5 Things That Will Save Your Morning Commute With Kids

Don’t let a time-sucking toddler make you late!

*We’ve partnered with Mountain Buggy to help you get places with your kids. On time.

Commuting with a toddler in the morning is no easy feat – especially when you’re living that city life. Once your kid has escaped stroller age, you realize how much toddlers love to take their time smelling the flowers, staring at their shoes, or complaining about well . . . everything. You might be wondering how you’ll get anywhere on time ever again.

Here’s 5 ways to outsmart your time-sucking toddler and still get to where you need to go – on time.

1. Get Up Early. No, Like, Earlier Than Early.
Your toddler might rise at 6 am, seemingly affording you extra time in the morning. Not so! Expect to waste about 30 minutes trying to fulfill said toddler’s every desire as you try to get dressed. If you really want to get out of the door with your pants zipped and buttoned, you’ll need to wake up before your kid does, so you can get yourself in order before you start taking toddler orders.

2. Prepare Breakfast Snacks For the Road.
Maybe your toddler is one of those children who loves quinoa, kale and soft-boiled egg breakfast bowls. Or, most likely, you have a toddler like the rest of us – who asks for five different things for breakfast, half-heartedly eats three bites of one of them, only to declare she is starving as you head out the door. Pack something healthy to go just in case. And if she doesn’t eat it – then there’s your mid-morning snack.

3. Give Your Toddler A Lift.
Letting your toddler walk isn’t always a great idea if you’re trying get somewhere on time – like, say, your job. The Mountain Buggy Unirider is perfect for that stage in between the stroller days and true independent scooter riding. It’s a one-wheeled ride-on that allows you to be in control of the pace, while helping your child develop confidence and balance. It’s also lightweight and easy to maneuver with just one hand (so you can carry all your toddler’s stuff in the other, natch).

4. Get Them A Cool Set of Wheels.
The only thing that’s slows down your commute more than a toddler is a toddler and a baby. Move things along with the Mountain Buggy Freerider, which is a stroller board and scooter all in one. You can attach it to just about any stroller via a universal connector so he can be on board with baby, or turn the wheel into a fixed position and let your little one scoot free. The Freerider grows with your child, with an adjustable handlebar that goes from 26” to 35”, and a scooter that can take up to 110 pounds of weight. Added bonus: Light up wheels when the scooter is in motion!

5. Take An Extra Dose of Caffeine.
No matter how well you’ve hacked your morning commute with our tips from above, it’s still pretty taxing overall. You probably need another cup of coffee, or a wheatgrass shot, or at the very least – ten deep replenishing breaths, before starting your workday. You’ve accomplished a lot – and it’s not even 9 am.

Photography by Charlene Petitjean-Barkulis for Well Rounded.

Originally featured on Well Rounded on July 31, 2018.