I was able to take the kids out for dinner or a walk when we lived in Brooklyn, no problem. But I moved overseas to a small town, and now I can't take them to the beach alone because my son will sometimes dash into the waves at high tide. It doesn't seem possible to keep both kids safe with just one parent there!
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Yes! I'm in Manhattan and SAH so if I couldn't I think we'd all go crazy.
My husband on the other hand has yet to take him anywhere solo. Maybe the park once or twice but it's literally across the street from our lobby.
ETA: I only have one right now, so I suppose that could change. -
Nope....DD1 is in a rebellious stage and bolts on me...so it's impossible to look after a newborn and her!
I could do dinner since DD2 is so tiny and just sleeps in her carseat! But getting from car to restaurant would be a small feat!
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I'd go nuts if I couldn't leave the house with them. We four go out together everyday. Two are still strapped on though.
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Well, I only have one, but my son's not a daredevil, so he stays close by. I love going out one on one with him.
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Yep. Logan is still young enough that I can put him in a carrier or a stroller or something and Xander's pretty well-behaved and will stay by my side.
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Yes- sahm so not much choice! But my toddler isn't much of a runner (more of a stubborn mule who will collapse on the sidewalk) and the baby is still in the carrier or stroller. If we are going any distance I put the toddler in the stroller too. I was just saying to another mom at the park that I don't know how I will do it when they can both walk and take off in different directions!
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Yes, but only if DD2 is in the stroller. She's at the stage now where she wants to run away from me.
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DS is a little over 2 1/2 and DD is 4 months. I don't take the two of them out to sit down restaurants without my husband, but I will bring them to coffee shops etc. I'll bring them for walks around my neighborhood with DS in the stroller and DD in the carrier. I could probably solo parent at the beach since DD isn't mobile yet and I could theoretically wear her while I tend to DS, but I'm sure that will change once she's crawling around.
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I took both kids (3.5 and 4 months) out for dinner with a friend last night and she had to cut all of LO's pizza as I couldn't. So much easier with DH there to help! But other than that DD1 is very well behaved when it's just me and kids.
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Not for a meal - they won't sit still that long! They'll sit in their wagon for a walk, so that's no problem. I choose other locations for outings very strategically because it's hard to get them to go in the same direction sometimes. They are both runners, but we are working on that and its improving. They also are starting to understand the idea of you can walk on the sidewalk vs you cannot go near the street. They've also gotten reliable with hand holding. It's only been the last 6 months that I've started going out with both of them without wearing one on my back. Instead they each get one of my hands. I have a complicated system for getting in and out of the car, but it works! They are almost 2 year old twins.
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Walking yes that's no problem, I don't think I've tried to take them out to eat, but I don't think it would be a problem.
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Yes; DD is almost 16 mo and I can take her out alone or go for a walk.
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lo (2) and I go out alone all the time. usually not to a sit down restaurant bc she can't always sit that long--I feel better knowing I can leave with her while dh stays to pay the bill if she really gets worked up. but like yesterday, we went to Pinkberry after daycare, and we go to coffee shops or Chipotle or similar as well. I take her to and from the park, and our daily commute is walking/taking public transportation--she's anti-stroller right now so we're mainly on foot. The other night she came with me to the wine store down the block from our apt--that was interesting because she wanted to run around like crazy and obvi couldn't without risking breaking bottles
I basically held her the whole time. But I think it's good for her to run errands with me, and the store employees were really sweet with her.THat said, she's only 1 kid, and if she's not in a stroller I make sure I have both hands free (ie use a backpack) to catch/hold her if she's not listening/staying with me
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walking, parks, errands, play dates, etc--yes, no problem. I've never even attempted eating out alone with them because we don't really eat out.
My husband has a harder time taking both of them places, though. I think he's only done it twice--he can do it, he just thinks he can't.
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If I can bring the double stroller, absolutely. If I have to go without the stroller it is really hard. But my kids are barely 1 and 3 and the 3 year old needs a hand to hold and the 1 year old isn't walking yet. I am hopeful that a year from now this will be much different!
@mrbee: what would happen if you told Charlie that if he can't follow your directions to stay safe he won't be able to come the next time? It seems like he might be old enough to start understanding those type of consequences.
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I SAH so walks are a daily thing for us. Usually they are both happy in the stroller. We went out to eat before a lesson the other day and I think it's the first time I've done that alone and it was fine! Mine are 3.5 and almost 2.
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Yes, I have to!
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I wouldn't take my LOs to dinner alone. I can take them for walks or to the park alone and I run errands with them alone.
I feel for dinner I have to have time to focus on me (trying to feed myself along with keeping them in their seats - easier to switch off with a partner) were as walking/park/errands I can almost always focus on the kids and let them roam. I think maybe my kids are too active!
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I take them on walks, to the playground, to museums, etc. on my own (we live in Brooklyn)....I'd prefer not to take them to a meal on my own just because there's no point, in my mind. I wouldn't get to enjoy my meal because they still need too much help behaving/feeding themselves. Ice cream or a bagel would be fine, but nothing where I have to get them out of a stroller, sitting at a table, and being quiet for an extended period of time at the same time
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I think I would go crazy if I couldn't take them out alone! They're almost 3 and 1 which makes it a little tricky, but we go out to eat, to parks, museums, for walks, etc. Taking the older one to the potty when I don't have a stroller/carrier us a juggling act though. It's not pretty, but we manage
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I go places with mine all the time. Sometimes they drive me crazy especially when it's 1 of me against 4 of them but I manage. My husband takes them too. One morning a week he usually takes them for breakfast for some daddy time.
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I would lose my damn mind if I couldn't!
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Yep. I am a SAHM and solo parent most of the week. I can rock almost everything myself.
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DD is 15 months, and I tale her out all the time
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Yep I've taken them out together from day 1 all the time. Now that DS2 is a confident walker it's much easier then when he was crawling.
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@Mrs. Lion: He does understand consequences... but he doesn't always care about them! It's hard to explain, but he has two modes: in one mode, I can reason with him, and the other mode, I can't. We've been making progress on that front, but not enough that I can trust him to stay rational while we're at the beach!
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Yep the 3 of them and me do everything together (shopping, going out to eat, errands, etc.). We would never go out if we waited for DH to be home!
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I do both pretty often since DH works late so much. Walks are easy, but the playground is a pain because both kids on all the equipment makes me nervous. Restaurants are relatively easy though because they are both well behaved.
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I do all the time with my two who are 21 months apart. We even do a girls' brunch at a fancy restaurant with just the three of us every week.
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Yep, but I don't go out to eat much by myself and the two since DD2 is only 5 months.
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Yes but I avoid taking them out to eat...at least for now! My youngest is NUTS at restaurants (screeches, throws stuff and hates waiting for food) so I won't even take her out with DH!
I take them pretty much everywhere else. I sometimes try to go to the park while my oldest is at school so I can keep and eye on just two LOs rather than all three.
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Yes. LO1 (3.5) and I have been eating out all the time just the two of us. She loves it. She goes out with her daddy too.
We just added LO2 to the mix and he's still in stroller so easy peasy as long as it's not within his 3 hour eating time.
I just took both of them to Costco. I put the baby in the car seat inside the cart, and Lo1 was in the cart seat and we had a great time shopping and browsing. We even stayed at ate at the food court.
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For a walk, yes, because I can either wear the baby or put him in a stroller.
Out to dinner myself....hell no. It's hard enough with my husband there, I can't imagine trying alone.
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Yes of course. But I don't live anywhere with something like an ocean that would be dangerous. I just grip my 3 year olds hand while we cross the road or walk in parking lots.
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Only have one but I can already answer this: no. DS is a runner and intentionally puts himself in danger to get my attention so there is absolutely no way I could take him and a newborn anywhere without another adult. This is why I am putting my foot down about getting my garage parking spot back! (DH has his fun car in there right now). No way am I going to try to park in the driveway with a toddler and newborn, we are pulling into the garage and closing the door so DS can't escape while I'm busy with the baby.
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Yup, I have to or else we'd never do anything! I'm a SAHM.
I basically held her the whole time. But I think it's good for her to run errands with me, and the store employees were really sweet with her.
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36 comments