There was a time in every parent?s life when outings were fun ? a trip to the grocery store was leisurely, maybe even an enjoyable activity spent with a spouse. The movies, then a stop for a drink afterwards. Going out to dinner at any time, whether it?s 6:30 on a Friday night, or 10pm on a weeknight. There wasn?t really a care in the world back then, it seems.
And then came the kids.
Now an outing is a planned, fretted over, cumbersome task, sure to be filled with stress, mess, and the need for a change of clothes. Going to the grocery store? Might as well be packing up and heading off to war. The bookstore? A sedative could be in order. Any kind of social gathering? Better hope that grandma and grandpa will be there, too, or there is NO WAY you will be socializing at that gathering!
But when it comes down to it, parents have to get out of the house.
Outings with little ones are inevitable. So why not make them manageable? There are a slew of things to remember when planning and executing an outing with young children. Here are some of the things that I have found to get everyone home in one piece, and we stay just a little bit crazy, rather than completely insane, off the deep end, read about it in the newspaper the next day fanatical.
? Pack snacks and drinks. These should keep them occupied at least a few minutes, and maybe all that whining is because they are hungry!
? Don?t have high expectations. If it?s the grocery store, only get what you need if you are alone.
? Always have toys stashed ? in the car, your purse, the diaper bag, under your shirt. You never know when or where you will need them.
? If possible, tag team.
One adult for each kid. If possible?
? If it?s just one adult, have a double stroller ready. It might be huge and an ache to push, but you have kids! Who said this was going to be a walk in the park? Double strollers keep multiple kids in one spot -?a lot easier to manage.
? Get in and get out, especially if the kiddos seem a bit fussy. Sorry, the days of leisure shopping are over!
? Pay attention to nap-times, and plan accordingly. Kids are creatures of routine, no matter the age.
? BE FLEXIBLE! Enough said! If the outing doesn?t go as planned, just get over it, and don?t get worked up. Leave that to the little ones.
? Give them a reward when your kiddos are acting appropriately in public. It could be just a lollipop or sticker. They will feel important.
? If your little ones are upset, remember the obvious ?stressors? ? diapering, feeding, comfort. Are one of these things the problem? Those are all pretty easy to fix.
? Did I mention snacks?
? Strap them down somehow. A child running amok just asks for trouble. In a stroller, a cart, a front pouch, maybe even one of those kid leashes. And if you have two, more reason for containment. Don?t forget you were born with only two arms.
? Incentives to behave: ?After the grocery store, we can go to the park!?
? Craziness every now and then. If you act goofy, kids tend to giggle. Giggling is a lot better than screaming. People will look at you and smile, rather than look at you and shake their heads in disapproval.
? Stimulate them! It?s OK to walk by the toys, the ice cream, that dog in front of the store. Give the little ones something to look at and enjoy.
? Keep talking. Hang on to your little ones? attention.
? Use positive reinforcement. Rather than just yelling and saying ?no? when the little ones are acting up, why not praise them when they are well-behaved?
? Get a babysitter occasionally. Sometimes, you really do need to save some of the outings for adults only. This includes dates with your spouse, if you are married. So important!
To wrap things up, outings with little ones can be a chore, but you can make it less frantic, maybe even fun. You are a parent after all, so you must have some supernatural powers. Figure out something your child likes to do outside of your home, and work it into the outing. If you are grocery shopping, stop by the park. If it?s a stop at the shoe store, maybe go to the mall and stop at the pet store afterwards. Go into the children?s section of the bookstore. A doctor?s appointment can be followed by a stop at the ice cream shop. Why not reward your little ones when they exhibit appropriate outing behavior? And why not reward yourself as well ? who doesn?t like ice cream?
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