The things you hear while shopping

[mstang67chic]

I didn't realize that K-mart was a hot bed of drama but seems to be true. I stopped by after work to pick up a few things and wasn't even across the parking lot when I hear...possibly the best candidate for mother of the year.

Gag.


A van full of what appeared to be kids of varying ages with said van being driven by a woman of who knows what age. She stopped the van in the middle of the parking lot and, with windows down, screams at somone towards the back of the van, "If you don't shut up I"m going to **** you up!"


Lovely.

 

[HaoZi]

If she had them buckled in she's doing better than some of 'em.

 

[KTMom91]

Was her statement effective?

I imagine not.

 

[DammitJanet]

Are you sure you didnt see me? That was one of more famous sayings.

 

[Hound dog]

Doesn't it make for a lovely shopping experience?

Now I've lost it with my kids, but in public I found dropping my voice both in tone and volume was enough to get their attention they were walking a fine line. If that didn't work, taking hold of their arm in such a way as fingernails tend to dig into the skin should they resist and escorting them to the restroom for a "talk" (ahem cough cough, words sometimes were not enough) did.

After that? The phrase "Would you like to go have a painful discussion about this in the restroom?" said with a calm voice, a smile, and the Mom look was enough to stop them dead in their tracks.

It was a rare event that I ever had issues with my kids in public. lol

 

[flutterby]

Pre-lexapro I was known to say, "I said, shut the **** up", when I'd had it up to here. And I wonder what's wrong with my kids.

However, pulling over on the side of the interstate and sitting quietly with my flashers on was much more effective. Totally freaked them out even though I did it several times.

 

[1905]

I love the "Would you like to have a painful discussion in the rest room?". LOL

 

[AnnieO]

Heather, I think I'm gonna start that - wouldn't phase O, but it would scare the SNOT out of J.

 

[hearts and roses]

What a lovely example of how NOT to discipline your children. Idiotic woman.

I have a friend who would pull over, turn off the car, and kick her kids out and drive away*. *She only did this to those over 13 and only around town, close enough to walk home.

I didn't know this way back, but I saw one of her surly teens walking up the main drag so I pulled over to ask if they needed a ride and she said, "No way! But thanks. If my Mom saw you giving me a lift, I'd be in even bigger trouble!!" We laughed it off but then I asked my friend about it. She said, "If my kids cannot sit in my car for a short drive home from the store or school without cussing and speaking in a disrespectful manner, then they need to get out. They're old enough to walk it and I'm too old to put up with that ****." Okay. For her, it worked.

I once tried kicking difficult child out of my car like that - she wouldn't budge and I didn't want to be seen physically pulling her from my car on the side of the road - too many people know us and I'm sure one of them would have called the police and the last thing I needed at the time was more police attention, lol!!!

When my kids acted up in the store, I would ceremoniously walk my cart over to the customer service desk and leave it there, then quietly walk out to the car and go home, without saying a word to the offending child. After a while, if one of them acted up, I would hear the other say, "Mom's going to leave the cart and make us go home - stop crying (whining, etc)" and it almost always worked. No yelling, no words, no threats, just action.

 

[DDD]

Leaving the cart and walking away was my method too. The thing that drives me nuts is how parents let their kids loose in the store while they shop. GFGmom consistently does that even with her now nine year old who is cute as a bug but the most impulsive child I've ever seen......that that's going some. Then surprise when kid wandered back near her eating a bag of chips or whatever...the Mother rant would (and does) start. Give me a break. Some children are not meant to go into stores period. Go shopping at night with-o them or any time you have someone else who will watch them...otherwise they go in the basket no matter how big they are. Yep, a pet peeve of mind. DDD

My car, by the way, would be pulled over and stopped when there was trouble. Drove me nuts but drove them nuttier!

 

[AnnieO]

I tried taking all 4 of us grocery shopping - I wanted the kids to understand the value of a dollar, and what you could get for that, and if you were careful, how much more you could get.

Thank heavens J is old enough to leave by himself now. I don't even like taking husband. I finally gave up - O begs and begs and begs or DEMANDS this that or the other - J just asks for everything he sees, and I can't concentrate, end up buying too much. husband is getting better at generic and/or less expensive stuff - but we don't need Tostitos when they are 3x as expensive as Kroger brand.

When I was about 9, my mom started sending me to "run" for items - usually one or two at a time. Kept me busy and was helpful. With O, I can't - because I cannot trust her not to swipe something - and with J - it would take 25 minutes for a can of tuna, and I'd have to go find him.

 

[nvts]

When mine were really small (4,5 & 6) I'd take them shopping with me, but only at lunchtime...I'd stop at the deli counter first, buy 1/2 lb. of turkey cut thick and american...while we shopped, I'd make turkey and cheese "roll-ups" while we shopped.

I had the package which had the price on it, they'd scan the by then empty wrappers, the kids would be full, their mouths were full throughout the store, and I'd get them home and not have them doing the "starvin' marvin" dance all over the place.

Worked like a charm!

Beth

 

[Jody]

I took my difficult child and her friend to the grocery store this weekend. I gave them 1/2 of my coupons and had a race, while I had the other half. They beat me by mere seconds. I only asked that they not run over anyone. They said they didn't, thank goodness. We had fun and they didn't ask me for anything because when they were done finding items they headed for the pre-arranged meeting spot and then we headed for the check-out.

I do bet a few people have looked at me crazy when I have been frustrated with the kids and shopping. Not one of my favorite chores and a terrible job with a difficult child who can't live without a box of cookies, that I can now not buy because of her attitude.