Just wondering how you do it. Right now I take the cart to the car, unload the groceries, take the cart back with DS in it, then carry DS to the car. He can walk, but I don't trust him even holding my hand because he's good at getting away.
With a new baby, I'm thinking the easiest thing would be to baby wear and then walk back holding DS' hand? If the baby is in an infant car seat/carrier, I think it would be hard to carry that and also hold DS' hand. I don't like the idea of loading them in the car before taking back the cart.
The funny thing is that I'm an IE, and I do logistics for a company that is really big in the logistics industry, but I just want some ideas about this one.
@FhSTAR81, I thought about that, or just go somewhere like Publix where they'll bring the cart out for you, but I often go to Costco, and it's hard to find a spot near the cart return sometimes. I have about 6 months to think about it, but I'm trying to figure out what to do in those occasions when there's no space near a cart return.
I just put the kids in and then return the cart...I'm never that far away from the kids or the car while returning the cart. You said you aren't comfortable with this option but it works ok for me. Costco trips always include DH so I never worry how far away I have to park (which like you said is usually miles away!)
When I go to Costco, I park as close to the return as possible, put my items and the kids in the locked car, take 30 seconds to return the cart and then go back to my car.
I have one kid and refuse to grocery shop unless I absolutely have to, but were I to bring any amount of kids to the grocery, I would park by the cart corral, load them in, lock the door, and then walk the cart to the cart corral. Realistically, they would be in the car alone, in your sight, for, what, 12 seconds?
DS is 1DAF
"I realize I say the word fuck a lot, and I'd like to apologize but I don't give a shit." -Lewis Black
I worry about a lot of shit, but I can't understand what the scary part of leaving kids in the car for literally seconds is. Even if you can't get the spot right next to the corral, surely you'll always be able to find one within a few spots from the corral. What is the fear here? Someone will somehow get into your locked car and drive away with your kids in a matter of seconds while you're watching?
DS is 1DAF
"I realize I say the word fuck a lot, and I'd like to apologize but I don't give a shit." -Lewis Black
@littlestjerry (tagable now!), I guess I could put them in the car first, the fear is accidentally locking the keys in the car with them in it, or I've had people give me bad looks when I put DS in the car and then walk away. Maybe they didn't know I was just returning the cart.
Yeah, I agree with @littlestjerry. Lately, its just been easier for me to load the groceries and DS in the car and then run the cart to the corral. Even if I dont get the spot right next to the corral, I usually park a few spots away, and he's sitting in the car for never more than a few seconds and I have my eye on the car the entire time. This is probably how i'll handle it with 2 when this baby comes.
I put my kids in the car first and have done so for years. Like littlestjerry said, what are the odds that someone is going to break into my locked car when I am just a few parking spots away. Besides, to me it is safer than carrying them or walking through a busy parking lot.
No one has ever said a word to me or given my looks because of it.
I put both kids in the car, lock it, and return the cart. It takes 5 seconds. If its really hot out, I will turn the car on and then return the cart. Again, it only takes a few seconds to return the cart. I'm not that worried about it. Costco is the only place that I make an effort to park near the corral since their lot is so damn big.
Either O walks and hold hands and I carry A, or they get in the car then I put the cart away. When the baby is younger, you'll either need to wear her/him or carry them in the bucket seat anyways, right? (In the base of the cart of course
I almost always do groceries without h and I promise it's really nbd.
I agree people probably give looks, but that's because people suck, not because you're doing something wrong. Probably childless assholes who would do any number of things better than you in their mind.
DS is 1DAF
"I realize I say the word fuck a lot, and I'd like to apologize but I don't give a shit." -Lewis Black
@littlestjerry (tagable now!), I guess I could put them in the car first, the fear is accidentally locking the keys in the car with them in it, or I've had people give me bad looks when I put DS in the car and then walk away. Maybe they didn't know I was just returning the cart.
If they are giving you a look, why not politely ask them to put your cart away for you?
If I start the car (with kids in while I'm returning cart) on hot or cold days I always leave my window open enough to stick my hand in just in case it auto locks on me.
99% of the time I park as close to a return as possible.
At one store, I have to leave the cart. It's this ridiculous set up with only like 4 rows of spots, so they're really long rows and I have to park like a 5 minute walk from the front door. And the only cart returns are at the front of the rows. I am not leaving my kids in the car and walking all the way to the cart return, nor am I carrying my kids that far. They have special needs and they don't even have enough handicapped spots so it's not like we can park up front anyways.
To my boys: I will love you for you Not for what you have done or what you will become I will love you for you I will give you the love The love that you never knew
I wouldn't turn the car on and leave it running, even if the cart return was fairly close. That recent story about the jogger finding a baby in some bushes was because the child was dumped after someone stole the running car of a lady who was at a gas station. Different cases, but still.
If it were a hot day, I would roll down their windows and lock them in to return the cart. If it were a cold day, I wouldn't worry as much about starting the car. We keep blankets in the car and the time difference wouldn't make so big a difference than say if we had parked a little further away.
The difference in the time on a hot day would be significant because we live in a warm climate, so the car gets really hot and my younger child gets hot very easily. So, it would mean the difference between a more comfortable child and one who would cry all the way home because she had sweated through her clothes before we even left the parking lot.
FTR, I avoid all this nonsense by wearing my younger child, unless she is sleeping when we arrive, in which case our shopping is limited to what will fit in the SnapNGo basket and we don't have a cart to return.
Also, definitely start teaching your toddler to hold hands/walk with you in parking lots. This is a non-negotiable rule in our family and my toddler will often yell for a hand before we do.
Right now with one I load the car, bring the cart back to the return with DS still in it and then take him out and go back to the car. When he was tiny I would wear him while shopping and I think I'll be doing that with the new baby and keeping up the current plan with DS. I also make sure to park as close as possible to the cart return.
I tend to park right next to the cart return. I usually park near the ones further out where most people don't want to park. I have my second coming around Christmas and taking our LO shopping gives MW time to herself.
Our LO doesn't like to hold hands all of the time so I am training him to look around while walking in parking lots while I walk with my hand almost touching or touching him. It helps that I am a pretty big guy so most cars tend to pay attention around me more.
I live in Florida and I personally try to get dd in the car as fast as possible and blast the a/c. I'm not comfortable with her sitting in the heat while I unload and then return the cart. I won't leave her unattended so I just kind of push the cart so it's in no ones way. I used to return it though. No matter how far
I live in Florida and I personally try to get dd in the car as fast as possible and blast the a/c. I'm not comfortable with her sitting in the heat while I unload and then return the cart. I won't leave her unattended so I just kind of push the cart so it's in no ones way. I used to return it though. No matter how far
I live in Arizona. so the heat is definitely a big factor for me. Leaving 2 kids in a hot car when it's already 115 degrees out makes me very uncomfortable. I think DS is just going to have to be more independent in getting his legs in/out of the slots in the cart. I currently lift his entire length up/down, but he is a BIG 2 yo and I think it will be much harder to do that with a baby strapped to my front. If he can get his legs in/out on his own, I could probably swing him up and down while wearing the baby. Then we can just all go to put the cart away.
Thanks for asking this, @Maebb. Glad to know I'm not the only one with a second on the way who has been pondering this.
D14 November Siggy Challenge - How I Feel 3rd Tri:
Re: Returning the cart with > 1 child
Thanks for all the advice! I will work on having DS walk and hold my hand.
@Sterling, you're probably right that I'm overthinking it. I just went to Costco today and was thinking about how it would be harder with 2 kids.
I almost always do groceries without h and I promise it's really nbd.
If it were a hot day, I would roll down their windows and lock them in to return the cart. If it were a cold day, I wouldn't worry as much about starting the car. We keep blankets in the car and the time difference wouldn't make so big a difference than say if we had parked a little further away.
The difference in the time on a hot day would be significant because we live in a warm climate, so the car gets really hot and my younger child gets hot very easily. So, it would mean the difference between a more comfortable child and one who would cry all the way home because she had sweated through her clothes before we even left the parking lot.
FTR, I avoid all this nonsense by wearing my younger child, unless she is sleeping when we arrive, in which case our shopping is limited to what will fit in the SnapNGo basket and we don't have a cart to return.
Also, definitely start teaching your toddler to hold hands/walk with you in parking lots. This is a non-negotiable rule in our family and my toddler will often yell for a hand before we do.
Our LO doesn't like to hold hands all of the time so I am training him to look around while walking in parking lots while I walk with my hand almost touching or touching him. It helps that I am a pretty big guy so most cars tend to pay attention around me more.
Thanks for asking this, @Maebb. Glad to know I'm not the only one with a second on the way who has been pondering this.