Toddlers In Public: the scariest minute of my life

About six months ago I took my two toddlers, ages 2.5 years and 14 months, to the mall. There is a play area in the mall for the little ones to play in. The area is sectioned off with three foot walls. There is only one entrance in and out of the area. The walls of the whole area are lined with benches. I usually sit down by the doorway so that I can make sure my kids don't leave. This time, however, there were already parents occupying those seats at the doorway. My two kids were going in different directions the whole time. I kept switching back and forth, watching both kids constantly. I was walking around making sure I could see both kiddos. I noticed a woman sitting down chatting on her cell phone. Another mom was reading a book. I thought about how I can't relax like them because I am actively watching my kids. (Their kids were older than mine and probably less likely to escape).

Well, 14 month old, Sadie, was at a stage where she LOVED climbing, yet she wasn't so good at it yet. I was helping her climb a slide in the middle of the play area. She had my complete attention and my eyes were off Eliza for about a full 30 seconds. I looked up and around for Eliza. I couldn't see her. I didn't panic at first because I figured she was hiding in one of the crawl tunnels or something. I peeked in the ones that I couldn't directly see in by looking around and she wasn't there. I picked Sadie up and walked around calling, "Eliza, Eliza." Another mother detected the panic in my voice and said, "There is a little girl and a little boy playing over there." She pointed over the wall. I ran out and found Eliza and another boy, about age 4, playing on the mall rental strollers, designed to look like police cars, that line the wall. I stooped down to her level and gave her a lecture about how scared I was and how she can't walk away from Mommy because she could get lost or a bad person could steal her away from me (YES, I wanted to scare her...the child is fearless). Soon the boy's mother came over and took the boy by the hand and told him to stay inside the play area. I put both girls in the stroller and left right then.

Ironically, just a few minutes before, I was thinking about how carefully I was watching my kids and I couldn't relax and talk on the phone or read a book like these other moms... THEN it was my kid who escaped and disappeared!! I obviously do not watch two children, who are going different directions very effectively. The whole way home I felt sick thinking about what could've happened. I decided right away that I was not taking my kids anywhere in public again unless David was there and we could divide the children. For over six months I have not taken the kids anywhere that they could not easily be contained. Our outings have only been to friend's homes or to Sam's Club because their carts have two child seats in them, or to the Food Lion that is 12 miles past the closest Food Lion to my house because they have a cart with a car in front that both kids can sit in.

THE HAPPY ENDING:

Well, my little toddler pair have also been a bit of a challenge to control at Church. But things are getting better. We went two Sundays (today makes three!) in a row without having to take them to the hall during Sacrament Meeting (the service) !!! So... after A LOT of thought, I decided to try to take them somewhere by MYSELF!!

A couple of days ago, the girls and I went to Chic-Fil-A. It was the really busy lunch hour. I knew it would be tough to keep them both with me while we waited in a long line to order. So, I went through the Drive-thru. The whole time we were in line, Eliza kept telling me that she wanted to go inside. She pointed to parking spaces and told me to put the car there and go inside. I took the opportunity to get her to commit to staying with me and listening if we go inside.

We got our food and parked. We walked inside and I directed Eliza to an empty table. She sat down, opened up the bag and started to pass out the food as I strapped Sadie into the high chair.
The girls and I ate, and then together we walked to the indoor playground (well, Eliza ran ahead a little). I let them play in there for over an hour. Once we left to change Sadie's diaper. Eliza told me she would wait there for me but when I insisted she come with me to the bathroom, she put her shoes on and came. Then we went back. I was pleasantly surprised to get cooperation.

Sadie usually watches as the big kids climb the stepping platforms to the tunnels that lead to the slide, but this time she attempted the climb for the first time. It was a slow process. At one point both Eliza and Sadie were standing on about the fourth platform when an older boy raced around them. As he passed he said, to his friend he was racing, "I had to go around some babies!" Eliza exclaims, "No, we're girls!" (They're not babies, babies are little like Baby Elliot and Baby Kayla)!

Sadie was timidly and cautiously making her way up the platforms. She stood on the third one for a long time. A ten year old girl said to me, "I think your baby is stuck, I'll help her." She put her hands under Sadie's arms and tried to lift her. Sadie whined and held tightly to the step. I could Sadie wasn't going to go with her so I got up. I heard Sadie say, "I scared... I want Mommy." The ten year old told me that she wouldn't go with her. I explained that she's shy. Sadie is much more cautious of strangers and Eliza is always looking for a playmate. She especially loves big kids!

I talked to another mom while we were in there. She told me about Club Mom at Chesterfield Towne Center Mall. The first Tuesday of every month from 9-11 am there is a free event for parents and children under 12. There is FREE entertainment like a magician or puppet show. There are vendors who give away balloons and gift bags. Parents and kids under 12 can get FREE breakfast! You are given tickets and you take them to any of the participating food court restaurants and you get FREE breakfast. Thats sounds like so much fun and its FREE!!! So, I'm excited to try that on Tuesday! We're meeting our friends there too.

I am so excited that I had a successful outing with my toddlers!!!! I hope I don't regret taking them to the mall on Tuesday. I am taking the stroller and the toddler leashes. I heard the place gets pretty crowded.

Oh, and if for some reason you are interested, you can view some pictures of the said mall play area here. David and I took the girls there together yesterday.