How to Handle Outings with a 14 Month Old???

Bernie K said exactly what I would say, Dont let him out yet. He will get a taste of the freedom from the cart or stroller and you will have nothing but trouble gettkng him back in it when you need. Hes too young to let loose in stores but you can give him plenty of free time in the park or yard. Unless you want to go to the grocery store and just chase him up and down isles,, dont let him out yet. And use the buckle in the cart and stroller or get a belt or strap and keep hm safe.

Hi Mama
Please try your best of not giving him the habit of getting out of the shopping cart and stroller. You are giving yourself so much stress. You are the boss and insist that he stays in the troller/stroller.Be consistant and never let him out,thats why he is fighting you because you are giving in.He will eventually get the message. If you have to ,get him a treat.
My son is 4yrs this month and it is only in the last few weeks that he is allowed to walk beside me when shopping. I warn him if he starts running etc he will go back into the shopping cart.
Leaving a child out of the cart is too much stress on any parent.
Let him run in nature,the park,beach etc where it is safe.
All the best
B. k

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My son was like this too. Before any of you jump on me I had the leash thing for him and he loved it. He got to be a big boy and walk and I still had him confined to a five foot circle around me. I used to say I would never leash my child but then he started walking. Ours was a little puppy backpack so it was like he had a friend hitching a ride. Just something to consider.

My kids pretty much knew that they had to stay in the cart... it wasn't an option to ride in the basket, or walk... (until the next baby came along... 3 kids in 4 years was fun!) If they threw a fit, we left.

Hubby made the mistake of taking the 4 kids into a store just to look at softball gloves for the oldest (she was 9 at the time, the baby was 15 months old)... he didn't bother getting a cart, they were coming for just the one item. (I was on a weekend retreat with friends from a Bible Study... he had the kids for the weekend.. whew!)

They stopped at the snack bar and got a treat, then went to sporting goods... hubby put the baby down (he was walking), and helped oldest with the gloves.... he forgot all about the little one!

Pretty soon, he heard an announcement.. "Would the parents of a little boy or girl (he had curls) in red overalls please come to the snack bar?"

Our son had wandered off!

He learned a valuable lesson that day...... gotta be sure to keep the little one corralled!

It's hard and so tiring, isn't it?! Just keep reminding yourself he will outgrow this. I try to plan a fun activity each morning where my little on can run and be safe. Our library does a free music and movement for toddlers. My daughter goes all over the place sometimes and other times she actually sits a bit and pays attention to the songs/dances. I just let her do what she wants. There is a big park near us where she can run run run. I follow her around. We also go to trails a LOT (I need to get the dogs out for their walk) and I let her go...she has become quite a good little hiker! There is a free toddler program at our local environmental center....she can't really escape or get hurt and can explore to her heart's content there. Stuff like that. If your son is totally impossible in grocery stores I would plan grocery shopping in the evening with out him (leaving him home with dad). Restaurants are so hard if you have a super active 14 month old. We would take turns walking around with each of our kids when they were that age and then sit them down in the high chair right when the food came. Still at times they were both impossible...and other times they were pretty good. We just tried to stay away from restaurants honestly. If I had an errand I had to run I pretty much tried everything I could to plan it in a way that I could go without kids. My husband would play with them at a nearby park and I'd go run the errand, etc. I did not ever let my little one just go exploring in a restaurant...not unless they were holding my hand. Usually we'd go walk outside. I did not lot my little one free in the grocery store! That would be way too much trouble! And then they will expect it. The trick for me was to plan things to do where my child could be free and to plan on doing shopping without my child. Good luck.

I have a 20 month old who wants to do the same thing. I will not let her out of the cart or stroller because I don't want to chase her. But, I will use the carts that have the cars on the front because then she can be strapped in and "drive". I also got her a monkey backpack for $9.50 at walmart and he comes with a "special" tail that goes around mommy's wrist so we can both pet and play with the monkey. I don't let her down anywhere near shelves though because she likes to empty them and its too much stress for me. They also had a puppy dog. I never thought I would use a leash, but its the only way I can watch her, the newborn, and still be sane. She gets her freedom and I get peace of mind. Good luck!

My son was very much like this. He just wanted to run and explore and didn't seem to have any fears. (my second likes to be by my side) What I had to do was either plan my errands when my husband was home. I still do this after three kids. I usually go to the grocery store, etc in the evening with just my infant. When I did have errands to run I would plan to go to the park and let him burn off some energy and then I would give him his drink and while in the shopping cart. At this age he will just have to sit somewhere but as he gets a little older you can start to teach him to walk by your side. Both of my kids have learned to walk beside me by two.

You are the grown up and if you don't decide to figure this out he is only going to get worse. Ask him if he wants to sit in the front ot the back of the cart, both have to be okay with you. If he won't stay in then have a friend come pick him up and babysit him while you go out. There are good places for him to have freedom and there are places he has to mind. You choose where and how to make him conform.

Research Love and Logic parenting classes. They help immensely.

That's a hard one. You just have to feel the situation out and set some boundaries with what you're willing to tolerate. Keep a dialogue running with your babe too. He'll get it eventually. It's like being a broken record, but it's for a good cause, right?? =D

reign him in when it gets to be too much for you- you could say something like "uh uh uh son, that's too bad. we don't walk away from mommy like that" and pick him up....

Good luck- he'll eventually get the idea of what you're "rules" are. =D

I would suggest going to a park or back yard to run around befor going out so he is not so antcy when you take him out. Try looking at it from his perspective. Everything is new and exciting! We usually will bring a book with us or open a box of cereal or crackers to munch on while they are riding around or sitting somewhere... Sitting can be so boring sometimes, for anyone!

try using the baby leash with harness...boy i sure wish those were around 30 yrs ago let me tell you with 2 toddlers wouldve made life so much safer for all of us..

My 2.5yr old has to be strapped in tight in the grocery cart. He knows how to slip out of the straps. High chairs at restaurants are the same thing. We only let him explore on his own at the park, back yard or anywhere he won't get into trouble. For places such as the zoo we use a puppydog backpack harness w/leash-he loves it b/c he can walk around w/out holding our hand & we know he won't run off getting himself into trouble or worse, lost.

This must be your first child? This is just how it is at this age. It's a very busy, chasing-after, teaching-limits age. You'll make it through. We all do.

My son is 15 months old and has yet to be out of the cart at the store. My older son wasn't out of the cart until well after age 2, when he could understand that he needs to stay in Mommy's sight and not pull everything off the shelves. It would be way too stressful for me right now with my younger son to let him wander. I think it's perfectly fine for him to sit still and take in all the sights at the store - good stimulation! Restaurants are different because you tend to be there longer and waiting for food. I always bring lots of little munchies to keep him busy while we wait for our food. A few times I've let him out to explore before the food comes, but when the food comes he's strapped back in whether he likes it or not. Just remember how easily kids adapt - your child will soon learn that a store is not the place for him to explore. Good luck!