On Going To The Store With 3 Kids (continuation of the original series)
Hi.
Welcome back to all of us.
No real reason for me to appear here today, except that we an one of "those" fun trips to the store and it reminded me of days of yore when I used to write stories about howfreaking difficult it is to take kids places. See original posts here and here.
So at this point we have an almost 8 year old, a 6 year old, and a 2.5 year old. Just when things maybe could be getting easier in the parenting department, we choose homeschool this year. And so, I make a choice. Go to the store on a weeknight or weekend kid-free (favorite choice) or take the kids. Now, as a homeschool mom, taking the kids out is normal. It's a lesson in economics, organization, and socialization. ("But waaaiiit, homeschooled kids aren't socialized!" I heard you; be quiet in the back.)
It was finally payday, so with no milk or bread in the house, things were dire. Off we skipped to the nearest real town (we live in the cornfields and it is the best). We stopped first for a gleeful breakfast at Chick-Fil-A and it was wonderful. No one lost their minds. They ate their food. They played in the playroom. Graham was the big kid that was cute with the toddler gang in there. No one crawled under the bathroom stalls to spy on occupants. All went well.
Then we went to the grocery store. Now, I tried to prepare in advance by writing a list. Yay me. At least there was some focus. I alternate between Lidl and Aldi, so today we chose Lidl. They even have cup holders on the carts for my CFA coffee! G and P had the usual pep talk of 'you better be good or else' and in we went. Lidl has a self-serve bakery right in the front. Of course the independent toddler does NOT want to sit in the cart and runs up to the cookies, sticking his germy little paws into the cookie bins. No. I redirect him to the produce section. He continues the fun by tossing anything into the cart...I'm following right behind and replacing most things. Oh, this is SO fun.
We make it through produce with the acceptable amount of fruits and vegetables- an untold percent of which will just become compost, but hey, we try. Graham is dying for water. I don't know where the fountains are. He stumbles upon single bottles of water for .25. Get it, man. Just let me focus. I'm scanning my list and trying to keep up. Then there it is. The toy aisle.
Lidl has a delightful center aisle of random stuff. It's the kind of stuff that one impulse-buys, and they know it. Now, to be fair, my kids are REALLY good at understanding 'no' at the store. We have practiced a lot. The older two boys explore the aisle while I try really hard to find Feta cheese. of COURSE Sammy wants to look at the toys with them. If only G and P were responsible enough for this task. They try to keep Sammy with them, but eventually my toddler-sense tingles and I know we're about to get a runner. What is a runner? It's when naughty children are bored enough to run around the store like it's a Nascar racetrack. All of mine have done this at various times, and it's taken years off my life as I catch them and whisper threats through gritted teeth. Good news: G and P are my teammates and catch Sammy and now he's in the cart no ifs, ands, or buts.
The rest of the time goes well. The boys are patient. They don't beg for anything they shouldn't have. I find most of the items on my list. Sammy hasn't pooped his pants (always nice). He settles into the cart. We get in line. It's not too busy. The kids put everything on the belt. Almost done.
This is where it all falls apart, of course. The Lidl lady rings it all up and I pay, but then I have to bag everything as it sits on the end of the belt in a massive clump of jammed food. The boys wiggle. Sammy is trying to escape the front of the cart while I'm trying to bag frozen peas with the ground beef. Then I see it: a lot of brown liquid under my cart. Sammy has inadvertently knocked my coffee from his cupholder. Right on the floor at the end of the belt with a lot of people now in line.
At this point, I'm just trying to bag everything and GO.
Me to cashier: "Um, we seemed to have spilled some coffee here; I'm sorry!"
Cashier: "There are paper towels over there." She points.
Oh? Um I have 3 kids and I'm trying to unplug the constipation of this line by getting our circus out of the way, but ok. Thankfully, Graham and Patrick were massively helpful and sprang into action. They went back and forth between the paper towels and the mess, cleaning as fast as they could. Even Sammy wanted to help. Meanwhile, I frantically bagged so we could get the heck out of the way, apologizing to everyone stepping around us.
And now to vent. Why in the actual world didn't the cashier call for someone to clean up the mess? It was a LOT of coffee and needed a proper mop and 'wet floor' sign, which the lady behind me mentioned to her (was ignored). There were plenty of workers in the store. Furthermore, at least 5 people behind us in line smiled sympathetically and walked around us, but...no one offered to help. I know people are busy and in a rush, but still. If ya see a Mom with 3 kids struggling to wipe a flood of coffee off of the floor with paper towels, maybe help? Someone? The final blow was an older man and woman speaking aggressively in a language I didn't understand and pointing to the mess while stepping waaaaay around it. It's not lava, people, it's coffee. Sigh.
Basic summary is that it's still hard going out with kids, although the toddler really does seem to be the x factor. In the end, I'm just really glad to put this day to bed, and that we have a week's food in the house now. Next week I'll go on a Saturday by myself.
Welcome back to all of us.
No real reason for me to appear here today, except that we an one of "those" fun trips to the store and it reminded me of days of yore when I used to write stories about how
So at this point we have an almost 8 year old, a 6 year old, and a 2.5 year old. Just when things maybe could be getting easier in the parenting department, we choose homeschool this year. And so, I make a choice. Go to the store on a weeknight or weekend kid-free (favorite choice) or take the kids. Now, as a homeschool mom, taking the kids out is normal. It's a lesson in economics, organization, and socialization. ("But waaaiiit, homeschooled kids aren't socialized!" I heard you; be quiet in the back.)
It was finally payday, so with no milk or bread in the house, things were dire. Off we skipped to the nearest real town (we live in the cornfields and it is the best). We stopped first for a gleeful breakfast at Chick-Fil-A and it was wonderful. No one lost their minds. They ate their food. They played in the playroom. Graham was the big kid that was cute with the toddler gang in there. No one crawled under the bathroom stalls to spy on occupants. All went well.
Then we went to the grocery store. Now, I tried to prepare in advance by writing a list. Yay me. At least there was some focus. I alternate between Lidl and Aldi, so today we chose Lidl. They even have cup holders on the carts for my CFA coffee! G and P had the usual pep talk of 'you better be good or else' and in we went. Lidl has a self-serve bakery right in the front. Of course the independent toddler does NOT want to sit in the cart and runs up to the cookies, sticking his germy little paws into the cookie bins. No. I redirect him to the produce section. He continues the fun by tossing anything into the cart...I'm following right behind and replacing most things. Oh, this is SO fun.
We make it through produce with the acceptable amount of fruits and vegetables- an untold percent of which will just become compost, but hey, we try. Graham is dying for water. I don't know where the fountains are. He stumbles upon single bottles of water for .25. Get it, man. Just let me focus. I'm scanning my list and trying to keep up. Then there it is. The toy aisle.
Lidl has a delightful center aisle of random stuff. It's the kind of stuff that one impulse-buys, and they know it. Now, to be fair, my kids are REALLY good at understanding 'no' at the store. We have practiced a lot. The older two boys explore the aisle while I try really hard to find Feta cheese. of COURSE Sammy wants to look at the toys with them. If only G and P were responsible enough for this task. They try to keep Sammy with them, but eventually my toddler-sense tingles and I know we're about to get a runner. What is a runner? It's when naughty children are bored enough to run around the store like it's a Nascar racetrack. All of mine have done this at various times, and it's taken years off my life as I catch them and whisper threats through gritted teeth. Good news: G and P are my teammates and catch Sammy and now he's in the cart no ifs, ands, or buts.
The rest of the time goes well. The boys are patient. They don't beg for anything they shouldn't have. I find most of the items on my list. Sammy hasn't pooped his pants (always nice). He settles into the cart. We get in line. It's not too busy. The kids put everything on the belt. Almost done.
This is where it all falls apart, of course. The Lidl lady rings it all up and I pay, but then I have to bag everything as it sits on the end of the belt in a massive clump of jammed food. The boys wiggle. Sammy is trying to escape the front of the cart while I'm trying to bag frozen peas with the ground beef. Then I see it: a lot of brown liquid under my cart. Sammy has inadvertently knocked my coffee from his cupholder. Right on the floor at the end of the belt with a lot of people now in line.
At this point, I'm just trying to bag everything and GO.
Me to cashier: "Um, we seemed to have spilled some coffee here; I'm sorry!"
Cashier: "There are paper towels over there." She points.
Oh? Um I have 3 kids and I'm trying to unplug the constipation of this line by getting our circus out of the way, but ok. Thankfully, Graham and Patrick were massively helpful and sprang into action. They went back and forth between the paper towels and the mess, cleaning as fast as they could. Even Sammy wanted to help. Meanwhile, I frantically bagged so we could get the heck out of the way, apologizing to everyone stepping around us.
And now to vent. Why in the actual world didn't the cashier call for someone to clean up the mess? It was a LOT of coffee and needed a proper mop and 'wet floor' sign, which the lady behind me mentioned to her (was ignored). There were plenty of workers in the store. Furthermore, at least 5 people behind us in line smiled sympathetically and walked around us, but...no one offered to help. I know people are busy and in a rush, but still. If ya see a Mom with 3 kids struggling to wipe a flood of coffee off of the floor with paper towels, maybe help? Someone? The final blow was an older man and woman speaking aggressively in a language I didn't understand and pointing to the mess while stepping waaaaay around it. It's not lava, people, it's coffee. Sigh.
Basic summary is that it's still hard going out with kids, although the toddler really does seem to be the x factor. In the end, I'm just really glad to put this day to bed, and that we have a week's food in the house now. Next week I'll go on a Saturday by myself.
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