The hardest part of stroller running is actually the return home. I’m happier, I’m energized, I’ve got those endorphins from running, but I’m also kind of tired from my workout and all I really want to do is shower.
For a while, I was trying to shower with them in the bathroom where I could keep an eye on them. That was a disaster. I was worried they’d slip and fall on the hard floor, Will figured out how to drag the scale over to the bathtub and use it to reach the faucet, Andrew got a drawer open and took out all the q-tips… it just wasn’t good. Having all medications and chemicals out of reach wasn’t enough, it was just too hard a room to baby-proof.
What I’ve started to do now is put each of them in their separate, child proofed bedrooms, and give them some toys. I reassure them that I’ll be back really soon, tell them I just need to shower, and I leave. I turn on their baby monitors so I can jump out of the shower and run down the hall if one of them really needs me, and then I go ahead and take a quick shower by myself.
Tips For Showering After a Run When You Have Toddlers
- Put your children in separate, child proofed areas
- Make sure they have clean diapers, sippy cups with water, and are comfy
- Give them some books and toys
- Tell them you’re going to be back soon and you’re just showering
- Practice leaving them by themselves for a few minutes at a time and increase until they’re used to being alone for 10 – 15 minutes so you can shower
- Bring baby monitors so you can hear them if they become distressed
- Know your child – if they get into everything, even in their rooms, consider teaching them to have quiet time in their crib where you know they’re safe for those few minutes
- Set them up with the expectation before you even go for your run – “Hey, we’re going for a run and then you get to play all by yourself and look at books while Mommy showers”
- Build a routine so they know to expect it, and to expect that you’ll be back soon and it’s not a big deal
Andrew is 17 months old and Will is almost 3. Both of them are absolutely fine for ten to fifteen minutes by themselves in a child proofed area with some toys. Will definitely knows what’s going on and that I’ll be back soon, and Andrew seems to get it as well.
Keeping them separate so I don’t need to worry about them hurting each other or struggling over a toy in my absence is a must, and having observed them in the environments I’m leaving them in to feel confident that they’re child proofed helps also.
You could even leave a young toddler in their crib with some books and toys if you were worried about giving them access to the whole room. Most pediatricians recommend that you wait until your baby is 9 months to a year before running with them in a jogger – at that age they’re probably also able to entertain themselves for ten to fifteen minutes while you shower. If not, you can consider a pack and play or a bouncy seat where they can see you but they’re contained.
Once they’re over a year, it’s worth teaching them that you’ll be right back! They can learn to separate for that short time. You can even do test runs of a few minutes while you do other household tasks, gradually increasing the time you’re away from them until you get to the point where they’re comfortable with a long enough window of separation that you can shower.
Teaching your young child to be comfortable alone for a few minutes, and to trust that you always come back and are nearby if they need you, is actually a great independence builder for them. If you do it kindly and gradually, it actually makes them more secure. I like that my toddlers aren’t scared of being alone, and that they trust me that I’m going to take good care of them and I’ll come running if they really need me.
The first time I did this, there was a little complaining, but now they both seem to expect that after a stroller run, they’re going to hang out by themselves for a bit.
Getting them used to it has made stroller running so much easier!
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