Shopping with toddlers, you ask? Easy!
No, not really. It’s possibly my least favourite activity since having kids, second only to doing groceries with toddlers. And here’s why.
So, I had to go to the shops. Now, I’m not one of those women who has moments where she must go shopping or she’ll die. In fact, I’ve never been one of those, but give me some credit, I can shop for a good half hour before I’m ready for a coffee break.
I had to go to the shops as it was my last opportunity to buy my sister’s birthday present before I would see her on her birthday. It is definitely not my usual practice to go shopping at 4.30pm with a three year old and a nearly two year old. But, I had to.
So, there we were, at the shopping centre, in the middle of witching hour (the mysterious time of day when young children turn into monsters, and may I add, in spite of the title, it usually lasts a number of hours).
I had both girls sitting in a double-seated trolley, buckled in, with no chance of escape (I thought). Well, Miss 3 was not impressed. I guess, she is three now, after all, and that means graduation from child to teenager. How dare I put her in a trolley?! So, Miss 3 made sure she let me know her thoughts, as any self-respecting threenager would. Oh, and while she was at it, she also let the whole shopping centre know.
Meanwhile, Miss 2 decided she was hungry. Yes, she just realized ten seconds ago, and no, she can’t wait. So, she added her tears and indignation to the mix.
Although I was practically running trying to find the elusive gift, I was still searching a whole fifteen minutes later. Yes, it felt like an hour. At this point, Miss 2 was tired of hearing her sister’s cries and started pulling hair, scratching, and hitting, obviously resulting in more cries. Which led to Miss 3 escaping the buckle, standing up and attempting to climb out of the trolley.
That’s when I noticed people watching me. If only it was to admire my grace, my confidence, or my beauty (that’s definitely wishful thinking; finding time for makeup application is a treat these days)! But let’s face it, what’s not to look at with two screaming kids?
You’d think I’d have given up by now, right? Wrong. I had to get this present! So, after some behaviour management, apologies, hugs, and seat changes, I continued on my mission. And, finally, I found a shop I knew would have the present. It did, but it took a little more browsing to find it, in which time the girls unanimously voted THEY’D HAD ENOUGH. And both started crying. And neither stopped.
Knowing they were safe, just grumpy, I pushed my shoulders back, forced a spring in my step, and pasted a smile on my face. Approaching the sales assistant, I placed the gift items on the counter. She gave me a sympathetic smile and, over the din of my dismal daughters, said, “I admire you for getting out anyway.”
That’s when I wondered if all those other people watching me were thinking the same thing, that I came to the shops by choice. That I could’ve stayed home if I had wanted to. Because, believe me, I do not choose to go to the shops, especially in the afternoon, and especially with young children. So, to all those people who saw me that day and thought I was plain crazy, you were right. I was. But let me assure you, I had no choice.
But then again, there was that time I did have a choice and found myself with a baby I was watching for the day, Miss 2 covered in hotcake syrup and Miss 3 stuck at the top of the McDonalds playground with an ‘accident’ in her pants (of the solid variety). Hmm…
So, no matter your reasons for going out with toddlers, what’s my advice? Keep smiling!
No, not really. It’s possibly my least favourite activity since having kids, second only to doing groceries with toddlers. And here’s why.
So, I had to go to the shops. Now, I’m not one of those women who has moments where she must go shopping or she’ll die. In fact, I’ve never been one of those, but give me some credit, I can shop for a good half hour before I’m ready for a coffee break.
I had to go to the shops as it was my last opportunity to buy my sister’s birthday present before I would see her on her birthday. It is definitely not my usual practice to go shopping at 4.30pm with a three year old and a nearly two year old. But, I had to.
So, there we were, at the shopping centre, in the middle of witching hour (the mysterious time of day when young children turn into monsters, and may I add, in spite of the title, it usually lasts a number of hours).
I had both girls sitting in a double-seated trolley, buckled in, with no chance of escape (I thought). Well, Miss 3 was not impressed. I guess, she is three now, after all, and that means graduation from child to teenager. How dare I put her in a trolley?! So, Miss 3 made sure she let me know her thoughts, as any self-respecting threenager would. Oh, and while she was at it, she also let the whole shopping centre know.
Meanwhile, Miss 2 decided she was hungry. Yes, she just realized ten seconds ago, and no, she can’t wait. So, she added her tears and indignation to the mix.
Although I was practically running trying to find the elusive gift, I was still searching a whole fifteen minutes later. Yes, it felt like an hour. At this point, Miss 2 was tired of hearing her sister’s cries and started pulling hair, scratching, and hitting, obviously resulting in more cries. Which led to Miss 3 escaping the buckle, standing up and attempting to climb out of the trolley.
That’s when I noticed people watching me. If only it was to admire my grace, my confidence, or my beauty (that’s definitely wishful thinking; finding time for makeup application is a treat these days)! But let’s face it, what’s not to look at with two screaming kids?
You’d think I’d have given up by now, right? Wrong. I had to get this present! So, after some behaviour management, apologies, hugs, and seat changes, I continued on my mission. And, finally, I found a shop I knew would have the present. It did, but it took a little more browsing to find it, in which time the girls unanimously voted THEY’D HAD ENOUGH. And both started crying. And neither stopped.
Knowing they were safe, just grumpy, I pushed my shoulders back, forced a spring in my step, and pasted a smile on my face. Approaching the sales assistant, I placed the gift items on the counter. She gave me a sympathetic smile and, over the din of my dismal daughters, said, “I admire you for getting out anyway.”
That’s when I wondered if all those other people watching me were thinking the same thing, that I came to the shops by choice. That I could’ve stayed home if I had wanted to. Because, believe me, I do not choose to go to the shops, especially in the afternoon, and especially with young children. So, to all those people who saw me that day and thought I was plain crazy, you were right. I was. But let me assure you, I had no choice.
But then again, there was that time I did have a choice and found myself with a baby I was watching for the day, Miss 2 covered in hotcake syrup and Miss 3 stuck at the top of the McDonalds playground with an ‘accident’ in her pants (of the solid variety). Hmm…
So, no matter your reasons for going out with toddlers, what’s my advice? Keep smiling!
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