Twins and Shopping
People have asked me (many times), "How do you do it?"
Especially when I'm out in public with the kids - it used to be 4, but now that Seth's in school, it's just 3 I take with me.
It can be a challenge, because the only grocery stores around here that have twin carts are Kroger and BiLo...to my knowledge. The problem is that WALMART DOES NOT HAVE TWIN CARTS. I have mentioned to several checkout associates that they should get them, in hopes that it will make it up to the manager, but apparently Walmart doesn't care. (Is that really a big surprise to anyone though?)
So, when I'm at a store that does not provide shopping carts where both of my youngest hooligans can be strapped down, here has been my strategy:
1. Use two carts with a carrier (or child when they can sit) in the child seat area of each cart. If Seth was willing, he would push one for me. If not, I would push one and pull the other. (one for groceries, the other usually ended up with Carolyn in it)
2. Use two carts with both carriers in one and all the groceries in the other. (One carrier in child seat area and other carrier in the back of the same cart.) Push one, pull the other (or let Seth help with one again). Again, Carolyn usually ended up in the other. (remember she was 2 when I had the twins...I tried this with babies w/o carriers, but they fight b/c their seats are different.
3. Put both carseats snapped into the tandem stroller. Or both babies in the side by side stroller. Push stroller. Pull cart. (This has been most effective lately)
4. Use 1 cart. Heavier twin sits in the cart seat; lighter twin gets to be in the sling or child carrier. (This, although it was hard on my back was my favorite b/c people would think I had two kids insanely close together and didn't stop me to ask, "Twins? Oh, [my cousin three times removed on my husband's stepmother's side of the family] has twins and..." (yeah, can't you see how long it's taking me get through walmart? I don't care how many twins you know!)
5. And the best method of all...go shopping alone and leave Rob with them all!! :)
Just for interest - some ways I've kept the older kids behaved:
Cheetos at the checkout (but only if they're good)
Help me look for _____
The first to find the item I describe gets a point
"I'm looking for something that starts with the letter ___ and rhymes with __"
(yeah, Carolyn doesn't really get that one yet!)
Singing the wheels on the bus (or other action song)...I don't care if other shoppers stare at me...at least they're not staring at screaming children!
Open a bag of goldfish; start eating (the kids start eating, not me!) :)
Now that the twins are getting older, it's not really so hard if I go earlier in the day before they get tired or hungry, and they look forward to the Kroger shopping b/c of the little car shaped carts, so they can 'drive' through the store.
When Seth was almost 2, I'd let him walk sometimes...I must have been nuts! (I always thought he was so much older than he was...first time mom I guess.) Now, without another baby younger than the twins, the twins, almost 2, still feel so little to me. And now I'm rambling and this has nothing to do with shopping!
What are your tricks for shopping with kids? (not twin related...things to keep them behaved?)
Oh, here's a funny I found by looking for pictures of carts online:
"What I don't understand about those carts is they only have space to carry one child right? So what if you want to buy more than one child?"
"Go to Sam's Club or Costco.........they have room for 2 purchased children."
(source)
Especially when I'm out in public with the kids - it used to be 4, but now that Seth's in school, it's just 3 I take with me.
It can be a challenge, because the only grocery stores around here that have twin carts are Kroger and BiLo...to my knowledge. The problem is that WALMART DOES NOT HAVE TWIN CARTS. I have mentioned to several checkout associates that they should get them, in hopes that it will make it up to the manager, but apparently Walmart doesn't care. (Is that really a big surprise to anyone though?)
So, when I'm at a store that does not provide shopping carts where both of my youngest hooligans can be strapped down, here has been my strategy:
1. Use two carts with a carrier (or child when they can sit) in the child seat area of each cart. If Seth was willing, he would push one for me. If not, I would push one and pull the other. (one for groceries, the other usually ended up with Carolyn in it)
2. Use two carts with both carriers in one and all the groceries in the other. (One carrier in child seat area and other carrier in the back of the same cart.) Push one, pull the other (or let Seth help with one again). Again, Carolyn usually ended up in the other. (remember she was 2 when I had the twins...I tried this with babies w/o carriers, but they fight b/c their seats are different.
3. Put both carseats snapped into the tandem stroller. Or both babies in the side by side stroller. Push stroller. Pull cart. (This has been most effective lately)
4. Use 1 cart. Heavier twin sits in the cart seat; lighter twin gets to be in the sling or child carrier. (This, although it was hard on my back was my favorite b/c people would think I had two kids insanely close together and didn't stop me to ask, "Twins? Oh, [my cousin three times removed on my husband's stepmother's side of the family] has twins and..." (yeah, can't you see how long it's taking me get through walmart? I don't care how many twins you know!)
5. And the best method of all...go shopping alone and leave Rob with them all!! :)
Just for interest - some ways I've kept the older kids behaved:
Cheetos at the checkout (but only if they're good)
Help me look for _____
The first to find the item I describe gets a point
"I'm looking for something that starts with the letter ___ and rhymes with __"
(yeah, Carolyn doesn't really get that one yet!)
Singing the wheels on the bus (or other action song)...I don't care if other shoppers stare at me...at least they're not staring at screaming children!
Open a bag of goldfish; start eating (the kids start eating, not me!) :)
Now that the twins are getting older, it's not really so hard if I go earlier in the day before they get tired or hungry, and they look forward to the Kroger shopping b/c of the little car shaped carts, so they can 'drive' through the store.
When Seth was almost 2, I'd let him walk sometimes...I must have been nuts! (I always thought he was so much older than he was...first time mom I guess.) Now, without another baby younger than the twins, the twins, almost 2, still feel so little to me. And now I'm rambling and this has nothing to do with shopping!
What are your tricks for shopping with kids? (not twin related...things to keep them behaved?)
Oh, here's a funny I found by looking for pictures of carts online:
"What I don't understand about those carts is they only have space to carry one child right? So what if you want to buy more than one child?"
"Go to Sam's Club or Costco.........they have room for 2 purchased children."
(source)
Comments
I always gave mine a list (with words or pictures according to age)and they were responsible for finding the items as we strolled through and got a prize (like cheetohs) for finding everything.
Grandma had a different style...she made us walk single file with our hands behind our back...don't know HOW she got us to do it but we DID DO IT!!!!
Although on those extremely exhausting days when I just wanted to go shopping all by myself I would drop everyone off at the Handy Pak and let your Dad experience the delight of children!
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