What do you do to keep yourself sane?

[crossfloss]

@mikeytosh I read and am currently learning how to play the guitar!

 

[thulaniscool]

@mikeytosh Reading on the Libby app or kindle, playing my portable keyboard, guitar, and ukulele. Music entertains both of us!

 

[krumdel]

@mikeytosh I try to read, do crossword puzzles, answer emails, or write in a journal when I have downtime. Sometimes I play video games. Any time I doomscroll, my mood gets worse and worse, so I try to focus on hobbies instead.

 

[loreec]

@mikeytosh Go shopping, go to the zoo, museum, make a curbside order because eff grocery shopping lol, go to a really nice outdoor mall and get lunch

All with baby in tow. It is WAY easier at that age although I wouldn’t say it’s hard now that my son is 2.

 

[renob]

@mikeytosh Storytime at the library! Join a MOMS club!

 

[madenew1989]

@mikeytosh Walk. I go on lots of walks. There's strolling big stores as well. 'Window shopping' is kind of fun. Every now and again get a little chit chat in with someone. I don't live near a mall, are they even a thing anymore?, but that would probably be a fun thing to do.

 

[back2thebible2]

@mikeytosh Check Facebook and see if there are any local mom groups. My town has several, and one is specifically for in-person meetups based on the kiddos ages. They have a weekly coffee club for potatoes (non-mobile infants), crawlers, toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids. They also do monthly meetups at the zoo and various fun activities around here.

I did that for a while and found two moms who I love. I get together which each once a week or so and it makes life so much easier. We gossip and chat while the kids wreck a house.

 

[tjd]

@mikeytosh At that age my oldest was taking so many short naps all about 45 minutes each. I set up a schedule of sorts, like one chunk would be for kitchen chores, one chunk for reading, one chunk for exercise (light strength in the living room). I listen to podcasts and music most of the time and try not to get too distracted from my tasks!

 

[cindyfernandez]

@mikeytosh So many puzzles.

I do worldle, Wordle, versle, globle, globle capitals, connections, nerdle and digits (engaging data has a mirror of the old NY Times game digits) - those are the ones I send to my mum, I also do waffle, and sometimes quordle and duotritigordle.

 

[liamdude5]

@mikeytosh Same. I HAVE to leave the house every day with my son or I’ll go insane. I live in a terrible weather area, so options, especially free ones, can be limited. But literally everything is interesting to babies. Go anywhere. One time we walked through the light aisle at Home Depot and he was absolutely mesmerized.

 

[pastorjman]

@mikeytosh I love to do art. I find it very therapeutic. Currently I’m focused on watercolors. Before that I did a lot of card making and stamping. I have also dabbled in calligraphy and art journaling.

 

[tjo]

@mikeytosh Find a mom's group, baby/mom class, early childhood class, etc. to join. That's what I did when my first was about the same age, and it really helped with social time, a lot of parenting learning, and I made other mom friends who were in a similar situation. We set up our own baby playdates from there, and, especially at that age, those are mostly for the parents!

 

[eian11]

@mikeytosh Moms group, library , playground and a hobby or two your baby is super young so going even to coffee shop and museums places where other adults are you can baby wear to not deal with bulky strollers all the time

 

[ryan012182]

@mikeytosh At that age, my little one and I went to a weekly new moms group through our local hospital. You can also find play groups in your area on Facebook.

A few months later we started weekly story time at the library and swim lessons.

On nice days when we had nothing scheduled we went for walks. We live about a mile from our downtown, so it was easy to always have a destination; the park, the library, the coffee shop, etc.

After little one turned two I also picked up a small job- about 10 hours a week- so that can have something that doesn’t revolve around kids and home.

 

[kahlmom]

@mikeytosh I am the same as you! I get serious cabin fever. I take my baby out (now 7mo) at least once a day. At least 2x a week to the library story time or another baby group. Otherwise it’s shops, cafes, the park, a walk. If I’m at home and they’re occupied then I am probably cooking or cleaning - however if I have a free hour then I have taken up embroidery. I also paint! I just do a fun hobby that is easy to pick up and put down if I only get to it a couple of times a week.

 

[nickel]

@mikeytosh Audio books, podcasts, and going out! At this age the baby is just along for the ride. Run errands, go on walks, just spend some time outside.

 

[kevyt]

@mikeytosh That age is so hard (just validating your feelings). My girl is almost one and we’re on two naps. The morning is kind of just chilling at home and breakfast. Afternoon is when I get stir crazy if we don’t leave, so it’s either a mom meet up, music class, walk, etc. Then after the second nap another walk usually to the playground, then dinner and bedtime. This may be no begets than doom scrolling but I started playing pokemon go and it gives me a sense of purpose every day (ok maybe that’s being dramatic but it’s something I look forward to doing during walks and naps). Otherwise it’s cleaning, napping, showering, eating, Reddit, or cooking while she naps. She doesn’t play well independently lately so if she does I am using that to try and tidy up.

 

[golditz]

@mikeytosh I feel this in my bones. I joined a chat server, it’s got a good group of folks in it and we actually make a bit of money doing it. Only thing that has pulled me through the last few years.