Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

The other post got me thinking. What do you do when you have two or more kids? How do you bring them inside the house if you are alone and both need to be carried in if they are sleeping? One has to be left in the car but which child do you leave while you run and leave one in the house?

For me once DS#2 comes around I figured DS#2 because he will be in the car seat. As opposed to DS#1 who if he happens to wake up when we get in the house, can run amuck and get himself into something in the 3 minutes it would take me to get DS#2 out.

What do you do? And this isn't to start drama on here. I'm just wondering what other parents of more than 1 do as I think about this often. I also wonder what will I do if it's hot out and I have grocery bags in the car. How am I going to handle the bags, and two kids? Plus a howling dog once we get in the house.

ETA I currently leave my groceries in the car until the next morning or run to the car and get them once DS is asleep. I only bring in the dairy and meats right now.

Message edited 4/18/2011 3:33:27 PM.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

I always brought the infant in first, and made sure the dog was not near him when I ran out to the car to get the toddler.

I felt OK doing this because my driveway is less than 15' from my front door.

If I have items to bring in, I bring them in first.

Now, I get younger DS, walk around the car to get older DS and we all walk in together.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

When you have a toddler and a newborn, the newborn gets brought in first bc they are still in their seat and can be left in the house alone. A toddler, you don't know what they'll get into, so you leave them in the car until you bring groceries in, then you take them out.

When you have two children that are in seats, you take in the least mobile child first. Or, the one that is awake. If neither is awake, you judge who would have a tantrum if you left them in the house to get the other, and you get that kid last.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

It is not an option for me to take one kid in the house and leave the other one in the car. I live in a building and park my car in a garage... my kid would be left in a closed garage while I'm inside a building whose entrance is 25 feet away, up a flight of stairs and around a corner... there's just no way.

I have carried both my kids at the same time when DD refuses to walk or is tired. Other times, I've called DH from the car and told him to come get one of our children. Or I make sure I have a stroller in the car if I'm going to be on my own.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

Posted by neener1211

When you have a toddler and a newborn, the newborn gets brought in first bc they are still in their seat and can be left in the house alone. A toddler, you don't know what they'll get into, so you leave them in the car until you bring groceries in, then you take them out.

When you have two children that are in seats, you take in the least mobile child first. Or, the one that is awake. If neither is awake, you judge who would have a tantrum if you left them in the house to get the other, and you get that kid last.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

I would always bring the baby in first or carry both. If I had groceries I would bring them to the back steps first (right next to my driveway so I can see them in the truck). That way once I had the kids in, all I had to do was grab the bags at the steps. My boys are 2 years apart, so now that they are 3 & 1 my 3 year old just walks. HTH!

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

I live in an area with a no-outlet so we hardly get cars on our block of people that don't live here.

That being said, I swear this was one reason I got a minivan.

I open the doors when I put the key in the door to lock it.

DS #1 walks into the car and gets in his carseat while I put DS#2 in his carseat.

When we are getting out I unlock DS#1 and he climbs down on his own and gets out while I go around to get DS #2

Today I went food shopping so I left the both of them in the car while I unloaded the groceries because DS#2 is crazy and would likely try to run out my front door while I went back to the car to get them.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

On My Own....

Getting into the car: I hold DS2 in my arms and DS1 walks on his own from the house to the car (driveway). I open his door and he climbs in. He can put the top part of his seatbelt on so while he does that I close the door and put DS2 in his carseat. Go back and buckle the bottom part of DS1's belt and then off we go.

Getting out of the car: two ways
At home - I unbuckle DS1 and he climbs out, closes his door and comes around by his brother's side of the car or goes to the front door. Meanwhile I am taking DS2 out of the car. If I have packages in the car/trunk I leave the boys buckled in and unload the bags into the house then go and get them. Nothing gets put away until we are all in the house.

Away from home - I unbuckle DS1 and close the door. He gets out of his seat and crawls on the floor to his brother's door where he meets me. I take out DS2 and DS1 holds my hand if we are just running in (like daycare drop off). If we are shopping or at the park then while DS1 is making his way to the other door I get the stroller from the trunk and pack it up. Put DS2 in and DS1 holds my hand.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

I feel extremely fortunate that we have a 2-car garage that we can just pull right into. This way, if I need to leave one of them in the car for a minute or two, I can close the garage door behind me and know that no one can get to them.

It's easier now, because I can get DD out first, and she can stand there while I take DS out of the car. When DS was still a newborn, I'd take his infant seat out, place it on the floor of the garage (or the driveway) and get DD out second.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

Posted by wcs3504

Posted by bdmom

I always brought the infant in first, and made sure the dog was not near him when I ran out to the car to get the toddler.

I felt OK doing this because my driveway is less than 15' from my front door.

If I have items to bring in, I bring them in first.

Now, I get younger DS, walk around the car to get older DS and we all walk in together.

Thanks for the tip on bringing the things in first. It will definitely be hard for me in the summer. DH will be working double shifts so I'm going to be alone a lot for the most part. I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving things in an enclosed car for hours when it can go up to 100+ degrees inside the car.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

Posted by butterfly20
But if its hot the kids can't be left inside the car while the items are brougth in first...

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

Posted by neener1211

When you have a toddler and a newborn, the newborn gets brought in first bc they are still in their seat and can be left in the house alone. A toddler, you don't know what they'll get into, so you leave them in the car until you bring groceries in, then you take them out.

When you have two children that are in seats, you take in the least mobile child first. Or, the one that is awake. If neither is awake, you judge who would have a tantrum if you left them in the house to get the other, and you get that kid last.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

first I plop the groceries in my entry way. if both kids are sleeping, I take the infant carrier in first, plop that down. then go back out for the sleeping toddler. If both kids are awake toddler goes into the house first , then infant, then groceries.

getting into the car: toddler goes first because he screams MY TURN ME FIRST !! then go back in the house to get baby waiting for me in infant seat.


I'm not that paranoid so I feel pretty comfortable leaving them in the car in my driveway.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

Posted by butterfly20

Posted by wcs3504

Posted by bdmom

I always brought the infant in first, and made sure the dog was not near him when I ran out to the car to get the toddler.

I felt OK doing this because my driveway is less than 15' from my front door.

If I have items to bring in, I bring them in first.

Now, I get younger DS, walk around the car to get older DS and we all walk in together.

Thanks for the tip on bringing the things in first. It will definitely be hard for me in the summer. DH will be working double shifts so I'm going to be alone a lot for the most part. I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving things in an enclosed car for hours when it can go up to 100+ degrees inside the car.

But if its hot the kids can't be left inside the car while the items are brougth in first...

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

When DS2 was in the carrier I would just take that out and run him into the foyer, then grab DS1. Or have DS1 climb to DS2's side, get out and walk with me (this is at home).
Out and about I'd set up the snap and go or stroller, or cart, by the baby's side and have DS2 climb to meet me.
This is alot easier now with a minivan
If I have to unload the car, I usually get them in first (at the same time at this age - 3 and 18 months).
I have a playpen set up in the family room and will plop Colin in that if I'm going to be more than a few minutes. Ryan goes in the playroom - which is gated and safe. Colin can go in there alone but with Ryan I wouldn't leave them too long - or I find them wrestling

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

Automatic start on my car is the key for us

With groceries:
Turn off car, get out of car, automatic start car back on (A/C, heat, DVD player), unlock house, unlock car (still running), carry groceries to porch, usually both kids are awake and can walk inside themselves- get them set up inside, carry groceries from porch to kitchen.

When they were little and needed to be carried in, I would usually take the awake one (99.9% of the time it seems someone was asleep!) in the house while I left the car running and locked with automatic start. Our door is very close to where we park our car in the driveway so there was never really an issue.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

If one of the boys is screaming, I take him in the house first and plop him in the play room while I go and get the other one.

If they are both screaming, I get whoever is screaming louder first and plop him in the playroom while I run and get #2..

If they are both screaming loudly, I take both of them out of the car at the same time. I awkwardly hold 1 while I am getting the other out of the car seat.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

If it is late at night and both are asleep:
-I take the bags in first throw them on the floor right in side the front door. Then I take the older (MY 3.5 yr DD) in first and put her on the couch...
-Then I go back out and grab my 2.5 yr old DS and bring him all the way upstairs to his crib
-Then I grab my DD from the couch and carry her up to her bed



If they are both awake.:
I take my DD out first and walk her around to my DS and take him out - then we walk in together.

But I DO miss the days of the infant seat....it was SOOOO much easier..taking him in first and leaving him in the seat!!!!

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

I usually put the younger one in the car first. It was easier with the infant carrier, how I miss that.

I try to get the bags ready, snack,s juice, whathaveyou done and in the car first. Then the kids.

When we are going out, I put the baby in the stroller first, then my oldest.

As far as packages and such, I bring the kids in first, then the bags. If DH is home, he helps.

This is what works for us.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

Depends on their ages. When they were nb's i'd bring the twins in in their carseats and my son walked in and I went back out for the groceries..when they were out of the carriers..I carried them in at once..the younger two and put them in crib while ds walked and went back out. You figure it out.

Re: Spin off of leaving DC in the car alone-Moms with 2/more kids

I suppose some would think I'm a negligent mom as I think nothing of leaving them in the car for a few minutes to unload groceries, grab something I left inside, or to return the cart. I lock the doors so no one can get in or out- and all children are safely buckled in their carseats.

As for it getting hot or cold- it's not like I'm gone for 10 minutes- it's at MOST 2-3 minutes, and the heat or a/c has already been running.

Now that my girls are older, they go in at the same time as the baby because they can climb into and out of their seats.