The Grocery Shopping Challenge

You know, it would be really fun to have a game show where parents see how long they can go through a store without hearing one whine from their children. It would be a great game show. How long could the parent continue on through the store while their children start out at a low whine which slowly rises to each child holding a death grip onto the others hair. It would be a test of patience and dignity. If the parent leaves, the parent fails. I dont know, it is just a thought. I mean people love to watch other people suffer, right? Come on now, we all know we would find this type of show to be a bit amusing. Remember that there is no one around to judge your thoughts. You are reading my blog in cyber space after all. But here I am living reality. Where my life is a daily game show. Only I am not being paid for it, and there is no one to judge my parenting ways. There are people to critisize, but I typically look the other way. For in the world of parenting, to each his own. I have come to realize in my seven years of parenting that any type of errand that involves leaving the vehicle is nearly impossible. I have not recently realized this. Oh, it has been a realization since the first started going through the walking phase. Typically I wait until my daughters are in school before I attempt shopping. But even that is a challenge. I still have my son. It doesnt matter if I have three kids or just the one. They all know how to ruin the shopping experience for mom. What parents hate is how I do not let my children get to me. I have neither the time nor day to come back at another time. So, they can fuss all they want but mom is sticking through the muddy thickness that yet another grocery shopping experience will bring on. And yes, I receive many looks from passer-bys. People who cannot believe the torment I am bringing upon my children. People cannot believe that I do not just leave. Why? Why leave? My children will act the same exact way if I was to return. My oldest is pretty good now. It is the four and two year old I am working with. Today was wonderful. I literally had to grab one item from Costco. Milk. My son decides as soon as he flashes my Costco card that he is going to start throwing a tsunami of a tantrum. As he is sitting, he starts to scream "MEAN! MEAN! MOM MEAN!" I love it. The whole store is looking. People are shaking their heads. What is lovely is that my son is echoing because Costco just has to be a huge warehouse. For one item it feels like eternity. Now I do not know how many people shop at Costco, but unfortunately the store has to store the milk and other dairy products near the back of the store. I ever so calmly make my way to the front of the store to the back, grab the milk, then make my way to the front again to pay. The whole time, my son, Dylan is kicking, screaming, attempting to bite me. God forbid I discipline in any way shape or form. The slightest raise in my voice and the most offendable person may call CPS on me. So I have to remain patient as I am dealing with my son. When we get back to the van as my son is still screaming at me that I am mean, I ever so calmly place him in his car seat. I take a sip of my coffee that has been sitting in my drink holder, and I leave the Costco parking lot. Onward and upward to my next challenge for the day.