azgirl76

what do you do when your stuck home with a 3 year old who is very energetic and there really is no place to walk to besides you dont have stroller.
you really dont keep in contact with anybody because your trying to start a fresh bunch of friends so all day every day its just you and your child untill your better half comes home??

doggonecarl

I am guessing you are asking because you'd normally be using? And now you want to know what to do in its place when your isolation is a trigger?

I'd say focus on your child when he or she is awake, read recovery literature when she's napping (or nap yourself), and stay clean. For your child.

Brian316

I've been in this situation. If you have a car and car seat and the roads aren't bad try to find some place free and in doors you could take her. Even the mall if only to just walk and browse.

ScottFromWI

Some also call being stuck at home with your 3 year old "being a parent". It's certainly not an easy job, but its your responsibility and there are limitless things you could do even without leaving your living room. Built a fort, read books, bake cookies, watch a video, go outside.

Also be thankful for what you have...many people would view the opportunity to stay home with their kids rather than work as a blessed opportunity, not a burden.

matt4x4

You find ways for the kid to run around, let loose that energy. Then you give the kid some kind of reward. I do it all the time.

ReadyAtLast

I understand as have a 4 year old. You can bake,play ,draw, paint,water play, dress up. Or go out, go for a walk-it's free and good exercise for a 3 year old who doesn't need a stroller. You don't have to be going anywhere specifc-just wander around. Look at trees,plants, birds,buildings anything-they love it all

There will be local toddler groups -can you look at going to these. I know in the UK all 3 year olds get 2.5-3 hours free nursery a day ,not sure where you are or if this would be something you could use.

If you are really unhappy can you get a part time job and let your child go to nursery a few hours a week where he can mix with other children and do things.

Anything better than meeting your drinking/using friends.

darkfaith

Some great ideas here, my youngest is almost 3 and I have found over the last couple of weeks it's soooo much more fun to be sober and playing with him. I get the isolation as I don't have a lot of friends close by and don't go out much. Feel free to pm if you want.

If in doubt google I had to last week because I had no idea how to "play" with my son

least

Do you have any hobbies you could do while your child is sleeping? Or take up a new hobby to fill your time. I stayed at home with my youngest child, and had three other kids in the house at the time. I didn't have much free time because I was doing the cooking, cleaning, trash detail, laundry, and some gardening too. I rarely had any free time at all and I never worked so hard in my life!

Raider

Good job on three days.

GreenEggsAndHam

Being a mother is not easy, regardless of whether you work out of the home or stay home with your child. Being a SAHM is very isolating, and alcoholism loves isolation. Do not let rude and judgmental replies get to you. If simply quitting for your child was that simple, most females would not have a problem with alcohol. It doesn't work that way.

Try to get out of the house for walks. See if someone can donate a stroller to you. You can also look into baby carriers (slings, mei teis, etc that you can carry your baby in on your back or front).

LadyBlue0527

First, you greatly applaud yourself for coming here and asking the question. We certainly are

Three year olds are a handful aren't they? My daughter will be 35 this year and I remember those days.

Can you do crafts maybe? I know that the attention span of a 3 year old is short lived but see if you can't find a project online that doesn't have little pieces involved. What does your child enjoy doing?

Most importantly, hang in there, this all gets much better You're doing a great thing!

gleefan

Energetic 3 year olds like to have dance parties, squeeze playdoh, sing songs, play hide and seek, paint, be read to, build with blocks, play house with your pots and pans, "wash dishes", watch birds. Dress them appropriately for the weather and go outside. Make a routine for rest time every afternoon to assure that BOTH of you get a chance to recharge.

malcolmsloan

I stayed at home with our son when he was 2 for about 4 months. The only way I pulled it off was by making a schedule, as obsessive at that sounds. I had the whole day mapped out, even if it was just stuff around the house. Yeah, the unexpected came up, but I always had a plan for the day. Our problem came at night, when my wife would come home with the wine and beer, to "relax." My mistake: I always stopped my schedule around 5 becuase that's when we started drinking.

Again, based on my experience, it is so so important to stay sober at this time. Of course for those of us with problems it always is important, but getting into a sober routine now, when the kid(s) is/are little, will give you a pattern to build the new life around. Allowing booze to become part of the "new life" as a parent will make it even harder to stop later. At least it was for us. Stay sober!

Dee74

I'm not a parent but all the women on this thread are azgirl:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...rt-8-a-10.html

Check it out
D