Crowd control!

[onetech]

We took our three kids to Sam’s club, in the middle of the day, on a Saturday. I’m pregnant with number four, and far along enough that I cannot keep up with my distractable 4yo. It was a recipe for a headache.

I accidentally stumbled on a great way to keep everyone together; I told the two walking kids, “follow dad like ducks in a row!” They laughed, lined up, and all three were giggling and quacking. When 4yo started to wander, I’d just say “ducks in a row!” And he’d laugh and come back to the rest of the family. My 2yo thought it was hilarious, and wanted to get out of the cart and join the game. It was an absolute win, and saved my sanity.

What does your family do to keep everyone together on an outing?

 

[caringhusband]

@onetech When we go to the grocery we just take two carts. I take the 3-year-old (I'm also pregnant with #4) and my husband takes the 18-month-old and oldest. So I guess we don't stay together--we just divide and conquer, lol. I love shopping at Target because we can get one of those 3-seater carts and it's the lowest stress outing we have, haha.

 

[pierrepierre]

@caringhusband The 3 seater shopping cart is a LIFE SAVER for us. We had 4 within 2 years. The 3 toddlers go in the cart. And we push the baby around in the stroller.

 

[mella]

@onetech I used to bring 5 or 6 young kids to the farmers market with me. I would walk along quacking, and the little line behind me all in a row would quack right back. I could more or less go about my business and count the number of voices that would answer my quacking.

 

[tempo]

@onetech My 6 year old still sits in the cart along with the younger ones.

 

[mrl]

@tempo I stick my 8yo and my 3yo in together because if my 8yo is out, my 3yo wants to be walking around too.

 

[roguefriar]

@onetech I try not to take my four out at certain times of day. If we can go in the morning it’s so so so much better than in the afternoon for whining and general attention paid. I’m not above bribing with a snack when needed either.

 

[onetech]

@roguefriar Oh, we LOVE a good bribe around here!

 

[warriorofyahweh]

@onetech Buddy system. An older with a younger or if Mister 4 wants to be “older” with Miss 2 I have the big two follow behind. I generally only have that in car parks or busy places I try not to have the older kids “watching” a younger kid where I can help it. This ain’t the duggars.

 

[onetech]

@warriorofyahweh YES. I say “your brothers are not your responsibility” almost every day. My poor daughter is the oldest and the only girl, and I refuse to let her parent her siblings like I had to with mine.

 

[abzin44]

@warriorofyahweh I like to give my big the option, “hold the cart/my purse or hold your little brother’s hand”. Often she loves to play big sister and will hold her brother’s hand, which frees up both my hands. If not, I’ll hold little brother and she’ll hold something else.

 

[anushagupta]

@onetech That’s smart! I only have two but the older one loves helping to push the baby’s stroller, it’s a great way to keep him nearby with the single stroller.