Every Friday, a parent group I am a part of meets up at a local park for a "ramble" — a walk through the woods, with kids. We try to avoid the playgrounds, if there are any, and dive right into the more open, natural spaces. We walk for a bit, and stop a lot. Kids play, explore, run and climb. Parents often get to talk (though more on that, later).
We are really enjoying these walks! We are so lucky to have a ton of great nature-oriented parks super close to us. This is the first time I have been venturing out with Elsie and Delia without the stroller on walks longer than car to door type things. It takes some planning and effort, but its been working really well! They are almost two, and can manage most terrain pretty well (though they still need help with steps!). On paths and trails, they are pretty easy to keep track of, and in a group, other parents can kind of help me out some.
I have to say, though, I have occasional flashes of envy when I see many of the moms chit chatting it up while their kids frolic about. Not just at these walks, but most kid activities and events. So many have just one baby or toddler, or a toddler or preschooler and a baby in a carrier. Ah, it just looks so easy! In any kind of group setting (even in ones like this with great, conscientious and helpful moms), I feel like I am always ON, either containing, corralling, tending to or entertaining my three. I feel like I am generally pretty laid back when it comes to child-tending, but even despite that its a lot of work!
While we wait for others to show up and start the walk, I am figuring out things to keep my toddlers from running into the parking lot. We look at bugs, we walk walls, we do laps. On the hikes, I often am trying to get one to hurry up, while the others run ahead (this is actually not so bad, though — its easiest when we are moving sometimes). When we stop to play, when others are just hanging around and having fun, I have to start corralling more actively. I am helping one climb a hill or cliff, while trying to keep an eye on the other two how scatter in different directions or whine to do something else. Then I am helping one pee in the woods, while hoping the others don’t take off down the path and out of view.
I feel like I am always trying to think and plan ways to get everyone to do what I’d like them to, without making it look or feel like that is what I am doing — ha!
At the playground, oy vey, they are keeping me on the move now, literally sprinting from one section to another as Elsie and Delia climb and dangle from HIGH equipment made for much bigger kids (they have no fear, and are great at it all, mostly!). Meanwhile, Emma tries something new and panics halfway, wanting to be rescued. Often, I am calling out for one of them, whoever has wandered away and escaped my current view. By necessity, I give my girls a LOT more freedom and space on the playground than some folks do — yet I am still always moving, lifting and climbing, myself.
Meanwhile, other parents lounge and talk. My day for that will come, right? Someday?
In many respects, I feel lucky that my girls are as easy to manage as they are. My girls are generally not "bolters" (though they are trying it out occasionally!) –which I know strikes fear into the heart of every parent of multiples or closely spaced singletons. They are really social and (at least currently) do great around other people — making all of this so much easier. On these more organized outings, I often have help from others who keep an eye out for my kids, help them onto the swings, brushing them off if they fall, spotting them on higher climbers and such. And man do I appreciate it! I am always grateful for the offer (or just jumping in) to help, even if I feel like I have things under control, from both friends and strangers. Sometimes, we really are totally fine, but other times I could really use a hand!
On Friday, we walked a LONG way, I’d guess more than a mile, through the woods, up and down some hills and stairs, did the playground, went down to the beach, and then back again. Great fun! But the walk from the beach back to the parking lot was ROUGH — they were tired & distracted, and while at least not whiny, they were not very focused on moving forward. We had a stressful bathroom stop where E & D thought it was funny to try and run away from me both into gross stalls and out the door, while Emma needed help on the toilet. Nap was approaching, but we were still so far from the car! Nobody was willing to hold my hand, either. I ended up walking forward short stretches by myself, then would sit along the path while they eventually caught up to me. Repeat, repeat, repeat, until we were close enough to the car that they would all walk along with me.
When we finally made it to the car, and I got all three strapped in pretty quick and got in the car to leave. Just then another mama –
who happened to be nursing her baby in the next car over — called through her open window "I’m so impressed!". Her toddler started repeating it over and over, waving and dancing too, which was really funny. This woman hadn’t seen how my last 30 minutes had gone, but being recognized and complimented by a random stranger for doing something not exactly easy was nice, in that moment.
I left with a smile. We will be back!
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Lovely photos! Oh I am always impressed with how you manage to mother your girls so effectively when out and about with them. I still have trouble with just one!
oh wow that is so coool. i kept looking at the pictures and was like wow that looks so familiar like lincoln park in west seattle, wa and then i looked at your next post with the video and totally lincoln park! that is just down the hill from me so cool!
Thanks Joanne! I appreciate your keeping an eye out on our walks, too!
aimymichelle — yep we must be really close to you, too! We love W. Seattle!