Moms...how DO you handle the logistics of shopping in public or watching children when the kids outnumber the parents?

According to one expert Momtopia mother with three children under the age of five, planning ahead for how long you are going to be away and foreseeing what each child will need is absolutely key, and usually even involves night-before planning! Her advice:

• Be brave. Take children out enough that they become used to public settings and staying near you. The more you do it, the easier it gets.
• Practice makes perfect. Venture out for short periods of time, then increase the length of your outings, to help children practice the fine art of staying with mom.
• If you will be gone the whole day, map out where you'll be going, quickest routes, collect all sale information, coupons, paperwork, etc. in advance. Spontaneity has no place with a large mobile family!
• Whether shopping, eating, or going to the park, pack plenty of snacks, changes of clothes, diapers, sunscreen, etc. Packing the night before is ideal.
• Crayons and spiral notebooks, search-and-find books, and dry erase books are great portable, quiet activities.
• Try to pack activities that the kids don't normally play with. They'll be more entertained and stay occupied longer.
• Put the oldest child in charge of a backpack full of supplies. By 4 or 5 years of age, they are ready to be "Mom's helper."
• Know exactly what everyone is wearing the next day to get an early start.
• Consider pre-made breakfasts (bagels & cream cheese or mini boxed cereal) for portability to get going early while your children are fresh.
• If you can't get a close/front parking spot, try to park next to a cart return area. You'll have easy access to a way to wheel the majority of your clan in. You also won't have to go far to return the cart at the end of your trip.
• Getting in and out of the car when outnumbered is tricky, no question. When you have a cart, remember that your most precious cargo goes in the car first, then unload your purchases.
• At some point, you may have to briefly take your eyes off one child to buckle or unbuckle another. To help keep kids safe, another great parking lot rule is that all kids have to be touching your car on the exit. Or sitting in the car, even if unbuckled, until you can assist each one.
• Make sure older kids know they must hold hands and be responsible for each other. Knowing this, or that they have to hang onto some part of mom, is important to moving the whole clan together.
• For dining out, don't hesitate to check for call-ahead seating. Pre-program numbers in your cell phone before leaving home.
• Head to the restaurant before the kids are hungry (it always takes longer, doesn't it?), and remember that noise is a key indicator of a kid-friendly place.
• Practice makes perfect. Sure, it is easier to stay home. But get out a bit at a time and build on it. The more you do it, the less likely you will feel trapped at home. The more the merrier!