Maybe you've found:
- a toy or book that captivates your child(ren)
- gear you just can't live without
- a recipe your choosy toddler gobbles down
- a parenting book that you've found perspective changing
- an activity that wears your kid(s) out (these lead to good naps, which we all love)
- an outfit that flatters your post-baby body and makes you feel fabulous
- or anything else you're loving--creativity welcome!
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Most of my Mama Loves have been products you can buy. In an effort to avoid the shopping push right now (Black Friday and Cyber Monday can just be done already), today's thing I love is nothing you can buy. It's a little trick my daycare provider taught Sam and Anna that has made a world of difference in how I go out and about with my duo. Something so easy and small, it's something anyone can do, but something any parent of multiple children will especially love.
Here it is: When getting in or out of the car, our daycare provider taught Sam and Anna to put their hand on the car right above the wheel and keep it there until you are ready to hold their hand. So simple, but it works so well. It makes it so easy to unbuckle one child and then get the other child out- without the need to confine the first child in a stroller or cart first. It works well in parking lots or any public place when you want to keep close tabs on your little ones.
They've been doing this since they could walk. I honestly rarely use the stroller when we go places anymore, because they are so obedient in following this rule. It is awesome for those times when it's just me with Sam and Anna. It's such a time saver to take one child out, take the other child out, and then hold hands to where ever you need to go without getting out the stroller, buckling in each child and then refolding up the stroller when we're done. I can use double shopping carts in the store. Those double strollers can be heavy and cumbersome! And it keeps them safe in busy parking lots, too!
4 comments:
Lucky you for having children willing to stand still and not go exploring through the whole parking lot! Nevermind whatever store we're going into. I just took Noah in Home Hardware without a stroller a couple of days ago and left in frustration without buying anything. He wants to touch EVERYTHING. It's just too tempting to him.
Thanks for a great tip! I will definitely start teaching my two to do this, especially for drop off/pick up at daycare when it's just me and we're stroller-less!
This fall I started taking the girls to a playgroup that does not have space for the stroller. When the girls were younger, I would sling one and carry the other, but now they're too big, and much to independent to let me do that.
So---this was the first time I was going to have both of them walking in somewhere with me sans stroller. And---since the playgroup starts at 10:30,and there's one before ours. The parking lot has many cars coming and going. The whole idea makes me sweat. I have nightmares of the girls running out and getting hit (wow---I'm a real Debbie Downer here--ha!). Anyway----all that to say I taught the girls to keep their hand on my leg while I unbuckle their sister. So far it's worked well. I'm so impressed with how obedient they are to it. :)
Each time we're successful, I definitely let out an internal "Whew!"
Great tip, Katie!!
We do "hands on the car" too! And I haven't touched the stroller in 9 months now... love it :)
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