...to leave the house with three children and live to tell about it. That's what I learned a couple of days ago! If anyone reading this is a mom of three or more kids, you are probably laughing at me right now, but bear with me because I've only taken my three out by myself a couple of times since my youngest was born. The idea of bundling up three little ones and taking them to the store has always really overwhelmed me. I knew I would end up doing it someday and that it would (hopefully) get easier over time but I was putting it off.
Anyway, I had an appointment on Thursday in the morning to get some blood work done and I had to bring all three kids with me. I had all sorts of scenarios in my head of what could go wrong and most of them involved Kayley. I love that little peanut but she is quite the character. Thankfully, the nurses and receptionists loved my kids from the moment we got there and started fussing over them and helping me out. One lady in the lab held Christian while I had my blood taken and three different ladies gave the girls stickers, not realizing that they had already been given some. So they each got about six cute stickers and even little Christian got one that I attached to his snow suit. :) Kayley did wander off once when I was right in the middle of being poked in the arm but thankfully the nice lady holding Christian went off to fetch her and bring her back.
Pretty soon, we were out of the clinic and on our way. I was feeling so confident that I decided to do something rare and stop at the grocery store on the way home. Like I said, I've only taken the three kids to the store once or twice out of necessity but otherwise I always wait until Sam is home and I can run off to do it by myself.
I tried to plan everything out in my head on the drive from the clinic to the store and how I would make it work. And it went great! Luckily, we got one of those carts that has a car in the front that the girls could sit in. They like to sit there and turn the steering wheels and pretend they're driving. Then, I put Christian up in the front of the cart. This is the first time I've tried this but he's been sitting up so good on his own that it worked just fine. I did put my purse on one side of him and my coat on the other since he is still a bit tippy. He seemed real happy to be sitting up in the front of the cart like a big boy and since he had his pacifier in his mouth, he didn't try to lean down and chew on the cart. :)
There weren't any meltdowns and I got what I needed and got out of there. It felt real liberating to have a successful morning out like that and now I'm sure I'll be doing it more and more.
Of course, I know that not every trip out will always go that smoothly but that's just part of having kids. Be prepared for challenges and be happy when you make it home in one piece.
Anybody else have any stories or suggestions to share on how you make it work bringing your kids to the store? (or anywhere else) I'd love to hear more ideas as I get braver about taking my three out. :)
4 comments:
The one thing I have learned with shopping with my kids is this:
The days I think they are going to be good because they have been so complient at home are the days it is the worst.
And the days when they are whiny, crying and misbehaving are the days that they are angelic in the store.
I think it is because in the first scenerio I am pulling them away from what they are happy doing. So they resent it.
And in the 2nd scenerio I am pulling them from their misery and giving them a change of scenary.
I agree with 3 22nds and also:
Don't ever take kids before lunch when they are hungry! A few times I have made the run after preschool and Ali is exhausted and tired from school and when she melts down that just makes everything worse! I try to go in the morning, when they are fresh and happy, and not shop too long. Don't ever try to do 30,000 coupons with 3 kids or go to a place where you have to wait 20 minutes in line (our local Safeway) as this results in forgetting coupons and not saving money or having major embarrassing moments as you try to keep your kids in line in public when they know you can't spank them!
I took all 3 out when my youngest was a week old and I haven't stopped. LOL I shop with them all the time b/c my husband works and is gone all week so I don't have a choice.
What works for me is making sure the kids aren't tired or hungry and giving them responsibilities so they aren't left without anything productive to do b/c that's when they get into trouble!
Thanks for the tips everybody and I will try to put them into practice. I think part of the reason why I've been so apprehensive to take all three out shopping is because Kayley is like three kids built into one!!! I am ALWAYS chasing her and she is the hardest one to take out. I don't know if it's her age, personality, or just a combination of the two but she has definitely given me a run for my money in her two and a half short years! :)
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