Obvious solution?

[Bini]

There has to be an obvious solution that I'm not realising.. My daughter walks now. Gets around everywhere and into everything. At home this isn't a problem but what about when you're out shopping and in a DRESSING ROOM? Some stores have only curtains or doors with big gaps underneath, so it's hard to keep a young child contained inside the dressing room while trying on clothes. You're not allowed to bring carts in the dressing rooms, so I have to take my daughter out when entering one. I brought my stroller once but dressing rooms hardly accommodate strollers. What's the obvious solution? How do I keep her from crawling under the door? What do you do?

[NeuroTypical]

Leave her with dad when you're going into a dressing room.

(Sorry, it's all we ever came up with.)

[beefche]

Duck tape.

[Maureen]

When you know you want to try on clothes when shopping, don't bring your daughter.

M.

[Guest]

I could swear I saw some kind of device once that was something like a backpack carrier, that you would put your toddler in and hang it from the purse hook on the back of a dressing room or bathroom door.

If anyone finds it, I'll take 2. (Note to self: buy some hooks for the house.)

[Bini]

Duck tape.

Just wait 'til you have little ones.

[Bini]

When you know you want to try on clothes when shopping, don't bring your daughter.

M.

That's not an option. Husband works long hours. She comes with.

[Bini]

I could swear I saw some kind of device once that was something like a backpack carrier, that you would put your toddler in and hang it from the purse hook on the back of a dressing room or bathroom door.

If anyone finds it, I'll take 2. (Note to self: buy some hooks for the house.)

That sounds SCARY. Would you really trust those hooks..

[Vort]

How about one of those toddler body harnesses? I always tended to look askance at parents who kept their kids on a leash like that, but in cases like that it can make sense.

[Dravin]

You may be able to find an anchor point in the fitting room but if you can't it's got to be easier to keep a hand on a leash than it is trying to keep a hand on a toddler. If all you're trying on is tops you can tie it to your ankle even, or if just bottoms you can tie it to your wrist.

Probably the next best solution to having another person present to help out.

[JudoMinja]

Is there a bench she can sit on in the dressing room? If so, bring something that will distract her by occupying her hands- a favorite toy, book, etc.- and when you are trying on clothes sit her down with it. Then, use positive reinforcement if/when the technique works and give her some kind of reward for her good behavior.

Also- make sure to make dressing room visits short to accomodate her attention span. Only try on one or two things, then go do whatever it is you're going to do to reward her. You can come back to try more stuff on again and repeat the process for greater reinforcement and eventually be able to spend longer amounts of time in the dressing room.

[Guest]

Bini, if you don't mind giving me your snail mail addy on PM I'll send you my little cute backpack "leash". It's at least 10 years old now, used by 2 kids, but it is still in pretty good condition.

What it is is a small backpack with an animal design (like a stuffed toy) and it has a small pouch that holds the "leash" part. Your daughter wears it while you go around the place and when you go to the dressing room, you take out the "leash' from the pouch and hook it to the backpack and you can hold it or hook it to something.

I used it for both of my rambunctious kids - even going around Disney. Works like a charm.

Let me know if you're interested in it. It's yours!

[MarginOfError]

There has to be an obvious solution that I'm not realising.. My daughter walks now. Gets around everywhere and into everything. At home this isn't a problem but what about when you're out shopping and in a DRESSING ROOM? Some stores have only curtains or doors with big gaps underneath, so it's hard to keep a young child contained inside the dressing room while trying on clothes. You're not allowed to bring carts in the dressing rooms, so I have to take my daughter out when entering one. I brought my stroller once but dressing rooms hardly accommodate strollers. What's the obvious solution? How do I keep her from crawling under the door? What do you do?

Some options

1) Set up two playdates with a friend or neighbor, with the explicit statement that on one of these, you're going clothes shopping, and on the other, your neighbor can go do whatever he or she wants.

2) Go shopping with a friend.

sometimes the best solutions are not how to do it yourself, but how to get someone else to do it with you.

[EarlJibbs]

Talk to the store. I am sure they could work something out with the "no cart" rule. After all, they want your business.

[Guest]

Talk to the store. I am sure they could work something out with the "no cart" rule. After all, they want your business.

The store wants your business. The individual clerks may not know how to accomplish that. They have their rules and they're told to follow them and that's all they know.

Yeah, I'm talking from experience.

[Anddenex]

Yes, bring and apple and some rope.

Once in the changing room, hog tie them (Benefit: they won't be able to move), then place them on top of the bench. Next, apple in mouth (this keeps them from screaming).

P.S. If you can't tell I am joking, then your sense of humor is worse than mine. Not good.

[classylady]

I learned the hard way that it was next to impossible to clothes shop for myself with young children in tow. If I did have the kids with me, I often had to forego trying on the clothes. That meant that I had to return some of the clothing after getting the items home and found they either didn't fit or didn't look good on me. Not the best solution.

As a young mother, I remember thinking that parents were terrible for putting their kids on a leash. "I would never do that! That's like a dog on a leash." Then there were several news stories of young children being kidnapped, and some were killed. A parent's worst nightmare. We were going on a family vacation to Disneyland, and we had just heard of a child being kidnapped while at Disneyland. I was paranoid. I had two young toddlers, and they would often dash off by themselves, no matter how vigilant I was being. DH and I made our own leashes for the kids. And, yep, we used them. It really gave me peace-of-mind.

[annewandering]

Leash or friend. Or babysitter. :)

[Guest]

While we're on this topic, I just want to say that I feel it is okay to use the handicapped stall in the public restroom so you can get your kids in the stall with you. Yes, from experience, I have been yelled at by a woman in a wheelchair for using her stall... I didn't let it bother me.

[NeuroTypical]

Duck tape.

[Guest ldsashley]

I've never shopped for clothes with my toddler unless another adult was with us.

I can't even figure out how to go to the BATHROOM in public places with my toddler! He ducks under the door of the stall. I just hold it until we get home lol. Don't know what I'll do when I'm pregnant with baby #2!

[count58]

Hey about those child harnesses, my Mum had one for me and she said it was the best thing she ever had for me when going out because i was always running off and being naughty while out shopping. I use to think a few months ago that it was cruel to put a child in the harness but these days you can buy some really cool ones. One of my auntys brought a butterfly backpack harness for her daughter and it worked well on her too. So i give thumbs up for the child harnesses as im seriously thinking about getting one for my 3yr old cause they just work so well :)