is very decent. Once I showed Marusa how a bear growls and water droplets drip. Now neighbors enjoy the roar of a bear when I write texts or cook porridge. In addition, we master the scales.
Don’t have a musical instrument? Radio to help us. In Internet broadcasting, I found a wonderful radio station “Freckles”. Children’s songs from our childhood are played non-stop there. Marusya and I dance to them and sometimes sing along to the microphone-comb. And then Marusya does it alone while I mop the floor and answer calls at work.
Household help
Our one hundred percent, never misfire method. Helpful, quiet, long lasting. Marusia just loves to wash the dishes. I put a chair in the kitchen by the sink, quietly turned on the water, threw in toy cups and plates, and you are already a free mom. You can cook, work, make beauty. You can finally eat your food from your plate, with your fork and sitting.
For ten minutes, Marusya can be carried away by cleaning. She takes a broom and blows dust around the apartment. At this time, I retire on business. And then I start the vacuum cleaner. But I sincerely thank you for your help.
Creation
I don’t even know if this experience can be considered positive. It has very dire consequences. Empirically found out: if you want silence in the house – give Marusa markers. She scornfully throws away an ordinary pencil, as if realizing that it will not be difficult to erase it from walls or any other surfaces. Whether the set of markers seems to be absorbed even into the pores of concrete through layers of paint, wallpaper, putty and impregnation.
We also have gouache. I showed Marusa what wonderful pictures are obtained from simple handprints. Now the daughter paints her palm with a thick layer of gouache and brings high art to the masses. We have a very good powder, it was able to fight the young greens on the bed linen and bedspread. But the soap is so-so, Maroussia, after experimenting with green or red hands, walks for another two days. I deliberately do not give gouache. But when the child finds it, there is silence for about half an hour. Then the mother’s heart begins to feel that something was wrong, and I go to look for the consequences of this silence.
What else
I really like my daughter before rotary telephone… We called the elephant, the crocodile, and the rabbits.
All kinds of sorters. True, often not suitable parts were crammed into them, but everything that came to hand. I had to wean after the Lego parts went to the air wash. And dad spun the unit into components in order to extract all that was superfluous.
Cat. She could be driven around the apartment endlessly. But this is in the past. The cat is alive, just learned to hide well.
Food. This is definitely an individual feature of my child. It takes about half an hour to destroy a couple of kilograms of apples. Of course, she does not eat two kilograms, she meticulously bites each one and puts it back on the plate, as if looking for something special. In this way, any food forgotten on the table or left there on purpose is destroyed. No, it’s not a pity. For the sake of peace, I do not feel sorry for anything.