LITTLE WALK WITH MY LITTLE CHILDREN

“It’s the children’s principle, that food tastes better outdoors and the best food comes from other children.”

Sunday after breakfast, we are ready for a walk with the family. We secretly make a plan with my husband that we only go to parks, playgrounds, or other places for children, where there must be a Cafe next to it.

We have everything perfectly prepared for a walk with the children and packed. My husband has ATM cards in his pocket because he doesn’t prefer a wallet. I have a small purse with a phone, tissues, keys, and a wallet. But when we look at the packed children’s things and our stroller, a question comes to my mind:

Why we are looking like we going for a holiday, not just a short trip?

The answer is simple, without a repackaged stroller or backpack, we wouldn’t have gone even 5 minutes. I will describe my walks with children for you, adding all the fun details.

CARRIER TRUCK

With Dorothy we are lucky. She is only two and loves her pram. We most of the things are packed under the stroller or on the stroller. All possible places in this wonderful children’s vehicle are filled to the brim. I would like to add that I have in a pram all year round: diapers, wet wipes, sudocrem, sunscreen, tissues, and a blanket.

It doesn’t look very good and often ends with an overturn when Dorothy wants to leave the stroller in a hurry, but still better than a loaded backpack. With a heavy backpack and Patrick in a sling, I walked the first 3 years of his life.

ALWAYS PACK FOOD

And even when I have a full stroller or a heavy backpack, it is better than hungry children. Of course, this is a silly statement, they are not hungry, we always go out with full bellies. I don’t know why leaving the house for my children means informing everyone around:

“Mom, we’re hungry”, or “Mom, have we something to eat?”

After walking a few meters, my children suck fruit from the tube and eat breadsticks, rice cakes, carrots, hummus, bananas, and in summer other possible fruits.

When I met friends on my way, they always ask:

“You are going on a picnic?”

The answer is NO. We just go to a playground, a park, or any other place for children. And when we go to visit our Grandparents they will load us with even more food on our way back. 

In the case of food, my main question is:

“Why do my kids see other kids eating a banana and want the same fruit right now?”

TOYS AS IMPORTANT AS FOOD

Now imagine if we’re really going on a picnic. The trolley is stuffed with food and inside my backpack, I have a tent, clothes for changing, and the necessary toys: water bubbles, water guns, fish or butterflies nets, balls (one for son, one for daughter), and a set of sand toys. 

Here is an example:

We went to the park and I didn’t pack a football ball. Bad luck for me, other kids play football and my son had lost interest in the sand kit and wanted to kick the ball with them. The situation is not tragic if the children invite my son to play football, but if they are older children, it is not fun to play with a four-year-old.

Similarly, with these water bubbles, I always have them, they are in small bottles, and don’t take up a lot of space. My children are always happy with these toys and plenty of other children around are excited too.

CLOTHING RESOURCES

I know from my own experience that I need to pack extra clothes. Especially for small Dory because she is the Princess and she hates to feel wet or look dirty.

Also, be prepared for a change in weather. You go out in summer clothes, and in a moment a “frosty front” comes and you are shivering from the cold, but the children are saved because you have packed warm sweatshirts and pants. With my first child, I had too many crisis situations like that, find out more here https://littlepuzzlesandme.com/my-little-trip-trouble/. So now with two kids, I’m better prepared and I’m not fighting with stress anymore.

UNNECESSARY EQUIPMENT

Finally, I will mention the scenes when I go out with the kids and their bikes, scooters, and other equipment my kids could ride on. Of course, on the way back, this equipment lands in my pram.

Many times I pass other parents in shops or on the way from school, and they are in the same situation. We smile at each other and a thought appears in my mind: “I am not alone with all this stuff, I am not an exception.”