Going out with Kids
As many of you know, my husband and I have traveled quite extensively with our child. It’s not that we pick up and go every month, but we have traveled quite far and for long amounts of time with him. We also have always taken him out with us almost everywhere. He is now two and a half and this seems to be the last time we will be going on any vacation with him for a while. It is a very hard age to travel with, in my opinion. It’s a very hard age, period. I will have to post more later, but I just wanted to start off the conversation. What are some things you do to keep your kids and yourself sane while going out? It doesn’t have to be traveling, but even just going to a restaurant or the grocery store. Any funny or embarrassing stories to share?
Darek was always bored *it like he's 2 all over again
I bought him a bunch of kids CDs that he liked and unfortunately "mmm bop" by Hanson was his all time fave.
A few years ago he got a portable DVD player for Christmas and that keeps him occupied for awhile. I believe it would have been a life saver when he was little, but technology wasn't as great back then and VCRs were still the rave.
I bought him a little duffle bag and a matching lunchbox for longer trips. Before we would leave we would go to the dollar store and he would pick out colors, coloring books, books, pens, etc... to fill up his bag. Then we would go to the grocery and get little juices, raisins, etc... to fill up his lunchbox. Luckily the kid loved to draw *still does* and that would keep him quiet for awhile.
We still have an ongoing game of "Punch buggie" or "Slug bug" going since he was around that age. We played "I spy" and "ask and answer" like you ask Jax what Mommy's fave color is and let him answer, then he asks a question *
We take snacks, books, and if I can remember, a couple of toy cars with us everywhere we go. Usually the snack is what keeps him busy and happy. Like Jana, we also always make sure to let him run around when it is safe and acceptable. We also tend to do a lot of things that would interest him. We are in Manhattan right now and my husband wanted to go to an art museum, but I knew that wouldn't work for Jax. Instead, we chose a museum that had some art, as well as other exhibits that would keep a child's interest.
Oh and about the snacks, I usually have to give him something unhealthy like a cookie, lollipop or pretzels. Hey, whatever works. I just find myself doing more and more things just to "shut him up" lately and I don't like that. It's definitely a hard age to get through.....but just like everyone does, we're doing it.
I have a snack dispenser that I used for formula.... each section has somethign different - typically mini marshmellows, dry cereal (cheerios, etc), gerber fruit snacks, and mini-teddy grahams. THAT helps.. plus now he can help himself to them.. he thinks that is neat.
He's obsessed with cell phones and has a ton of toy ones... but loves mine and C's.. so sometimes i just give it to him.
In restaraunts.. he's been getting worse and worse.. he gets bored and wants to be up. It is our fault, in town we know the waitstaff and owners at the 3 restaraunts and at 1 in particular they let him get away with murder! The owner comes out and takes him when is being a brat and lets him run wild, LOL! He also slips him cheesecake!
Coloring is slowly starting to work.. but if he is mad he bites the crayons.. yum!
He LOVES stickers... I am goign to get him a nice sticker book for trips out to play with (one where you cna restick the stickers 5 million times).
Typically, one ofus eats and the other one soothes or what have you.. or one eats fast and then the other eats alone!
Oh well, they are only young once (its a good thing too!!!)
For eating out, we try to pick loud restaurants so that others aren't bothered by our loud kids (they are both pretty good at restaurants but hey, kids are loud). We have taken N to fancy places too, and she did really well - we tell her everything that is going on and let her help choose appitizers, etc.
When we are just doing stuff, we all choose what to do (bookstore? park? walk? etc) and I give her 'time warnings' (leaving in 10 min... leaving in 5, one more book...).
Now that we are out so much more w/Ella, I have had to re-set my own expectations. I can't expect her to sit in a high chair for more than 15 min or so, so she's on my lap a lot. I can't expect her to not drop stuff on the floor so I try to clean up, and I leave a good tip.
Once every few days I restock/clean out my diaperbag in the evening to make sure I have snacks, dipes/wipes, toys. Makes getting out of the house in the morning a lot easier. And I have a basket of toys/books in the car, which helps a lot with car rides.
I always tip very generously.. my kid is a huge mess maker! No matter what... on the table or floor... I always feel so badly (I used to waitress, I remember the bratty kids!)
A does okay on my lap, but he loves to drink my drink and play with my food (I don't mind if he is eating it but often he's jsut demolishign it for the sake of it!)
The last restaurant we went to I had to warm the employees to sterilize the table real well because B just came down with a cold and started hacking all over everything. I felt so guilty having him there. Now I am wondering how I am going to do my grocery shopping because I really have issues with taking a coughing kid to a crowded grocery store to contaminate the rest of the city.