Grab your bag. No, not your diaper bag. You are going to get your backpack or your big-girl purse or your messenger bag and you are going to work it. Heck, you might live dangerously and NOT BRING A BAG.
Put one diaper (per diaper-donning child) and a travel set of wipes in that bag.
One snack. ONE. Yes, one snack for all three children. Because you are teaching them SHARING and RATIONING. It's a damn trip to the store, people, not camping.
Before leaving the house, prepare yourself. No, not by packing your stupid bag full of every potential hazard's solution. No, you prepare yourself for what is about to happen. Similar to how you prepare yourself for a waxing appointment, or a tax audit, or a hurricane. You must prepare for the possibility of something to hurt, of something to be embarrassing, of something to get wet.
You prepare for impending disaster.
Yes, your kid might have a temper tantrum.
Yes, your kid might have a blow-out.
Yes, your kid might be "hungry" or "thirtsy" or "mean to their sister" or "knocking down a tower of cans" or "lost".
Yes, you might cry.
Yes, you might have to leave wherever you are without completing the task you set out to do.
All or none of these things could happen. You might leave a location having swapped your oldest and youngest child's clothing because the youngest one peed in her pants, so now she's wearing the oldest one's shirt as a dress with no undies on and the oldest is buttoning up her sweater to wear as a shirt, thank God for layers. Who knows.
But you will leave the house and you will learn something new every time you go out. You will learn how many things you can carry at once. You will learn bribery always works. You will learn people are mean and insensitive. You will learn people are lovely and helpful. You will learn you are a BAD ASS.
Don't forget your keys.
One year ago: How Not To Make a Meal Plan, in which I find myself in exactly the same position today.
Riot and Frolic 
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