You lovely ladies were right. I have kept the darn tv off. Only turn it on to play meditation music at naptime or listen to Pandora radio. In a couple of months I will be getting out of the house a least 5 days a week with the girls. I plan to take them to the zoo, children's museum, park, bounce place, or store. But I am unsure how to time these adventures and how to do it effectively. They are 25 months and 13 months right now. They nap for 2 hours a day right after lunch, around 12:30.
What times (appropriate to their ages) should I plan to leave the house and get back home for lunch and naptime?
Should I push back their naptime?
And what should I pack for these day trips?
This will be my first time learning how to deal with them both on my own in public. Any advice from experienced mommas would be appreciated.
I'll be getting a yearly pass for both the zoo and the museum. So I'll be able to go as often as I like and stay for short periods without feeling like I wasted any time or money. Other places are close and won't be a big deal.
I love the idea of stashing extra clothes in the car! And the bright colored shirts sound like a great idea!
Oh, yes I do plan to visit the library, too. Never thought about pet stores, though! Thanks!
And I've never heard of a sit and stand stroller. Guess I'll look around for that.
Taking them as early as possibly sounds like my best bet. They get up anywhere between 6:30 and 7:30. I plan to take them somewhere 4 times during the week and once on the weekend. That leaves 1 day at home with Mommy and 1 day at home with Daddy. Of course some days will be bigger adventures than others. But we have got to get out of this house!! (Winter makes me go stir crazy! lol)
Thanks for all the suggestions, ladies. :)
If they're up early, aim for being there at opening time.
Then lunch or home for lunch, then nap.
Pack what you'll need--diapers, snacks, drinks, water, etc. if the venue allows food items. Cell phone, GPS, wallet, etc.
In other words, the usual stuff you need when you leave the house now!
You might find it necessary to do Plan B or C or D on occasion! So have a back up plan & roll with the mantra: plans are meant to be changed! Lol
With my kids at those ages, I'd take them out in the MORNING.
Thus, once we got home for lunch, AT home, from any outings... their physicality was expended. And they got their yah-yah's out. Hence, after lunch, I kept things QUIET, and then it was nap time.
My kids napped for 2 hours too.
They were regular nappers and ONLY would nap at home. Not on the road. They were not portable nappers.
Hence I always scheduled things, per their naps. And did things in the morning. After all, kids wake up early in the morning and the day starts, early.
I even made *my* morning errands, into an "outing." We'd get breakfast, stroll around, go to a park, and back home. Sometimes, that is all we did and it was fine.
NO, I would NOT push back their nap times.
Keep them... on schedule.
If you tweak their nap times, it is often regretted.
And getting them back to a nap routine, is hard!
DO things in the mornings. That's what I did. And we'd come home, with enough of a leeway, that we did not have to RUSH through lunch. I allowed enough time, to get home, so that we could eat, unwind AND deflate.... BY NAP TIME.
This is important. Allowing enough time, so that lunch/their naps are not all rushed when you get home.
I had our routines, down pat. And it worked.
By doing this, my kids still napped as usual, at their usual afternoon times, after lunch and after the morning outing.
And it worked.
I rather do that, than to have had my kids get all fussy and overtired and their naps... delayed. Because, once my kids were over-tired... it made it MUCH harder, for them to nap and unwind. Getting kids too tired, backfired.
I knew the limits of my kids. We had outings and they expended energy... but I didn't get them OVER, tired. Just enough. Then home, lunch, unwind and nap.
After nap then it was hanging out and me cooking dinner etc. and mellow stuff. Their own play and imaginations.
Yep, in the car, have a small ice chest. Sippy's with water etc. simple non-perishable snacks. Extra clothes and footwear in the car. Band-aids etc., a First Aid kit in the trunk. Extra diapers and underwear too.
And the stroller. And a bag with stuff in it too as you go about.
When I had my 2nd child... naps or outings, were per the younger child's timing. Although, BOTH my kids napped, and I had them on the same nap schedule timing. So it worked out.
The other alternative you have, is to have the outings in the afternoon after their naps. But then, it would be too late... dinner has to be made etc. too.
For me, doing everything in the morning, really worked out best.
My kids woke up in the morning early, like about 6-6:30am.
And by lunch time, they were TIRED.
When my boys were that age, I got out all the time (they are 20 months apart). You'll have so much fun.
1. My plan was always to try to be at my destination when it opened (avoiding crowds as much as possible).
2. Pack water and a snack (or lunch). I try not to purchase food when I'm out with my kids for lots of reasons (health, finances, habits, etc.). We often ate our lunch a bit early, then if they fell asleep in the car, I'd have a book with me so I could read while they napped once we got home. Or, if they didn't fall asleep - we'd have a light snack and then go straight into naptime, easier than trying to plan a whole lunch when they are tired and hungry. Try to pack the healthiest stuff you can.
3. Pack your diaper bag the night before so you don't forget anything. Keep an extra set of clothing + a diaper changing "station" in the car.
4. Do you have a double stroller? My Sit-N-Stand was perfect for that age kids (although we didn't get it until #3 came along) I used it constantly with a baby and toddler. I bought mine used for $50.
5. I often dressed my kids "matching" when we went out. I have some unique shirts that a friend of my mom's made for them, and those were my standard "uniform" when out and about.
You'll do great!
Don't forget to add local parks, wading pools, pet stores, and the library to your list.
All that said - trying to get out everyday might feel like a lot at first. Work into it. Try every other day, or twice a week. You might find they entertain themselves better at home if they are out more often.. I loved the time spent in our own yard or playing with toys at home after a few days of outings. It makes home more exciting when you aren't there all the time.
GOOD FOR YOU :)
I always kept a tote bag with 'extras' in the trunk of the car. At least one change of clothes, including socks and shoes and jacket or sweatshirt. change it out every couple of weeks or once a month, in case the kids hit a growth spurt. This way if they mess through a diaper, spill food on themselves, fall into a puddle, run through water--- ect ect ect -- you have it tken care of. You can also keep child sized spoons and forks and sippy cups, snacks in a plastic bag in there.
I was never successful at changing naptimes. Do whatever chores you need to do in the morning, feed the kids lunch, put them down for a nap, while they are napping do all your prep work for dinner, maybe even get it in the crock pot. Then get everthing ready to take the kids out. Put the stroller in the car, pack diaper bag, prepare snacks ect. When the kids wake up change diapers and put on socks and shoes, comb hair and get ready to leave. I would plan at most only an hour to an hour and a half at whatever place you are going at first. The new activity will tire them out, you may want to do baths and jammies before dinner, feed them when dad gets home and be ready for a slightly earlier bed time at first.
Big believer in "up and out" mentality. Like others said here, wear 'em out in the morning, and return them tired and happy in time for nap. Maybe have lunch out one or two times a month?
If there's a long trip involved, definitely have snacks/extra diapers/wipes on hand. Hopefully they can sleep in the car if you plan on being out all day.
Good luck.
I am a stay-away-from-home mom!
Since your kids are still so little I would head out as early as possible.
I almost always packed our lunch and brought it with us. I found it easier upon getting home to go straight for a nap (we were ALL tired at that point anyway!) I tried not to pack too much, just the essentials, diapers, wipes, water, dry snacks, sunscreen in the summer. It's a good idea to keep extra clothes, jackets, etc. in the car for changes in the weather, accidents and/or spills.
Other than that, GO, enjoy and have fun! Try to go with another mom (friend or SIL) if you can, it's a LOT more fun with adult company :-)
For things like the zoo and the childrens museum I bought memberships. That way I could go often, but I didn't feel I needed to stay a long time on each visit like you would if you were paying admission each time. For an outing to a place like that I would just bring my normal diaper bag items, some drinks and some snacks. You could also pack a picnic lunch. A back pack worked best for keeping hands free. Bring a stroller for the little one, or if you have a sit and stand type stroller that would be ideal. My boys napped later in the afternoon, between 3:00pm and 5:00pm. (It depends on what time you want them to go to bed. Mine didn't go to bed until 10:00pm.) We had more time for activities, then they would nap while I was making supper. When my boys were little I used to buy them matching t-shirts in bright colours for them to wear when we went on outings to public places. It was easier for me to keep tabs on them visually when they might be off in two directions at once.
A lot depends on the opening times of places, distance and if you decide to have a set nap time. I suggest having one, preferably around their natural nap time. I'd say 1pm. Also if you have a smart phone, get an alarm app. This has been a life saver for me. I have my daughter's school times and my son's feeding times set. It keeps me on time. Set your time for an hour or two before nap time and when it goes off pack them up and head home for lunch and nap.
Usually you don't have to do lunch at home unless they have special food needs. Alot of foods can be tucked into a small cooler and tucked onto the car. But since yours nap right after lunch, doing lunch at home might be best.
I also suggest a double stroller if you can afford it, something you can strap the two into to keep them put when you're in large crowded places. You don't want them running off in two different directions at once in the middle of the zoo.
As for packing, the diaper bag/purse and a small cooler should be all you need. Cold drinks, maybe finger food snacks and maybe some things for you.
Good luck!
I always took my kids out in the AM. Then, we came back to the house for lunch and did regular naps. And not every day because I worked PT then.
I always kept a day during the week where we did not rush around. I had them play at home and would have playdates here and at other houses.
I never pushed their naptimes---if they started a nap at 2:30 or 3 pm, then, they wouldn't go to bed until very late. I would rec keeping them on a 12:30 nap schedule !.
They are very young and I hope you will not stress yourself by running around every day. One of my kids DISLIKED going to all these places w/ crowds/noises/too much stroller time. She was much happier playing at
home playing w/ the water table, painting, stories, watching "Little Bear" on tv.
I love your ambition. My kids were both nappers. My oldest napped until he was 6. I am a napper too. Anyways, I would not mess with their nap or meals time. I would take your adventures in the morning. At their age, a 1 to 1.5 hour trip would be sufficient. Of course, it will probably take more time than that to get ready and drive there. That is what always happened to me. Anyway, when we got home, we would eat lunch, kids would take a nap, sometimes me too or I would do things like chores that I should be doing anyway. LOL
Be careful you don't over stimulate them or you for that matter. Going places 5 days/week seems a lot to me...granted I am a home person. Pay attention to their cues if the constant scheduled activity is too much for them. Sometimes I get more enjoyment and real time with my kids when we just pull weeds or pick up sticks out of the yard.
With those ages I don't think I could handle much of anything in public and still keep track of the kids. We did play dates at homes (contained!). Good luck!
