Good Lazy Parenting

FatVonD

I too used to hate squirty toys in the bath, I don't know whether it was something to do with Oilatum but they'd develop a thin black film that would come out when you squirted them? I was forever throwing them away! Plastic cups are the way forward on the bath toy front, and things that stick to the tiles!

thorsoak

I must have been an absolutely terrible mother .....I would use something like Matey in the bath .....leave them to play with their toys ....they would become clean that way and the bath wouldn't need cleaning afterwards!

I would just scrub veggies, cut up and feed to the ickle darlings raw ...saved cooking and washing up! They were also fed upon cubes of cheese with their raw cauli = cauliflower cheese deconstructed!

I would give them the basket of clean washing and get them to pick out their own tops and shorts, show them (aged about 3-4) how to pat them out, then roll them up and put in their own drawers. Also how to "make their own beds" from the same age - any toddler can throw back their duvet before brekkie and then pull it up afterwards!

From the age of 12, they were given a "designated day" on which they could do their own washing/drying/ironing and putting away.

Oh yes - when DS3 was about 7, they all decided on one day's evening meal AND cooked it! (4 children + 1 OH cooked Mon-Fri, I cooked Sat & Sun and shopped!)

Does that make me a truly terrible mother? Probably ....but I notice that now DD's family along with families of DS1 and DS2 are following the same paths..... DS3 - hasn't started a family yet!

valk_scot

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Why have so many kids if you can't be ar55ed?...

There's arsed, and there's exhausted. Most parents of three small kids are the latter I expect. It's always better if you can conserve enough energy to stay on the right side of sanity, I feel.

Nicki

Person_one wrote: »

I do think its a real shame that they aren't allowed bath toys, little kids have so much fun in the bath when they've got a good assortment and can really stretch their imaginations. It takes all of about 2 minutes to rinse them off with the shower head and stick them on a towel to drip dry.

Timesaving is good, laziness is bad, don't get them confused!

No research that I am aware of to say that children brought up in homes with no bath just a shower have poorer outcomes than those who do

OP has already referred to allowing her kids to do messy play outside in the garden and I imagine this also includes water play from time to time.

My kids can take or leave bath toys to be honest. At that kind of age the older two quite liked having a bath together and interacting that way, and all 3 of them like or liked sitting in the bath and having a good old sing song with the supervising adult. Bath toys aren't banned in our house but I really don't think the kids would care much if they had been and it certainly wouldn't have stunted their development.

mummyroysof3

Bath toys can get all yuck...especially the squirts ones. We stick to stuff that doesn't get yucky like cups with different size holes on an boats

thorsoak

I used to stick all the toys in a washing up bowl with a couple of tablets of milton and leave them to sterilise everything!

Would also pop all the fluffies into the freezer from time to time ....would kill all bugs!

MrsDrink

Cor my mum must have been the world's worst parent cause heaven help us - she never ever cooked us cauliflower and cheese. I didn't know what this was till I went to uni! I must have been so deprived.

!!!!!!.

1) The OPs children are still being fed nutritional healthy meals. They still have the cauliflower, and the cheese. Does it really matter how it's served? If that is the case you are all crap parents unless you are serving Michelin starred quality food every meal. (I say 'you' because I don't have children). That is stupid. Sure it may be nice once in a while to prepare something extra special but day in day out? There is such a phrase as 'good enough'.

2) Re: Bath 'toys'. !!!!!! we're on MSE. We should be ENCOURAGING less spending on unnecessary crap for kids. I am imagining it's bloody expensive having children. So why can't the OP be an Old Style Parent and be creative with the stuff she does have? She said in her OP that they still have things to play with.... i.e..... TOYS. She didn't say they are forced to sit in just water, bathe and get out. It's comparable to the child who makes all sorts of games and fun out of a cardboard box. They do not necessarily need all the gadgets and stuff that is forced onto you. They can have just as much fun using their own imagination (something I personally think should be developed) and a flannel and bubbles, as they can the latest Tomy toy!

I really am shaking my head at some of the comments on this thread. If I ever have a child I for one will cut corners as much as possible without detriment to them. I will aim to be a good enough parent especially if those corners mean I have more time to do things with them!

starshinning

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Eh... The OP is suggesting cauliflower cheese as just being cauliflower with a bit of cheese sprinkled on top plus not allowing toys in the bath to save on tidying... That's lazy!

she didnt not allow toys in the bath she said they have a bottle which provides hours of fun! and what is wrong with cailiflour and cheese it was an example of part of one meal ! geeze give the op a break

sausageface

I read your OP as you meant - completely tongue-in-cheek! So terrible to give them one of their five a day and a source of calcium !?!:cool:

I don't know why you have had so many abrasive replies (and I agree re. bath toys - they do spurt out horrible looking black stuff after a while!)

Have a look at this thread to make yourself feel better - you spend quality time with your children, saving time on chores to be able to spend more time with them is not a bad thing - please don't let anyone here make you feel bad about it! ... https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2260859

SF x

Metranil_Vavin

My son likes tinned spaghetti hoops