ouldn't it be great if you could get childcare every time you needed it, whenever you needed it? Well, for most of parents, that just isn't possible. So, in the meantime, try some of these tricks from real moms on how to get your errands run, and traveling done with happy kids at your side.

MDs & DVDs
When I take my kids to their doctor appointments things usually go well. It's a little different when I have my own doctor appointments, so I've had to get a bit creative. Here's what works for me: After we leave the doctor's waiting room area, and we go into the doctor's office (where he has a desk and books and so on) I park my toddlers on the carpeted floor with a mini-DVD player we bring with us. They watch one of their favorite movies, while I speak to the doctor. They entertain themselves quietly, even whispering sometimes, but they're never loud enough to interrupt. They stay there and continue to watch the DVD until after I've come back from the examining room. The doctor and I speak again, then my kids and I leave. It works like a charm.
--Jill Keith, Seattle, Washington

Supermarket Surprises
There's a supermarket in the town next to mine that has a supervised child center which is so rare. It's phenomenal. Unfortunately, I don't always have the time to get over there, so when I do shop for groceries at the store nearby, I go with my kids and I use the "dollar surprise" to get them to behave in the store. As soon as we go into the store, they know they can each choose a toy that costs less than one dollar. While we are there, they usually pick up a few different things and ask me if it's too expensive, so they're learning about the cost of things, so that's good. But if one of them begins to misbehave in some way -- maybe my daughter badgers her brother, for example -- I'll say that misbehavior means that you don't get the "dollar surprise." Suddenly, the bad behavior stops.
--Jennifer White, San Diego, California

Airplane Tricks
We took our kids on a cross-country flight to see their grandparents recently and we were really dreading it. We'd heard horror stories about traveling with kids on the plane. We decided that the only thing we could do is load up on kid-friendly distractions. We brought tons of snacks that don't need refrigeration: P&J sandwiches, juice boxes, goldfishes, fruit rollups. Sometimes just opening packaging was an event for the kids. We brought silent toys -- so we wouldn't bother other passengers. And books to read. We had loaded our iPod with kids' music and brought a splitter and extra headsets so both the kids could listen to music together. They mouthed the words as if to sing along -- and that made them laugh. They knew they had to be quiet and turned it into a game. As long as they had food and entertainment, the kids were good. Even we were shocked at how smoothly it all went. I'm telling you, the trick is: lots of distractions.
--Ann Brower, Chicago, Illinois

Shopping for Two
Sometimes I take my daughter to the mall with me to shop for clothes. I put her in a stroller with her favorite toys (it's easier than renting the stroller at the mall and it costs less too). We wander around the store (my departments and hers) and while I'm grabbing stuff to try on, she also grabs stuff she likes. She loves to swing by the fragrance counter so I'll spritz perfume on her. We go into the dressing room and we try stuff on together. We each get to buy something and that makes her feel like she's part of the experience. She doesn't want much, but it gives me a chance to get clothes for work and my daughter and I do something fun together.
--Tracy Miller, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania

R.J. Jackson is a freelance writer in Los Angeles.

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