I find myself in some new predicaments these days because a). I now have two children and b). I live in an apartment without an elevator. You see, last week I was at home alone with two sleeping children. Awesome, right?? I was preparing to go to a meeting where I was delegated the duty of bringing drinks. As I packed the cooler full of soda bottles it occurred to me that I had to get a heavy cooler, a diaper bag, a baby in a car seat, and a toddler down 37 stairs to our car which was parked on a street where people zoom by recklessly. "Hmm...what's the safest way to do this?" I thought to myself? I ran the scenarios in my head and realized that there was no way to get everything down without leaving a child alone in either the car, the house, or the stairwell. Though still uncomfortable with the idea (because I'm paranoid of locking myself out while my children are inside) I decided the safest place to leave them was inside the house. I took the heavy cooler and diaper bag down and then came up for the kids. Unfortunately, I had to prematurely wake Eli up from a much needed nap, and MAN DID THE TEARS AND WAILING START!! What ensued was a huge dramatic scene by my 3-year-old who REFUSED to move his feet anywhere. Aren't those the worst kind of meltdowns...the kind where your kid's body goes limp and the only way to move them is by pure force?? So, I ended up descending the stairs with Eli in a piggy back and Noah's car seat hooked over one arm (I know, I know, not the safest way to go down hard, marble stairs). Unfortunately, I'm sure it's not the last time I'll resort to such form.
So, my story begs the question, have you ever, out of necessity, left your kids unattended in a questionable situation (like the kind the Department of Children and Family Services would frown upon)?
5 comments:
apartment living with young kids SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so bad. ugh. i feel your pain dear. if people are dropping something off for me, or i need to give someone something and they have kids too, i try not to subject them to actually finding a faraway parking spot, and then walking all the way to my apartment. instead i turn on the tv, tell the kids i will be back in one second, and lock the kids in the apartment (there is a scenic lake 10 steps away from our door! drowning hazard!) and go do my thing. i am so very often tempted to leave the apartment wile the kids are napping to get milk or whatever, but i have not the balls to break the law in such a fashion. you're doing great dear! you need a first floor apartment and you need to not sign up to bring things to parties anymore!
Super mom! Willa had a meltdown like that today. It is horrible. Most of last year, when I took Chloe into pre-school, I left Willa in the car. It was soooo much easier and she was fine. When Willa was 5 months old and Chloe was three, I thought about flying to meet Jim in Florida, but I don't think I could have handled it!
I would totally have done what you did...I would have left my kiddos in the house and loaded my stuff in the car. Except I probably would have taken one down at a time...just to avoid breaking my neck...but I totally understand! It takes awhile to adjust to two and I imagine it's even more challenging given the apartment situation! You are doing great! :)
I'm sure I had a situation in the past where I had to make a decision like that...you made the RIGHT one!!! When Mike was 3 we were staying in a hotel and my ex (who was my husband at the time :) went to get some ice, I leaned out the hotel room door to ask him to get me a sprite...he was a little bit further down the hall than I thought and blocked by a small half wall so I leaned out the door a bit further and my foot lost it's footing, I stumbled and slam shut the hotel room door with our 3 year old on the other side...ugh!!! Thankfully, we were able to coax him into opening the door for us and the door was heavy so we had to push each time we thought he turned the knob enough...lol. Oh the joys of parenthood!!!
Thanks ya'll. You know how to make a mama feel good!
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