So I just read a post on my friend Liz's blog about her son acting up while grocery shopping at Walmart and her having to do a little something to get his attention(great story - I had a good laugh). There was mention of how blogs are not good for self esteem because other peoples kids seem so good. Also how everyone around you and especially those without children know what "perfect parenting" is. So, Liz, just for you . . . . I dedicate this post to bad experiences and bad parenting at the grocery store (by me and my lovely children).
**Just this week we are at the infamous Walmart. Sometimes Easton rides inside the big part of the cart but since I had a lot of food to buy, I told him he had to walk. He does pretty good with following me only if I remind him every 30 seconds. So, we're walking down the frozen food isle in search for some frozen veggies. I hadn't really heard or noticed Easton behind me. I found what I needed and before turning the corner I thought I'd better check to see if he was coming. He was coming alright . . . . . but not without stopping to lick every glass freezer door on the way! A number of people were watching and I was too far away to do anything right away other than to yell at him to stop. He has very selective hearing so of course chose not to listen. He kept working his way down until he met up with me (I had abondoned the cart with the baby/food and my purse because I was so embarrased). Needless to say he got a spank on the butt right there in the store in front of everyone.
**Last week, again at Walmart. Easton kept taking things off the shelf to put in the cart. At first I just calmy told him that we didn't need those things and that he could put it back. He would put things back but would just keep finding other items to put in the cart. As you can guess, with this pattern repeating I had gone down one isle in 10 minutes. Wasn't going to work. I warned Easton one last time to leave the food on the shelves and he chose not to obey. Sometimes when he knows he's in trouble he'll run away from me, which he DID do at this point in time. I chased him down and decided to just put him in the cart. Right as I was putting him in the cart (probably with a little more force than usual) a lady rounded the corner right when Easton yells "Let me go!!!! You hurt my arm mom!!!" She gave me the on-eyed glare and walked by. I felt like I needed to explain what had just happened. ????
**I had to go to Sam's Club to get some stuff for our Young Women in Excellence night. No choice to wait for Scott to get home, I had to go. Mia was just 2-1/2 weeks or so old at the time. I told myself the whole way there that this could only end up a bad experience. To my surprise, the kids helf off until the check out then all at once Mia starts screaming (she doesn't like a binky so there's not much to do until she calms down and stops crying) and Easton, who was trying to climb up the check-out counter, slips and hits his face somewhere and starts screaming. We were checking out at customer service because it was extremely busy. So that put us in a prime location for everyone to sit and stare and me and wonder what I had just done to my 2 kids that are both screaming. /Everyone that walked by me had to make some sort of comment. After many failed attempts to get them both to settle down . . . my face bright red from embarasment . . . nothing worked. As soon as the lady handed me the receipt I sprinted to the exit bypassing the receipt-checker person.
I could go on and on but it would be too long to read. Anyone else have any stories to share?? Come on, it's okay . . . . no one is perfect, we just never blog about those imperfections. :0)
12 comments:
I love hearing stories like this. Not that I like that they happened to you, I feel bad about that part, but it just assures me that my kids are just like everyone else's. Times are bad, hectic, and stressful, but there are good times too. Just to share real quick, the day after Christmas we (all of us) were out shopping. It began to snow, hard. While I was checking out at Target Frank decided to take the kids to the car. Imagine: Camberlyn in carseat in big part of cart, Jackson hanging on side, and Gavin is on the back hanging on. Frank was trying to shuffle the weight of cart and get through the slush and ice as quickly as possible with many cars driving around the parking lot. Frank hit a bump of ice and Gavin flew off completely backwards and landed on his back in a pile of slush on the concrete. Luckily, he had his hood on so it didn't quite bang his head. Gavin began screaming so Frank quickly ran to him to get him off the street while leaving the cart with 2 kids in the middle of the lane while cars are waiting for him to move. I came out of the door of Target just to see all of this happen. As soon as Frank picked up Gavin, Gavin said, "Look what you did." Now Frank is carrying one four year old while trying to push an overloaded heavy cart, with one hand, in the ice to our car. It looked hectic and stressful. I'm glad it happened to him instead of always happening to me. We laugh about it now that it's over.
When I see parents punishing the kids at the store I just want to go up and give them a hi-five. Honestly you hasn't wanted to beat their kids one time or another. People who give the dirty looks must not have any kids or they have forgotten how it is to take 2 plus kids to the grocery store. great story!
Oh I tell Phill all the time that Carson and Hannah have this plan to gang up on me any chance they get. He just laughs and thinks I'm nuts! But you just wait. The older and more mobile Mia gets, the worse it'll get. I will now only shop while Carson is at preschool unless I have no other choice. I used to love grocery shopping and now it's a complete nightmare!
Oh man, send your friend Liz over to my blog! No 'perfect parents' there, I guarantee. I will go to considerable lengths now to avoid shopping with both boys- including going to Walmart very late or very early, or trading baby-sitting with my neighbor. But I think even worse than shopping for us is Church. That's when my boys pull out all the stops. Like Brian running up during a special musical # and banging on the piano before I could tackle him . . . or running down the hall, falling and spraining his ankle (I think his screaming just about broke the church windows). I could go on and on and on . . .
I remember your shopping story! I bet it happens to everone and you pray it doesnt. glad you were here for Christmas.It was good to see you guys. Mia is a doll. Mom sent her some stuff today that we had.
Oh Jess, this is awesome. Oh where do I start with soooooooooo 'un'perfect parenting. I always swore I'd be one of those mom's who 'never' let my kids to 'this, or 'never' let my kids do 'that'. Let's just say, I have learned NEVER to judge a mother under any circumstance.
I believe on my flight from Vegas to Indianapolis I was paid back for every sin I'd ever committed from my two little boys. I think every person on that plane wished they had missed this flight or had a pill to knock us all out. It was bad. This is one of 'oh sooooo many' bad experiences in the parenting department.
This is a great idea for a post. Your friend Liz is right, it is fun to post about all the good times, but lets be honest, we all have those 'bad' times as well.
It happens to the best of us! I rarely go to the store with all 3. It never ends up with all of us out of the store happy.
Your little one is so stinkin cute! Can't wait to see you this summer, I'll let you know when we figure out the dates.
Oh boy. Every trip we take to the grocery store ends in tears... weather it be one of the boys or me!! ha. I'm proud of you for trusting Easton to walk along beside. We are no where near that yet. That made me laugh about him licking the glass. Carter has never been spanked in his life, but trust me, I think by the way he screams the whole place assumes I've done the worst to him.
We've ALL been in your shoes Jess! Loved hearing your stories. I could dedicate a whole blog to stories just like yours! At least we're all in it together! :)
Thanks Jess! This did make me feel better. I know everyone has these moments, it's fun to hear them! Alex has definitely hit the 2 year old stage, tantrums and the whole bit, I'm trying to learn to be a mom to a 2 year old and keep him alive :)
I was in the checkout line at Wal-Mart a couple of years ago, Bailee was standing by me and Trinidee was in the 'big part' of the cart. I was neglecting my kids by being distracted by some magazine cover. Trinidee reached for something by the belt where you put the groceries, and she fell out of the cart, flipped over and landed on her back! She didn't bleed thank goodness, but I felt like a terrible mother! The Wal-mart worker asked if I wanted her to call 911, but I said, "no, she's fine". I didn't want any more people staring at me than there already were!
Jess! Hey girl! i love that post! It's all sooo very true! It was so fun to see you guys again! AnnDee misses easton and mia so much! Already looking forward to the next time we get to see you guys again! I love your pics..they turn out so good...just like everything else! Would you stop being so perfect!! You make people like me look so...unperfect!! Hahah Love you guys and miss ya!
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