I can do it...by myself!

I've never considered myself a nervous mother. Scheduled, sure. But not nervous. I've even had many people remark on how calm I am. But I've recently discovered that I am, in fact, very nervous...about venturing out alone with my boys. In fact, I just don't do it unless I have to. To a certain extent, it makes sense. I mean, going to the doctor alone with two toddlers could break even the toughest parents out there. And my kids are too young to play without any assistance at the park. So another adult is almost a requirement for if (read when) they opt to go in two completely different directions. But there is no reason that we can't go many places alone, and even have a good time doing it. Especially if they are in a stroller. But even if they are not. I recently had to sign them up for their first Toddler Tunes class alone. And I dreaded the whole thing. But it had to be done. And you know what? They were fine. They are two, and had to be told no a few times. But that would be the case no many how many willing helpers I might have with me. So why am I so nervous? You know the answer already, don't you? It's because that as well behaved as they are, they are still two. Which means that one or both of them might decide to throw a tantrum at any given time and I am scared that I will not be able to handle it alone. If someone else is there, at the very least we can physically control the situation by picking them up and removing them. But have you ever tried removing two misbehaving children at the same time? It can (and has) been done. But not without a lot of embarrassment. I feel like every eye in the place is on me, judging me for being too harsh...or not harsh enough. And that's when I have help! And make no mistakes, kids know when your defenses are down. And they know exactly how to go in for the kill. But, I am their mom. And not just their mom, but their stay at home mom. So, I am going to have to put on my big girl panties and start venturing out with them...alone. We'll start small. Today, when they wake up from their naps, we'll take a stroller walk to the summer market. Which won't be much different than a thousand other stroller walks we have completed. It'll just have an actual destination thrown in. Tomorrow, maybe we'll come up with something else....