Just wondering if this is normal for a toddler...Lara is almost two and a half, and if she had it her way, we would be going to the park daily! I am a SAHM, and a "homebody" by nature, and without a car during the day. So when Dad is home and off on the weekends, we are sure to get out of the house with Lara. If we lived in a cramped apartment with no yard, I would make a greater effort to take her places so she could run off some energy. But, we live on two acres (in the country) with lots of room to play. She has a sandbox and slide, etc. here at home. I guess I'm feeling guilty, to be quite honest with you. Am I wrong not to get her out daily? MIL has offered to take us places when my husband is working. She feels Lara needs to be kept busy. I feel staying home is not all bad because it is teaching her to be resourceful, and take advantage of all the simple pleasures like taking a walk, collecting leaves, petting the neighbor's goats, etc. Yet I know she needs to get out to a park on the weekends to play with other children, and it's good for all of us to get away for awhile. Sorry to go on so. I just feel so guilty when she asks to go "bye-bye" every morning!
Nicki

By Kate on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 11:24 am:

I think what you're doing is perfect. Two year olds don't need constant stimulation and to constantly go places. She needs her mommy to play with her and read to her and play in the sandbox with her; she doesn't need to go to playgroups and classes and interact with everyone else in the world. There's plenty of time for that. Don't feel guilty!! I think you're doing the best thing for her!!

By Jann on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 11:27 am:

My daughter was and is like that. We joke that she can have a friend sleepover, spend all day with that child and be asking out of the side of her mouth as she walks the child to the car, 'can I have so and so over to play?' LOL My son is and has always been content to be at home or entertaining himself.
I think it's just in some kids' natures to be more active than others.
As long as she isn't just vegging all day, I think it's perfectly fine to be indoors. And like you said, you have plenty of things out your house to keep her occupied.

By Colette on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 11:50 am:

Ditto Kate. Relax, sounds like you are doing great.

By Mrse on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 11:51 am:

I found out the more I gave in to my girls, going here and going their, the more they wanted to go , and go,. I would maybe pick certain days of the week you are willing to go away from the property, you can do it like christmas, so many sleeps untill.. if mil wants to take her on the off days to the park, then you get your me time in. Don't feel bad, I like staying home as well.

By Alberobello on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 03:15 pm:

Ditto Kate and ditto Mrse. I wished i had stayed at home more with my son so, like you said he'd learnt how to be more resourceful and enjoy the simple things in his life. I am trying to do that now, like for example leaving him in his bedroom playing whie i am cooking without having the tv on.

When was little i felt guilty because we live in a one bedroom flat with only a small backyard so i always thought that going out was the best and therefore he never learned to entetain himself. So don't worry Nicki, you are doing a great job and you will appreciate it when she is older and she can play with herself for hours without having to go out or put her in front of the tv.

By Cocoabutter on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 11:18 pm:

Do you go outside with her and play in the sandbox with her?

Just asking. I never went outside with my son much, and he doesn't like to go out by himself all the time. He likes his video games, but now that I am a SAHM too, I feel like I have the need to get out more myself. I will save grocery shopping trips for when my son gets home from school just so that I can get him away for a while. We can walk to the store from our house (if I don't have to get too many groceries!) It's one of those superstore type stores. They sell fish and birds and the seafood dept has lobsters and they have a pizzeria and an icecream shop.

Of course, my son is 8 now, so that kind of stuff has sort of lost its charm...

Do you have any neighbor kids that can come over? It's hard if most of your neighbors are working outside of the home so no one is around.

I am having bad luck with our neighbor kids. I could go into much more detail, but it is totally impertinent to the original post. Suffice it to say that we all need to keep a close eye out on the friends our kids hang out with.

Good Luck!

By Feona on Thursday, February 24, 2005 - 06:28 am:

I agree, do what you want to do else you will be miserable. If mamma ain't happy no one is happy. She will learn to love the stuff you do.

Of course nothing wrong with going somewhere if you want to. Or playdates if you won't get to stressed.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, February 24, 2005 - 07:47 am:

When Sarah was 2, she was like that. She would always say "go?" I think she always wanted to be going somewhere, too! It seemed like we usually always had somewhere to go, so if we didn't, that must have seemed odd to her.

I worked a lot of hours when when she was that young and she usually had to go to the day care, so maybe it did seem confusing if we just stayed home!

By Nicki on Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 02:54 pm:

Thank you all so much for your replies. I feel better. I have always been an introvert, but I know I must remember Lara is her own person, and I just wanted to make sure I wasn't mistreating
her by staying around the house during the week.

Mrse, yes! I have noticed the same, the more we go, the more she wants to. Yet, when we settle down again and stay home, she seems quite content. And, Alberobello, I am like you struggling with the T.V. viewing concern. I must admit, I allow her to watch Noggin when I must get some cleaning or other chores done. I am her sole playmate, so there are times I need a break, but I am trying to get her slowly adjusted to playing on her own, as you are with your son. She is getting better, and as is the case with 2 year olds, some days are better than others! Frankly, Noggin has saved my sanity on some days and allowed me to be a better mom from getting that break, so I figure it isn't all bad. Cocoabutter, I always go outside with Lara as the yard is not suited for her to be unattended. She would live outside if I let her! It's those rainy days that prove the greatest challenge. As some of you suggested, having some playdates would be ideal, and I'm always hoping we'll make a friend for her to come over and play. For the time being, we have a sweet ten year old that comes by to play with Lara on occasion. Yet, I know she needs someone her own age.

Thank you SO much. Guilt can feel so heavy after awhile, but your kind words and advice has helped greatly.
Love, Nicki

By Bea on Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 05:11 pm:

I've never felt that kids need to be entertained. If she has room to play and things to play with, I think she's fine. At her age, not having playmates isn't unusual. Please don't doubt your parenting abilities, Nicki, I think you are doing a great job.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 11:14 pm:

I was lucky. Both of my kids did like playing by themselves! It did give me a break. I have a friend, who could get involved in the little playstories that they concocted, but I i'm not that good an actor and would have a hard time playing a part. My kids never required that of me! They were really good at making up their own stuff!