Naptime.

'nuff said. :)

We have gone through periods of years with no TV in the house. After awhile, there is no need to find replacement activities.

My kids have always entertained themselves best when TV is not an option. We have the TV here again, and I feel ready to throw it out the window because my kids are now clingy and bored if the TV is not on.

I think even pretty young kids can be told to go find something to do.

You're missing the boat with playdates.  You have some other kid over, and that other kid entertains your kid, while your kid entertains that kid, and you can be nearby without being involved (plus you get major bonus points with the other parent).  The trick is to get rid of the other parent so that you can benignly neglect both the kids, while they entertain each other, without having to entertain the other kid's parent yourself.

I had a barrel of monkeys at my house today - 5 girls - a 7 year old, a 4 year old, two 2 year olds, and a 9 month old (I claim two of the youngest ones).  I ignored the noise and 75% of the bickering, and was able to clean and rearrange the kitchen, make a silk floral arrangement that I've been looking for time to do for MONTHS, organize a cabinet, read the entire Sunday paper (including going through the coupons), blog, and check my e-mail, all in 3 hours!  I also made the girls a tea party (with hats, of course), changed 3 dirty diapers, and got the toyroom cleaned up (with the help of the older kids, who would probably sell their souls for a Hershey's kiss).

They had a blast, and my house looks terrific.

<i>That</i>, ladies, is how you juggle.

Amy @ prettybabies.blogspot.com

Once the TV is in the house, it is a done deal - you are going to use it... (so tempting). I sort of feel less guilty because I only let my toddler watch educational DVDs at this time.

aaustin, YOU. ARE. BAD. ASS!!

Here's my issue - my kid is 3 and hasn't napped in well over six months. I'm nowhere near the point where I can have a kid over to play without the other parent. So although I feel terrible about it, out come the panoply of educational videos (the same few over and over and OVER) in the afternoon, so I can have at least an hour to sit and recharge. I don't even sit on the couch. I sit at the dining table - because otherwise the laptop and me would become the target of much jumping upon.

My daughter is 2 and a half, and right now, the things that work the best are the CD-Book combos (music or stories, both work!), and puzzles. I also have a box full of kiddy musical instruments that I keep out of reach and give her when I need half an hour of "me time".

Finally, when napping isn't an option, I replace it by "quiet time" by putting an enormous pile of books in her bed (I even throw some of our own comic books (smurfs, oncle scrooge, etc) in there for variety). Works like a charm.

Bianca