https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 01 May 2026 16:01:04 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahms-how-old-was-lo-when-you-felt-like-you-were-getting-the-hang-of-it#post-1165408 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 09:01:07 +0000 JoJoGirl 1165408@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@maybebaby: We have also always left LO to play alone for periods of time since she was capable of it - more out of necessity than anything else! DH or I have long stretches of time alone with her every day (he from wakeup til daycare drop off at 8:30am, me from pickup at 5 until bedtime) so there would be no way to get anything done if we were constantly trying to entertain her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahms-how-old-was-lo-when-you-felt-like-you-were-getting-the-hang-of-it#post-1165401 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 08:57:03 +0000 immabeetoo 1165401@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@maybebaby: hmmm probably pretty early maybe 3 months? He sat in his bouncer and stared at his birds while I showered and then laid under his activity mat while I ate breakfast. We baby proofed the entire house once he was rolling, so he can explore without interruption if he so chooses.</p> <p>I think part of it is personality too, and there are still days that he is stuck to my leg like super glue. But usually he is independent and happy to play by himself and come find me/check in. It's adorable to creep over and see him flipping through his books by himself! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahms-how-old-was-lo-when-you-felt-like-you-were-getting-the-hang-of-it#post-1165361 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 08:38:20 +0000 maybebaby 1165361@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: Haha! Cookies for breakfast, my kind of girl.</p> <p>That is a really good idea. I do find that if I make a list I am more likely to do things besides get caught up online. I'm also job searching, so I think it would be helpful to figure out how to prioritize that with household stuff during naps. How old was LO when you started the "benign neglect"--that is a great concept, independent play is so important. I do that occasionally now but like the idea of it being part of his daily routine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahms-how-old-was-lo-when-you-felt-like-you-were-getting-the-hang-of-it#post-1165347 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 08:35:45 +0000 maybebaby 1165347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@illumina: 5 weeks!! You are amazing for even trying to figure out anything besides the baby. I think around 8 weeks DH came home and I had made an amazing meal, the baby was napping and the kitchen was spotless. He was floored. I was too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahms-how-old-was-lo-when-you-felt-like-you-were-getting-the-hang-of-it#post-1165341 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 08:34:37 +0000 immabeetoo 1165341@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It helped me a lot at first to write down one goal. Otherwise I'd get overwhelmed with all that had to be done. I also subscribe to the power of benign neglect. I've always left LO to hang out at least once a day while I do something nearby. Now at 11 months he will usually happily play in his room with his books for 30 minutes while I'm folding laundry.</p> <p> It also helped me figure out my priorities in terms of nonLO duties. I care most that we have a healthy, tasty dinner. Then laundry. Then the kitchen. Then the rest of the house. Today started t 545, it's snowing, and I had cookies for breakfast. So ill be lucky if I ge dinner made :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahms-how-old-was-lo-when-you-felt-like-you-were-getting-the-hang-of-it#post-1165335 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 08:32:22 +0000 illumina 1165335@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm interested in this too. S is 5wks old and I have no plans to return to work for a few years. I guess I'll see how it goes. At the moment it feels like I'm barely getting by, in terms of taking care of the household chores etc. and she still naps a fair amount during the day. I can't imagine what it's going to be like when we spend more time playing and I have less free (well, not free, baby-free) time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahms-how-old-was-lo-when-you-felt-like-you-were-getting-the-hang-of-it#post-1165303 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 08:26:01 +0000 looch 1165303@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was at home for two years and I only really got into the swing of things with activities and such at around 18 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahms-how-old-was-lo-when-you-felt-like-you-were-getting-the-hang-of-it#post-1165298 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 08:25:08 +0000 Charm54 1165298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm wondering this too. I'm on mat leave for the year and wondering when I will get the swing of things. Right now I'm at the some days are great (yesterday) some days are not so great (today) stage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahms-how-old-was-lo-when-you-felt-like-you-were-getting-the-hang-of-it#post-1165295 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 08:24:10 +0000 Silva 1165295@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It changes a lot depending on her sleep! We had a good routine for about a month around 4 months, but then she regressed in a bad way and I no longer had nap time to get stuff done.<br /> At 6 months I'm still not cooking the kind of meals I used to, but am a little more on top of the chores.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahms-how-old-was-lo-when-you-felt-like-you-were-getting-the-hang-of-it#post-1165288 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 08:22:28 +0000 loveisstrange 1165288@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely 6+ months. Hell, she's 18 months and there are still days that I feel like I don't know what I'm doing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahms-how-old-was-lo-when-you-felt-like-you-were-getting-the-hang-of-it#post-1165280 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 08:20:25 +0000 hilsy85 1165280@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ehh...I guess maybe around 6/7 months? That's when I feel like LO's naps improved, night time sleep improved, and he became really interactive and fun. But there are plenty of days I want to crawl back into bed and do a re-do! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahms-how-old-was-lo-when-you-felt-like-you-were-getting-the-hang-of-it#post-1165276 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 08:19:11 +0000 immabeetoo 1165276@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@maybebaby: probably 5.5 months? That's when his naps started lengthening and being in the crib, and going down easier at night. Then I could have some semblance of a plan. There are still some days when it all falls apart though .) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/sahms-how-old-was-lo-when-you-felt-like-you-were-getting-the-hang-of-it#post-1165174 Tue, 22 Oct 2013 07:32:52 +0000 maybebaby 1165174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is 4.5 mo old and for the time being I am a SAHM. I got my graduate degree right before LO was born and am now job searching, but for the foreseeable future I will stay at home with him. The first couple of months were survival mode, getting used to caring for a newborn (and caring for myself!) The past couple of months there have been days where I feel like super mom and wife--baby had a great day, I have dinner in the crockpot and the apartment looks pretty good. Other days, my husband comes home to a messy home with a cranky baby still in PJs and me eating ice cream out of the container to cope ;)</p> <p>SAH parents--when did you feel like you really got in the swing of your role? Let me clarify that I am the one who has the image of what I want my daily accomplishments to be--my husband has no expectations about anything other than that our son is well cared for. </p>