well, as in all things it is a question of balance! With me the balance was towards playing with the baby and not towards the floors LOL! But everyone has different standards, and you need to discover yours. You may need to reduce your standards a little to make sure baby does get some playing time - believe me, once they're mobile it's a whole new ball game. If baby's not too heavy, you could try doing some of the housework with baby in a sling. Otherwise try door bouncers, playpens, babywalkers (where safe) and even the high chair. TV and naptime are both invaluable for me. Each baby is different -my DD1 hated to play without me until she was about 3. In the end one of my friends childminded her for 8 hours a week or I wouldnt have gotten anything done. DD2 is a bit happier to play on her own, though she does like to HELP! I gave her the toy vacuum the other day when I was vacuuming and she was happy to copy rather than trying to grab my one. In all things with babies, flexibility and a good imagination are essential if you are to get anything done at all. Perhaps in days gone by Grandmas used to watch over baby a bit if they lived in, and I certainly know older sisters got to look after babies a lot as my Nan-in-law famously said it was easier being in Service (live-in cleaner) than to stay home looking after 9 siblings!

Maybe you should get a playpen and put him and lots of noisy, bright and interesting toys in it while you do your house work.  Or a Jolley Jumper.  We have one that is actually like a walker, only instead of wheels, it has special straps that alllow bubs to jump.  More portable than the doorway ones too, and you can take it outside.

Hey there..

My little man is only just getting to the very demanding stage... gone are the days when i could lay him on the play mat and he would be entertained for ages.

I say let the kitchen get dirty, your baby doesnt stay a baby forever and each day they do something new and they learn something new. I tend to do my housework when bub is napping.

If it is really important that it is done while bub is awake, try putting him in a playpen with some toys, he may not like the restriction, but you will get what you need to get done done. My little man loves the jolly jumper too. Give that a go.

Have fun!! Cass xx

You have to balance it all out.

Sometimes its good for baby to play on his own, it's important for learning (or so I was told).

Surround him with toys in a safe zone (assuming he can't crawl yet) and he'll make his own fun and experiment with his toys.

Pop a kiddie CD or DVD on in the background.

My LO loved it :)

by the way, bouncy seats are great and even come with a vibration switch and can be seated in places where you are working and can still smile and talk to baby. They also have big boucy seats where the child sits IN it and I think they call them excersize sausers around here. they are big and round and the child can jump up and down and play with all the things attached to them and still be close to you. I had one of each of these to use when I was cooking. Very handy for when you need the shower and they are still awake and want you. LOL

OMG! Back in the day mommies had paly pens and the kids sat in those all day and mommy talked to them while she worked and kids learned to entertain themselves. I remember the fit my mother threw when I was pregnant the first time and would not get a play pen. She said, then how will you get the house work done and the laundry and the dusting and the scrubing and the cleaning and organizing done. I said, I have wanted this child for my whole life and I intend to take full advantage of playing and being with this child. My theory is not for everyone but to be honest the children do take naps and they do go to sleep at night sometime and then is when the bulk of it got done. Hey, that dust will still be there tomorrow and the dishes will be there later but I want to enjoy my child who wont need me this much or even want to be with me this much in a few years.

Thanks for the article because it made me remember that memory of my situation many years ago. It does get easier just relax and have fun with it all, even the cooking. After all they grow up too fast and when you are cooking they only want you to talk to them sometimes anyway.

I have the same problem and usually my child (7mths) comes first.  If I am not on minti LOL then I clean during his nap time.  He has 2 good naps a day.  I also clean when my partner comes home from work, as he then looks after bubs.  Sometimes I will put him in the bouncer or he plays by himself.  I also have a jolly jumper that he loves.  It's  a hard thing to juggle and usually my housework is left last.   When I hang the washing out bubs comes with me, i put him on a rug on the grass and talk and sing to him. 

Hope this helps

hi there!

i do both. im a single mum with a 6 yo and an 8 week old baby and although id LOVE to not clean ever lol i have to do it anyway.

i spend as much time as i can with the kids but when i have cooking and cleaning to do i put bub in his bouncer rocker on a rug or in his swing and put it near me where i acn sing to him or chat to him so hes still involved.

i set aside alot of housework for appropriate times such as naptime when i need to do thinsg that i have to do alone and time spent with my daughter.