What do you do with your LO when cooking?

I was just wondering what mums do with their little ones while they cook? I do put the TV on but ideally I’d like another way to keep her engaged.

Sometimes I give her some dry pasta and bowls and she just transfers them from one bowl to another but I think I need a new activity for her😂

(Sorry if this is the wrong group to post this)

Read more on Peanut

The views expressed in community are solely the opinions of participants, and do not reflect those of Peanut.

Learn more about our guidelines.

Add a comment

I usually cook when little one naps because he wakes up hungry so the food is nice and cool for him when he wakes up but in times where it sometimes happend I give him pots and pans to play

How old is your little one? I got my little lad a little kitchen helper stool/step thing that he can stand on to reach counters and I ask him to help me do stuff and he enjoys it. He loves helping me stir stuff, or wash veggies. I also got a set of plastic serrated knives that can cut softer fruit and veg so we hold it together and chop stuff. It doesn't keep him entertained the whole time I cook, but he comes and goes as he pleases and plays with his toys in-between

gorgeous - how old is your LO - mine is only 13 months but illl def get him into this when he can

my boy is 17 months, I got the stool a couple of months ago and we've been fine using it, helps that he's always had a good understanding of what hot means and won't go near the hobs. Up until then I just let him play with different veggies that I was using while sat in his high chair watching what I do, so that he felt more involved still

I’ll be right behind you doing the same once he’s a bit more stable on his standing!

@Ieva sorry to jump in, but where did you get your stool from? I've been looking for one too! 😊

I let her pick two cooking implements (really loving spatulas at the moment) and let her meander about with a couple snacks.

We also put the Bluey albums on and dance to them. Gives me a solid 5 minutes as she goes and checks the TV over and over

for my son.. he's now 28mo and like to stir chop pour etc.. but before then or even now when he's not in the mood to help and just wants to be near or watch what I'm doing.. i clear up some space on the counter top and he sits there and plays with a small toy or spoons and sometimes we sing some fruit or veggie songs together..

also i did this thing for him once.. we just put some dry pasta or cheerios.. basically crunchy stuff in a steel bowl and we use the hammer from his toy tool box and enjoys a good few mins of smashing.. lol

https://www.diy.com/departments/homcom-kids-step-stool-toddler-kitchen-stool-w-adjustable-standing-platform/5056534529116_BQ.prd?gclid=CjwKCAjwsKqoBhBPEiwALrrqiI-8RM012EnSuDjAYb5NlD_D4UJeZdW-a7GicE3FnoMvNHZ1_ugLmBoCGUAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds this is the one we got, it's wayyyy cheaper than most online and had decent reviews on other sites. It's not the most amazing quality I have to admit, the paintwork is a bit shoddy but structure-wise it's sound, sturdy and seems durable enough 🤞

I've got some way to go before this stage 🤣 due Jan 24 but these tips were all so hellpful! 👍🏽

in our community

wtf moment?

I have been going back and forth with my husband lately. Well not lately it’s been years. He is the best husband and father you could ask for; for two weeks. Then he’s inconsistent. It drives me mad. Then he’s back to husband and dad of the year , then back to same inconsistency. I talked to him about this last night and he said “if i was lovey dovey and acted like this all the time you’d get bored and cheat on me.”

Ok so for starters i know some of you are going to say omg omg omg super controlling omg leave omg. No im not doing that. Im happy he finally admitted his wrong doing and taking accountability for it but id like to know the deeper reason, the what the f has him thinking like this reason, the personality trait reason. He’s obviously scared I’m going to leave him; so much so that he’s doing this dumb shit to prevent it. Past trauma? What do y’all think I can do to get him to see I’m not going anywhere? I’m consistent already, I married him, we have a baby. He really is the love of my life. I have never loved another man like this before.. but this shit is for the birds and he thinks he’s keeping me doing this but in actuality it’s making me lose respect and detach.

worried about a family members baby

So this child is three months old and she isn’t being fed from 10pm till 6/7 am idk if this is normal or safe and it’s been like this since 2 months i believe as she won’t wake her for feeds she goes to the pub drinking most nights with her baby and her baby has already been in hospital with a very low temperature bc she was outside but as soon as she was in a warm car she warmed up and doctors said she was fine she lets cats play with her bouncers toys that go over her and doesn’t strap her in she is cold from what i’ve heard from other family members and they’ve tried to warm her hands and she’s wet herself at my parents and she hasn’t had a spare vest to put on her and i offered her a blanket as she didn’t have one and she declined and she won’t listen to anyone about it she’s already left the baby with my parents for the night to go out drinking and personally i couldn’t leave my three month old because my parents said she just cried and im really unsure whether to report her or not and her house smells of dog wee/poo as she’s never home to look after them and that’s not safe for the baby i understand being lonely but she doesn’t need to go to the pub every night her friends could
go
to hers or her she could go to a cafe that has closed doors not sat outside a cold pub and it’s a bit of a rough pub in my opinion

my parents are concerned btw but they say i shouldn’t report her as it’s not fair but i feel how the baby is treated isn’t fair

Does anyone else hate their partner?

I’m now a little over 2 months postpartum and I’ve struggled with genuinely just not liking my partner anymore since we found out I was pregnant last year. I catch myself just staring at him with hatred because I’m so sick and tired of his bullshit. He is just now getting a job and has not had one since THANKSGIVING!!! Meanwhile I was working full time until I finally got too sick to be able to work. I genuinely want him out of my house but I depend on him as far as driving goes bc I don’t have a car. I also still love him deep down and don’t want to put him out on the street but he’s driving me genuinely insane. Any advice?

Heartbreak

After years of trying, months of back and fourth on the fate of our marriage, indecision, fights. The whole enchilada my husband and I are separating, divorcing. Whatever. I'm so goddamn heart broken. I feel like it's a death and I'm in mourning. We have a 3 year old son and currently and for the foreseeable we are going to coparent and live together. This makes things harder because neither one of us can really move on but it's how it is. He understands and he's trying to heal too. But I can't understand why now that things are over he can be kind. He's been more amazing in the last week since I ended things than ever. Why couldn't he do that when we were together for years I begged for change, we saw a counselor I tried everything and he just wouldn't. Now he seems to turn a switch and be able to just do it all. But it's too late. My heart aches. My body aches. Love sucks.

Help!!!

Am I wrong if I secide to stop doing baths etc for my little ones. We have a 3 and 1 year old. I do all the baths wake up in ams cooking etc. I dont want them to be dirty but it's like I need a break and Im tired of doing it all by myself. He will come up and help after they are out the tub every now and then and that pisses me off. Im taking care of 2 littles one by myself makes no sense. I asked him to give them baths tonight he said I worked all day what did you do...ive had the children all day. We went to church he didn't go. We all know how little ones are.. but what should I do bcus it feels like I'm going crazy

Partner works incredibly long hours, how much do they help out?

I'm struggling. Have been for a while. I've had one break from parenting my daughter, that was for 3 hours in December when I left her with her dad.

She's 14 months old and I'm just tired. I've done every night by myself. He's out of bed at 4am and doesn't get home until 7-9pm. He drives for work, very physically tiring.
On the weekends he was doing 6 days, one weekend day off, but now has both off.

He doesn't sit on the floor and play with her, he doesn't read to her because he says she doesn't have the patience.
He will pick her up and hold her whilst he's cooking.

Recently I've been "snappy" with him.
He got back from the mechanic last weekend, she was getting onto the sofa and he put his headphones on and started to watch Netflix on his phone.
The same day I told him I was going to run her bath and to watch her whilst she was still eating, he fell asleep on the sofa.

Today he went to football after going shopping, so was out 1-3 and then from 4-8.
He got back and I was snappy.

"I don't get why you're so snappy with me"

I said - Probably because I haven't had a break since December.

"Do you think I don't know you haven't had a break. I haven't had a break", "I just won't go to work, I'll sit at home all day".

Then "do you think I like not having a connection to my child"... But that's on him? He never sits to play with her. He "doesn't see the point". He's stated that this age is boring to him.

Since she's been born, he has been to a friend's once a month. Football - He stopped going for 7months, but has been the last two weekends.

Are these not breaks?

He does do the washing/washing up/cooking/vacuuming when I haven't had a chance to; but I'm the one in charge of feeding her, naps/bedtime, teeth brushing, hair brushing, baths, dressing her, making sure she has the right shoes, appointments etc. Everything falls on me.

If your partner works ridiculously long hours, how much do they look after your child? Do you ever get a break?