Grocery store trips. They're the worst. Kids are distracted by jellybean dispensers and Dora balloons suspended in mid-air. And my goal? Get in and get out as fast as I can. I don't have time to shepherd my children around the store... "come along, come along". It's the kids' jobs to stay with me. If I make it my responsibility to see that the kids stay with me, they will come to rely on me to for that protection and there's a greater chance they will get left behind. But if it's their responsibility to stay with me, then we've got two of us working towards the same goal.
When I was focusing on teaching this skill, I would purposely keep going and then hide so they could see what it felt like to have lost me. I would give it about 10 seconds of fear on their part (crying "mommy" in the middle of the aisle) and then come get them and explain that they can't lose sight of me. It may sound cruel but it works. They get the idea and will stay with you. No questions asked.
Today, I can breeze through the grocery store with my 3 and 5 year olds, and worry very little about whether or not they are following closely behind. I never lose sight of where they are. I am a big worry wart and don't take chances but I don't let on that I know their every step. As far as they know, I have no clue that they are two steps behind me. But they are.
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