Going places w/ 2-yr olds by yourself

Discussion in 'The Toddler Years(1-3)' started by HorseyLover, Nov 16, 2011.

  1. HorseyLover

    HorseyLover Well-Known Member

    I don't venture many places with my boys by myself, unless they will be in the stroller. I have to take them to the doctor by myself, which shouldn't be too bad because we will be contained in the doctor's office. But just wondering how others do it - do you go to the playgound by yourself with your toddlers? How do you manager and watch them both? Mine love to "explore" so i don't know how I would be able to watch and stay with both - when most playgrounds are not 100% contained.
     
  2. MrsWright

    MrsWright Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    Not sure where you live but I didn't take them to parks alone until they were over 2 and we live out in the country so I took them to a park I know no one else uses Haha:) Otherwise, most of the trips around that age involved stroller, wagon, or shopping carts! Oh, we do have a mall play place that I could do alone bc it wasn't very big:)
     
  3. Tamaralynn

    Tamaralynn Well-Known Member

    As I am a single mom, I obviously take them everywhere alone. If we go to the park, I take the stroller, and wheel them to the different places, we tend to stay on the swings so I don't have to run after them all the time. They have an older brother, so they do tend to follow him around when not in the stroller, so if he is on the climber/slide thing and stays on it, they'll stay on it. However I do find myself running around like a mad women most of the time. :)
     
  4. Rollergiraffe

    Rollergiraffe Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    Until recently I had to bring the stroller or wagon with me everywhere because they were madly off in all directions. In the last month or so they really seem to get that they have to stay with me or at least not wander too far and I have been able to take them to the mall and park by myself without a stroller. I still have to watch them like a hawk though because they do wander if I give them too much leeway. But, like anything else it takes practice, practice, practice until they clue in. If we're walking somewhere then I either make them hold on to the stroller or to my hand/their brother's hand and if they're playing I call out to them frequently to kind of give them the idea that they should check in with me every so often to make sure I am still in sight.
     
  5. Danibell

    Danibell Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    It was about 4 months ago that I realized it was getting easier to go places, and we stopped using the stroller on every single grocery store visit. Up until then the playground was not possible, ever since Rylee fell off a piece of equipment while i was hovering over Liam about 10 feet away. I just commented to my hubby the other day that I could probably take them to the playground now, they are much more stable on the wooden playset we have here, they don't take off anymore and they actually listen, as well as know how to take turns without too much shoving. I may attempt it....some day ;)
     
  6. cheezewhiz24

    cheezewhiz24 Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I go by myself at least twice a week. We started with very small goals and rules. My rule is they had to stay in the woodchips (the playset has grass all around it except where the woodchips are). I used the baby swing to my advantage for awhile, too - 1 would swing while i supervised the other

    If they left the woodchips area I have a 3 strike rule- once I've brought them back 3 times we leave. Now, they've graduated to woodchips and sandbox. I used to stroll them to the park but they have gotten so good at listening that I let them walk on the sidewalk or run in front of me. Anytime they even THINK of not listening to me outside I hold their hand the whole way there and back. :)
     
  7. kingeomer

    kingeomer Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I would say taking them unrestrained to places got better when both of my kids got a little past two. They listened better and mainly stuck together. One of the things I would do at the playground is tell them to stay in the "blue" area...so they would not run to the other side where I could not see them. And we started with a three strike. If I had to tell them 3 times to go back to the blue area, then we went home. Now they know to stay where I can see them and I don't have problems with them running off in different directions.
     
  8. Robynsegg

    Robynsegg Well-Known Member

    I work full time and then see my partner off for the night and then its just me and the three kids. I HAVE to get out or I go completely batty! When we go to the park, the kids ride their three wheeler bikes and I walk the dog. I tell them to wait up for me and they will stop. Or they will sit in the wagon really nicely, we had to retire the stroller (they LOATHE it!)

    I take the kids to Chapters once a week to go and read books and play.
    I take the kids to the YMCA for a program.
    I take the kids grocery shopping, but have to make sure they have carts for 2 kids.
    I make a point to go and visit my mom and dad once a week and a friend once a week as well.
    We got to the mall once a week as well to go and watch the figure skaters/hockey players.

    I think that happens is if you don't go out very often, you don't realise that you are actually capable of doing it!

    When I get the kids out of the car, I tell them all to hold onto it. So, while i'm getting the other kids out, they aren't running off but holding the car so I can see them. I then tell everyone to hold hands because the parking lots are dangerous, so they all hold hands and we march across the lot. People think seeing three little ones holding hands is the cutest thing ever...which I agree on.

    You CAN do it! You just have to have some confidence in your capabilities and start off small.
     
  9. HorseyLover

    HorseyLover Well-Known Member

    Thanks for all the responses. All of your replies have made me feel a lot better!! First off, i think i might have to wait until my boys are just a little older. Many of you waited until they were over 2, and that seems like something that may apply to me. My boys really don't listen to me - although they are starting to understand consequences, it is just so dangerous when I am "outside" with no barriers to stop them. Even when I pick them up from daycare, it is a challenge to get through the parking lot and into the car. I think i just need them to be a little more mature.

    @itsnancycozzi - you have given me a great strategy. And I will definitely do this when i make the venture to the park alone with them.

    @Robynsegg - I totally agree. You have to do things to get the practice in. And it's amazing what we can do and how creative we can be when we TRY!! I do a lot of things with them by myself, and i'm not afraid. I usually have ideas of how i can pull things off. But without them really listening to me and understanding, i just don't know how i can attempt the park yet. Your suggestion to start small is a good idea. Maybe to get the practice of them having to listen to me, and can take them somewhere fenced in, so at least it's safe. i'll have to think more about that.
     
  10. cm301263

    cm301263 Well-Known Member

    When my husband is gone for 3 weeks at a time....I am all alone so when I take them....I use my stroller. I usually just go to the store etc where I can keep them in the stroller. I have not ventured out yet to the park etc....while I'm alone... until they are old enough to understand that they need to stay close to mom....
     
  11. Sarah75

    Sarah75 Well-Known Member

    I take them out every day...I go stir crazy being in the house all day...we go to the park, open session at the gym and library time...yes its hard work and I feel like I am constantly doing a 360, but it works for us...and its fun.
     
  12. Angelfish

    Angelfish Active Member

    We are going to the park twice a day and have been doing so for many months. Yes, they do run off in different directions, climb on everything etc. but somehow we always make it back home without major injuries. I personally find it a LOT easier to be outside with them then scooped up indoors. Just give it a try and don't worry too much.
     
  13. E's 3

    E's 3 Well-Known Member

    I agree with this. I am at home with the 3 of mine and so I have no choice but to go out alone with all of them. The time between 13 months (when they started to walk) and 17 months was ROUGH but after that they figured out very quickly how to navigate all the play structures without my help (I couldn't be in 3 places at once). The parks I go to have the play structures on sand surrounded by grass so I tell everyone they are not to leave the sand. If they do repeatedly we leave but usually it's not an issue. I say you should try it...you will probably be surprised at how quickly they figure it out and, at least for me, everyone if happier when we're out :).
     
  14. E's 3

    E's 3 Well-Known Member

    I do this too and I love it! This is a no exceptions rule for us as well, unless we are on a sidewalk you MUST be holding someones hand. My girls now fight over who gets to hold heir brothers hand, so cute :).
     
  15. HorseyLover

    HorseyLover Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the encourage to try going to a park by myself. It's now getting cold here - but maybe on a nice day. And like pps have said, if they don't listen, we leave!
     
  16. Minette

    Minette Well-Known Member

    There is one park in our town that's small and completely fenced in -- we went there almost exclusively when my twins were that age. It's also within strollering distance of our house, so it was a win-win. I didn't dare take them anywhere unfenced from the time they started to walk (fast -- around 18 months) until around age 2.5, when they had some semblance of ability to remember and follow the rules.

    You didn't exactly ask about this, but FYI, for the daycare pickup I usually strapped Sarah into a single stroller, pushed it with one hand, and held Amy's hand with the other. (Sarah liked to ride -- she still does, actually.) That doesn't work if you have to deal with stairs, though.
     
  17. HorseyLover

    HorseyLover Well-Known Member

    That's good to know! I always wondered what others did with pickup/dropoff at daycare. With mine, most of the time, if one is walking, the other wants to walk. But, that's a really good idea.
     
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