Tuesday, 23 February 2010
HOW much stuff?
Today was the first day I went out driving in the van, baby in tow, with no papousse but a baby seat, a pushchair, a person to help us plus myself in an electric chair. In order to turn even thinking about leaving the house into a relatively calm and stress free exercise, I had to try and come up with a way of getting in and out as efficiently as possible. So....baby seat first goes in van, gets strapped in etc, then pushchair gets taken out of cupboard and assembled but out of way of my access to front door so as I can go and open up van when everyone is finally ready to leave house, then I go to loo, then remind person helping to go to loo, then when all shoes etc on, check changing bag is firmly on back of chair and my handbag is stapped across my front with bottle, milk powder container, bib, baby wipes and purse so that any rummaging for bottles etc in changing bag strapped to the back of my chair is kept to a minimum if baby starts to get distressed and needs bottle quickly, then ask person helping to put baby's coat on, then check baby wearing dummy holder with dummy attached so she can't lose it and people have to start rummaging around on the floor to look for it, then pick up disabled badges on way out and check that person locking up has house keys. Then go out and open van and get into vehicle before shouting to person in house that tailift now ready to transport baby in pushchair and person with pushchair up into van, after you've reminded them to lock your front door and before taking baby out of pushchair and putting into car seat and then reminding person helping to put break on pushchair so it doesn't run into the back of me in the event of an accident, then close up tailift and take off bag strapped across me so I can get to steering wheel. Phew. Am exhausted already. Hopefully will all become second nature very soon.
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Wow. I guess we take a lot for granted. Your trips out must be especially exhausting but, I have to admit, I pine for the days when all I had to remember was myself and my mobile and not: nappies, wipes, drink, snacks, toys, crayons, change of clothes etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteHi Mum on Wheels - Congratulations on being spotted and recommended on Ouch! That is really fab.
ReplyDeleteYour blog helped me to remember all the childcare skills I used when I was more upright, so when I was out with my niece this time, I played a game with her in the house before we went out with wheels and husband.
She chose a nick name, that meant if she heard it, she would need to come running in three seconds. (She's four; lively and fast : ) ). We practised this in the house, with lots of cuddles as rewards. Then we talked about how when we are outside it's easy to get excited and distracted, and what to do to make sure we all work together. The idea is to get her used to holding onto the chair walking beside us and if she wanders off, to look t=round find us again and come back.
I emphasised we were going to a museum, and I'd be keeping score of how fast she came back during the day if she wondered off. The day was so much better than last time, as she stayed glued to our side, and only walked away twice, looking back all the time. Freeing me up to feel we were doing things together, and she was safe.
Do you have a holder for blue badge? High recommend, as it's so easy to lose that thing. My holder is pink, my rucksack is patterned pink, my keys are attached to coloured things, etc. I am experimenting with lots of colourful things to help me remember disabled paraphinalia. Yes, baby stuff takes up memory and planning, but with wheels on top, it's a memory challenge and a half, as you can't dash back in and out with the same finesse.