In a perfect world, you’ll always have a willing partner or sitter available to watch your child while you go to a doctor’s appointment or run to the post office. In the real world, though, your tot is often your temperamental tagalong. And a toddler in tow isn’t the same as a baby on board. For one thing, toddlers don’t nap as much as their sleepy younger counterparts. For another, slipping your growing guy in a sling when he gets fussy isn’t an option anymore. But the more practice he gets behaving in public, the more at ease you’ll be bringing him along.
When you take your toddler places, stick to these basics to make your kid's day out go as smoothly as possible:
- Time it right. A well-rested kid is a cheerful kid, so it’s worth it to work around your child’s schedule when taking your toddler places. Mornings (when he’s likely to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed) are usually golden. Going anywhere at naptime or lunchtime (especially when he has to be on his best toddler behavior, like at church or the a parent-tot trip to the library) is a bit riskier.
- Allow extra time. Those little legs can move only so quickly as you tackle your to-do list, but there’s another reason errand-running will feel more like errand-walking: Your curious critter will want time to explore every little thing. Prepare to linger (and ask and answer questions) when a bug crawls across the floor or milkweed fluff floats through the air.
- Keep it simple. The under-5 set aren’t known for long attention spans, so avoid cramming in errand after errand while you’re out and about. One or two stops per outing are plenty for a toddler, even a go-with-the-flow one.
- Be like the Boy Scouts (always prepared). When you take your toddler places, expect the unexpected — a diaper blowout at the worst possible time, a carsick tummy, a total meltdown when you’re next in line with your toddler at the toy store. Always bring one more of everything (diaper, change of clothes, fun toy, snack) than you think you’ll need.
- Know when to call it quits. A grocery trip with your tot fit won’t fizzle just because you have a long shopping list and are barely halfway through it. If your little one is falling to pieces, you may find it’s better to cut your losses and head home. It’s a bit of a bummer to have to circle back later, but just think how much you’ll get accomplished on a solo trip — or when your tot’s in a happy, helpful mood.
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