I’ve seen parents do this with their child, or two, or even three–grocering alone with their kids. But personally, I would advise you not to do it, given the unsafeness of public places like the mall, not to mention having a rambunctious kid in tow.
But do not despair. Here are some random tips I have gathered from personal experience and from observing how other families do it. When you are left with no yaya and no choice, you just got to bring your toddler to that grocery trip.
1. Make sure your kid just had her nap. You don’t want to bring a cranky baby, do you?
2. Make sure also that she just had her meal. Or her milk. So that you won’t end up opening unpaid items at the store, feed your kid first.
3. Or instead, bring your own baon. Quick snack packs like crackers, raisins, milk, and water will save the day.
4. List down what you only NEED to buy. You wany to make that trip as quick as possible, right? So either list it down, or make a mental note. If anything else fails, just buy the essentials, and do the rest when you have a companion with you who can look after the baby, or better yet, when you can leave the baby at home.
5. Make the grocery trip an educational one. Let your kid put the stuff in the cart. Allow her to choose between brands, even if she cannot really tell the difference. Teach her colors and numbers. It can be so much fun amidst chaos!
6. Ring sling saves the day! For others, it might be other carriers, but for me and my long and lean and heavy toddler, a ring sling does the trick. If in case she would feel sleepy or wanting to breastfeed, it’s easy peasy! And hands-free!
7. Bring a small toy which she can hold from home to the grocery. It gives her something to be busy with for a good few minutes before she starts roaming around again.
8. Keep the trip for no more than one hour. So make sure you are ready with your list, a small bag with your stuff and baby’s, and some change for tips, etc.
9. Reroute if needed. Skip the toy section. You want to finish soon for sure.
Any tips you can add here?
Would love to read those in the Comments section!
~ Touringkitty