Getting in and out of the Car
One point of stress when you have one, two, three or four small people is getting them in and out of the car quickly and safely. Your toddler has zero concept of time and has no understanding that you are already late to wherever you are meant to be going (and they don’t care!) You don’t want to leave your kids unattended for long and safety is of the utmost importance.
Here are some tips that I have collected over the years – from apartment living (up 3 flights of stairs) to being in a house with a front door that leads straight to the driveway and onto a main road.
** Note – you need to make your own call on your area/apartment building. We lived on a quiet street and had a carport behind the building that was never busy and felt safe.
APARTMENT Exiting Tips –
ONE BABY (Non Moving)
Have a bag of ‘extras’ that you keep in the car to restock your nappy bag if needed eg nappies, wipes, spare clothes, burp cloths, nappy sacks
Take your baby bag (or any other bulky items needed for your outing eg pram) to the car before you need to leave. This could be the night before or morning of when your hubby is still home or when baby is sleeping.
When heading to the car, hold your baby facing outwards or have a burp cloth covering your clothes. (The number of times you exit the apartment quickly, squeezing baby tight while juggling the locks on the door, ending in baby sicking up a bit and ruining theirs or your outfit, is shocking. Be prepared!)
PREGNANT WITH A TODDLER
It’s of EXTREME benefit to do a lot of practice with your toddler, walking safely up and down the stair well.
Make it fun! Make it a game! Count the stairs, play ‘go’ and ‘stop’, teach them to use the hand rail and to walk up or down the left side (to avoid collisions with neighbours)
Continue to take items to the car either the night before or set them up with some books/toys in their cot while you duck out to the car to load up.
Have something in the car that acts as a motivation to get there – and tell them about how great it will be! This could be their favourite music, a snack, a favourite toy, book etc.
We had a box of books that were rotated every couple of weeks and some favourite ‘car toys’ (toys which stayed in the car) that our biggest enjoyed playing with. These things also help at the other end when you need to throw things inside so your toddler is happily occupied and safe, still strapped in. (The other option for unloading would be to take your toddler to their cot with some books/toys again so you know they are safe while you bring things inside)
TODDLER AND NEW BABY
* Always strap the most active child into their seat first. Ie, leave your baby in their cot/have them in the carrier/pram/capsule while you take your toddler down to the car and buckle them in first. Then either strap in or head back for the baby.
Returning home – take baby in first (quickly and place them in cot or bouncer). Leave music on/toddler reading books (strapped in in car), then return for them!
OR
Place baby in the carrier and take both smalls upstairs at the same time. You may have to leave the other stuff in the car to grab when it’s nap time.
HOUSE Exiting Tips – flat access, no garage
TODDLERS AND A BABY
Now you are dealing with multiple toddlers who could potentially tantrum/run/implode at any point!! I definitely found this a challenge with a newborn, 18 month old and 3 year old.
Same as above 👆 applies – take all bags etc to the car prior to moving small people!
1. Strap in the most mobile (for us that’s the eldest) first and give books to read
2. Strap in next child (18 months)
3. Place baby in seat
Returning home – place a baby bouncer (one that vibrates is even better) ready at the front door (inside house haha). Place baby in that first, then bring kids in in the reverse order. If you need them to be safe while bringing things inside, take them to their cots for some reading/playing then get them out once everyone is inside!
The other motivation I used for getting the biggies in the house and away from the front door, was having sippy cups with milk ready in the fridge door at reachable height, so that our biggest could get them for he and his sister to enjoy, while I attended to the needs of the baby.
All the same 👆 applied for having 4 that were 4 and under!