Saturday, January 19, 2008

Bag or Baby?

As a new mom, and nanny, I have been struggling with an important problem. This problem arises every time I pack up the girls to go anywhere. It is a question that I am sure every parent had to ask themselves at some point... Which do I load into the car first-- all my bags, or the babies? Now, hold it! Before you go shouting out some answer, and thinking you are so smart, you must stop and realize that you must consider the circumstance. Let's play out some scenarios...

(Important information: Emma is 2, Sophie is 4 months)
Scenario #1:
I am at home with Emma and Sophie. It is time to bring Emma home. I have two girls to put in car seats, and two diaper bags to tote along, thus making it impossible to do all in one trip. Do I (a) bring the diaper bags out to the car first and go back in to get the girls, thus leaving the children unattended in the house, or (b) bring the girls out to the car first, and go back in for the diaper bags, leaving the children unattended in the car? Now it being winter throws an extra kink in things. My car takes a long time to heat up, and so I need to go start the car ahead of time. This means that the car is already running, and makes it more of a danger to put the girls in the car first, because some evildoer could drive away with my babies while I am in the house getting the diaper bags. For this reason, I usually choose option (a). Am I correct in doing so?

Scenario #2
I am at the grocery store, getting the girls out of the car. Do I (a) get Emma out first and have her stand next to me while I detach Sophie's car seat, risking the chance that she may dart away from me into the parking lot, or (b) get Sophie out first and set her next to me on the ground while I untangle Emma from her seat (something just seems wrong with setting the car seat on the ground in a busy parking lot), or (c) go get a cart right away (leaving girls unattended in the car), get Emma out and put her in the cart, get Sophie's seat out and put her in the cart???

I need some serious wisdom here from mothers who have been there. Please share!

2 comments:

Katie R. said...

In scenario 1: I would make sure sophia's in a bouncy seat or swing and make sure Emma's safe in a highchair/pack-n-play something. Take all bags with you to the car when you have to warm it up. Then take the girls out when the car's ready.

Scenario 2: Always, always park by the shopping cart corrals. If you don't go super early there may be carts left over that you can grab and you'll still be right by the car/girls. Even if it's not those huge carts that carry two children and all the groceries you can at least use a regular one until you get the girls to the store for a bigger cart. Parking by the cart corrals is good for after the shopping because you can put the girls in the car, let it warm up while you unload the cart and you'll still be right next to the car when you return the cart. You may already do those things but that's how I did things when
Anna was tiny.

It gets easier as now Isaiah 7, can keep an eye on Anna for the few seconds I have to leave them unattended. Emma will be old enough to be a helper soon.

erin said...

I think Katie's got a pretty good plan here.