It’s happened to all of us. You’re out and about running errands. You pull into a parking lot (or in front of your home) and suddenly, you realize…
…your LO is knocked out. Asleep. In the car.
Several thoughts run through your mind:
“OMG…I really need to go to the bathroom.”
“Yes! Hallelujah!”
“The groceries are going to melt in the back.”
“ME TIME!!!!”
This blog contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I will receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you. For more information, read my disclaimer & disclosure policy.
I’ve written these thoughts with the assumption that you will not be moving LO from the car. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve successfully transferred Nugget from the carseat to the bed without her waking up. Or woken her up, moved her into the house, and successfully gotten her back to sleep within 15 minutes. For us, this is simply not a reality. Once she’s out, in the carseat, there she shall remain until she wakes up. This is how we roll.
I am not comfortable with and do not recommend ever leaving your nugget in the car unattended. If you must leave the car, take your baby with you and call it a day. I’ve heard of too many close calls with the car running/keys in ignition!
Here are some things I’ve done when Nugget has fallen asleep in the car:
- Gone to a drive thru. Mama’s got to eat, right? And what better opportunity than now? So make that Starbucks or Wendy’s run and ENJOY that snack in peace!
- Gone to a drive thru pharmacy. YOU GUYS. This is life changing. Did you even know such a thing existed??? I just discovered one today. Brilliant! Was able to pick up my prescriptions without taking Nugget out of the car!
- Gone to a drive thru ATM to make deposits/take out cash. Do you see a theme here????
- Driven around the neighborhood. I’ve had a few moments when she almost woke up but the minute the car started moving again–out like a light. It can be fun to just drive around and look at your neighborhood!
- Read an e-book
- Worked on this blog
- Caught up on e-mails and texts
- Paid bills
- Wrote the grocery list
- Wrote a to-do list (I’m big on lists)
- Searched for new recipes to try on Pinterest
- Searched for new crochet patterns on Pinterest
- Played a game (Words with Friends, Candy Crush)
- Cleaned the car out
- Watched a show (need earbuds and a solid data plan)
- Closed my eyes and…rested for a minute
- Talked on the phone…this is a tricky one. If I was already talking on the phone via Bluetooth when she fell asleep, I can continue. Starting a new convo after she’s fallen asleep is a big no-no.
- Played around on social media
I’ve been thinking about trying this out too!
Time is of the essence. Time is so precious…make every minute count. If you get this rare gift, use it wisely!
*IF* you are a planner, you can stock your car up with snacks, magazines, ball of yarn and crochet hooks…things to have on hand if/when LO does knock out!
Of course, some people choose to move their LOs into the house once they fall asleep and that’s ok too!
