The whole “on the go” part of Littles On the Go is often the tricky part for me. This is particularly true if it is 8:30 am and I suddenly think, it’s a sunny Saturday, let’s make the most of it and go to the park/beach/zoo! And of course, I want to get there before everyone else (right now, for social distancing, and in normal times, due to parking and beating the crowds in general!). With littles, this out the door maneuver can be slow, particularly if I am solo that morning (golf widows unite).
It’s generally at this inconvenient point when I find myself wondering, why are there no more diapers in the diaper bag? Who moved the wipes? Where did we leave the hand sanitizer, and where did my husband store the travel stroller? I’ve come up with a few tricks to make it less painful to pack up and get out the door if you live in a place where you use the car regularly. The secret is… my trunk. Ta-da! Are you shocked and awed?
In all seriousness, I do think this is a great method. First, always keep the travel stroller in your trunk. You don’t need to remember it, or lug it, or find where it is. This is where it lives. And, as we start to venture out, I know moms are nervous about kids in public spaces. (I know I am. He licks anything.) If you have your stroller always with you, you always have a place where your kiddo is safe and easily contained.
Second, keep a diaper changing stash in your trunk. I keep a little basket with a couple diapers, wipes, and a little tube of Desitin. Bonus points for hand sanitizer and hand/face wipes! (If you can find those darn hand/face wipes. I am convinced there is a secret Dapple black market out there now.) I also try to keep sunscreen in there too, especially as we get into the warmer months. This little stick sunscreen is the easiest to keep in the car, I’ve found.
Third, if you have a vomiter, a messy kid, or a little one who spits up a lot, keep an extra burp cloth and/or clean outfit with the diaper stash. I don’t have a huge trunk (I have a small SUV), and all this doesn’t take up much space in mine, even though I keep everything in there daily.
Fourth, I keep all my membership and museum cards in my wallet all the time. (I think I belong to almost every institution in the greater Houston area that will entertain my child.) This way, I don’t have to get all the way to the science museum or arboretum and have to turn all the way back home. This also applies to my Costco card (because Costco can definitely count as an adventure!). An alternative is to also keep them in the little basket in your trunk, if you prefer to carry a smaller wallet.
Now, all you need is the kid and a bottle or snack – and you are (hopefully) out the door with much less fuss and muss. I can’t help you convince them to get their shoes on, though.