Solo Parenting in Public: Tips for Making Life Easier

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IMG_2004One of my favorite things to do with my kids is to take them out to do fun activities on my Thursdays and Fridays at home with them. I often get asked how I am brave enough to take both kids out alone and my answer is  simple – I love making memories with my kids.

I know last month I talked about how crazy a trip to Target can be with kids and although a lot of our trips are crazy and a little stressful, I don’t let that stop me from taking my kids out.

Today, I want to share with you some of my tips for taking your kids out alone.

Be Flexible

I always plan our outings with a schedule that is flexible and allows for change. The kids are tired and crabby? We can cut our trip to the zoo short and come back another day. On the other hand, if they are doing well while we are out shopping I am more than OK with stopping by Chipotle for lunch instead of rushing home.
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Bribe Them

It works. I always tell my three-year-old what the expectations are of him for our outing and always offer a small reward at the end if things go well. The reward might be playing with the train table at Barnes and Noble after a successful shopping trip or stopping by the snack stand at the zoo for an ice cream treat.

Take the Good With the Bad

Know that every outing is not going to go smoothly. Your kids will have meltdowns in the store and they will scream at story time at the library and they will have blowouts when you don’t  have an extra change of clothes for them. Those things will happen. But you will also have trips where you could not be prouder of your children’s behavior and strangers comment on their manners and you spend the whole day out of the house with a smile on your face.

Just Try it

I have been taking both of my kids on little adventures alone since my youngest was a week old. The single best piece of advice that I can give you is to just try it. It is a lot of work and it can be nerve-wracking but once you have more confidence you will feel like you can handle your kids alone in almost any situation.  Sometimes it will seem easier just to stay home but I promise you that you will make many memories  by stepping out of your comfort zone.

What advice do you have for other Moms on taking kids out in public alone?

2 COMMENTS

  1. My girls do much better if they know exactly where we are going and what the schedule is. They also know what my expectations are for them before we go somewhere and what the consequences will be if those don’t happen. Transitions are always hard so I give them a 2 minute warning before we leave so they have a heads up.

  2. I have four kids ages 9 months, 2 y., 4y., and 8 — Outings are always an adventure. Sometimes it goes well – and other times it does not. When venturing out my frame of mind has to be in the right place and I need to be well rested and calm. Above all else calm. I do want to let other mama’s know that sometimes it is okay to just stay home too. Don’t feel guilty not doing many things. Many kids in close ages are hard work. And taking them for an outing by yourself … even harder. Hang in there mama!

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