Today I fantasized...

[Ladybug122]

about leaving my obnoxious, loud, screaming, runny nosed two year old in the shopping cart in Target and taking off to a deserted island somewhere.



It all started because of DH (don't you love how I blame him? Hehehe ). No really, it started because DH had a felllowship interview today and is working night float tonight and I actually felt bad for the guy (rare, for me). Anyway, he had a couple of hours in which he could catch some shut eye after the interview and before work, so I figured that instead of going straight home after work, I'd bring DS to Target with me and kill an hour (while picking up some stuff we needed) and allow DH maximum sleep time.

Bad idea.

When will I learn?

My son misbehaves SO MUCH when shopping. We weren't in the store 5 minutes before the loud, whining voice started and he started throwing things out the back of the shopping cart (or hitting me if I stopped him). I love my son to death...but boy, can he be a _______ (insert phrase) sometimes!!!

I've tried ignoring, I've tried distracting, I've tried threatening, but nothing works. I have heard you should just leave the store when a child misbehaves like this, but let's face it, I work 40-50 hrs per week, am married to a resident, and don't have family help....so I have limited opportunities to get errands done and the kid HAS to come shopping with me.

Oy. Any suggestions on how to keep a two year old from having temper tantrums while shopping? A muzzle? A straight jacket?

Oh, and the icing on the cake was that there was this woman there with ther 3 kids (looked school-age) and the kids kept staring at my son freaking out. Ok fine. But then the mother kept staring at him (and me) and making this "what a monster child" look on her face. I stared right back. Then, she almost got behind me in line (at this point DS was actually quiet) and when she saw it was us in front of her she says "Come on kids, let's go to another line."


I felt like screaming "WHAT? Your kids never freaked out in a store when they were two?? I'm a good mother, I swear!!"

Sorry for the rant...it's been a long week. Tomorrow I have to drive to NY alone with DS to go to SIL bridal shower. I'm not really looking forward to it...

Maybe I'll go have a glass of wine

[mommax3]

Re: Today I fantasized...

If that woman had three kids that had NEVER done that in a store, she must not have taken them shopping when they were that age. If it had been me, my kids probably would have stared (oh what short memories they have!) but I would have smiled sympathetically, believe me.

About the behaving part.....I think you just have to gut it out. It does get better, I promise. I remember I talked the WHOLE time I was in a store with my oldest (and hardest) child in an effort to keep him under control during a period of several months. "Do you see that big pile of bananas? Bananas are yellow.....YELLOW....can you say it? You like bananas, don't you? Oh, look at those apples......blah blah blah. I probably sounded like a lunatic. I know I felt like one! But it did the trick (and also probably contributed to the "chattiness" that DS #1's teachers comment upon from time to time ).

I also used to try to give him a snack that he could eat while I shopped, like animal crackers or something, and I made sure I had a sippy cup of water to give him, too.....but I didn't let him hold it for long because he would throw it. Another thing is I would let him play with my keys because he was fascinated with them and I could always hear them clink if he dropped them.

Good luck on that drive tomorrow.....riding in the car was tough for my boys at that age.

Sally

[v-girl]

Re: Today I fantasized...

Having helped a very petite friend who had a 3 month old strapped to her with her missed-a-nap-and-was-becoming-"that"-child 3 year old today, I can definitely sympathize. Ignore the judgemental "perfect moms" out there. I could feel the stares as I scooped the 3 year old up before she could throw herself down (and I had my 1 year old strapped to me) and handed her to the attendent at the bottom of the stairs (we were getting off an old-fashioned train) and then took her back when I got off. And then proceeded to carry her off with her mom by my side and we just ignored all the Nosy Nellies.

Toddlers are toddlers. They are exploring their world and that includes testing limits. I was always lucky enough to be able to take my kids to my mom's when they misbehaved in the store and then return hoping that the contents of my cart hadn't been put away. Oh, I was also known for bribing my daughters. Big time. "If you can behave for the rest of our shopping trip Mommy will buy you a new book." They ended up with a lot of books.

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: Today I fantasized...

Oh, and the icing on the cake was that there was this woman there with ther 3 kids (looked school-age) and the kids kept staring at my son freaking out. Ok fine. But then the mother kept staring at him (and me) and making this "what a monster child" look on her face. I stared right back. Then, she almost got behind me in line (at this point DS was actually quiet) and when she saw it was us in front of her she says "Come on kids, let's go to another line."

Oh, that's just bitchy. And a bad example for her kids. Showed a real lack of compassion for you: to make your situation worse by pointing out to her children her judgment of you. It is not appropriate to use her children to convey that message to you. Take comfort in knowing that she acted worse than your kid.

[DCJenn]

Re: Today I fantasized...

People suck.

(grown ups for sure)

and let me reassure you that everyone here who has a kid who has been two has suffered your same fate.

Grit your teeth, do whatever you have to to get through it and pour yourself a nice glass of wine when everyone is in bed and asleep.

Jen

[migirl]

Re: Today I fantasized...

I bribe with snacks.