Tips & Advice for Newborn & Toddler when DH is away

[smiles]

I just read the thread about having a newborn when DH is away, but I would love tips and advice for having a newborn and a toddler while they're away.
The toddler is in a good sleep routine, goes to bed about 7.30/8pm and wakes at 6am. So sleeping should be ok. And during the day is fine too, as we are by ourselves Mon-Fri..

My main concern is (I feel terrible admitting this :laughing: ) ... I don't know how to COOK!! :eek: And besides the actual cooking - how do you handle both while actually cooking?

DH is going away for just over a month.

Thanks in advance!

[TeamAwesome]

Hi!!
My DH went away when our youngest was 4.5months old so not quite a new born but still pretty young! On the dealing with the kids side I reccomend getting a swing I had a fisher price mobile one with DD and was able to use it as her highchair as it wasn't the side to side one and the seats back was adjustable so it lasted longer. I also used Dvds to distract DS when I needed to cook.

I'm not great at cooking and what I can make is simple I tend to do pasta bakes with leggos I have also started using a slow cooker recently where you prepare dinner int he morning and cook it all day and ready by dinner time. all the meats you use are deliciously tender and there are so many thing you can do with one have alook in the recipe section there are a couple of stickies with tips and recipies!!

I use the microwave a lot to cook pasta and rice and vegies.

HTH

feel free to ask more Q's if you want can pm me if you want too.

Natalie

[2s'nuff]

A couple of ideas for you:
- pick your fights with the Toddler. Let the small/unimportant stuff slide.
- Somedays I take all day to prepare dinner. I just do it in 5 minute lots when I have spare time throughout the day. Dinner doesn't have to be complicated and eggs (or whatever the favourite at the time is) can be eaten three or four night running.