Parenting advice needed
... Specifically toddlers. Specifically the terrible twos! Does anyone out there have any advice for coping with this difficult stage as a parent with MS? I am recently diagnosed and have had 4 relapses in the last year, so needless to say I'm not on top form. My daughter is VERY high energy, which I love, but she's too young to understand that I can't do some things and so she understandably gets very frustrated. It's really practical advice I'm after, for example how do you cope with fatigue when youre up a lot in the night, and how do you communicate to a 2 year old that you can't run around and carry them the same way that you used to?? I really want to get back to enjoying family life not just surviving. So im hoping there's some super mums and dads out there who can give me some pointers! Thank you
Hello @regj, it might not seem like it at the moment, but the being up at night thing really will pass. When the tiredness seems endless it’s impossible to think that things will ever change, but they will. Is there any one who could take your daughter for a weekly sleepover? Do you go swimming together? That would be a really good way to experience the closeness and fun, but have the support of the water. Are you working at the moment? Being an OT you have some really transfereable skills, especially if you are in a military community and could trade your exercise/ physio advice for some babysitting. Good luck! X
Can you put her in a part day program a few days a week? It will give her the opportunity to socialize and you some down time. I have a lot of toys around the house and a fenced in back yard with swing set, water table, and sand box so my kids can play by themselves while I watch. I also have a few go-to places where they can play in a contained area while I sit. What those will be for you really depends on where you live. It could be a Park, museum, indoor play area, or library. Also, play dates with other moms and kids may help. You can sit with the moms while the kids play together. Sometimes we eat a picnic in the back yard so they eat and play while i lay on the blanket. My kids love bubble baths so I’ll fill up the bathtub and let them play in there with their toys. You can also just fill a small bowl with water and soap. Puzzles, reading, and drawing requires little effort. You can put on a YouTube video of kids dancing or doing yoga and your little one can dance along. If things are really bad I lay on the floor and let them bounce and climb on me. Play doh can eat up hours of fun. Kids are exhausting but those are just some ideas. Good luck!