via newparentguide.org

As parents, there are some things that are a given:

  • Don’t let your kids touch the stove.
  • Don’t let your kids eat the dogs food.
  • Don’t let the baby miss a nap.

These are all pretty common knowledge. Well, we’ve had to add a new one to our list. This weekend we made a rookie move and walked right on in to terror on wheels. We took our son to Toys R Us. We were all excited. We’d decided it was time for him to have a new tricycle. He’s a big boy, he loves his trike and he needs a new one. He’s too tall for the one he has now. We were talking to him about it on the way to the store. We told him how cool it was going to be. How we were going to check out a tricycle and find the perfect one just for him. Then, we got to the store. All was good… in the parking lot.

Then, my husband suggested that we by-pass the cart and let the little man roam freely in the store. I know, what were we thinking! Things started out well. He was so excited. He found a ball he loved, then moved on to Cars. He had a hard time leaving the Cars toys behind but with a little convincing he moved it along. Then, we decided to just carry him through the store. It was taking far too long to let him walk it. We needed to get to the back of the store to see the tricycles, for goodness sake! As we’re walking he sees another Cars toy and stops me. I acknowledged the coolness of said toy and attempt to move on. That’s when we saw the beginnings of the meltdown.

He attempted to wiggle his way out of my arms and hold on to this toy that he had somehow lifted from the shelf. Yes, this child had a taste a freedom and wanted it back. I convinced him that he should stay with me and we could hold on to the toy until we got to the bikes. Dad attempted to distract him with an Elmo one man band type of doll. He was into it – for a minute. He was all about his good friend Elmo until we tried to pry the truck out of his hand. Then, he was all “Twuck, Twuck!” So we continue to carry the “twuck” through the store. We get to the bikes and wouldn’t you know it – how couldn’t care less about a stinkin’ bike. Not if it meant putting down the “twuck”. We managed to pry the “twuck” from his hands and let me tell you, it wasn’t pretty. He had a full on MELTDOWN. Dad convinced him that he needed a hug and that calmed him down. He kept asking about the truck though. Then since we wouldn’t produce the requested truck, he REFUSED to try out any of the bikes. Yes, he has some nerve.

He instead found a car that he LOVED. We pulled it down and let him check it out. Of course, being our child, he’s super tall and the car was a bit small for his long legs. This didn’t phase him. We weren’t buying that car. We knew this could get ugly and it did. We made a plan to get him out of the car and just head straight to the door. So we hauled our butts out of the store with our screaming child and NO bike. I’m convinced it all started with his taste of freedom. When we got in the car my husband looked at me and said, “what have we learned here, we never let him walk around on his own in a toy store. They have carts for a reason.” I agree, honey, I agree.

Camesha

12 Comments on Rookie Parenting

  1. OMG!! As soon as I read Toys R US I got chills!! I remember the first time my son went there…..it is just to much! lol
    He is 4 and I can pretty much count on one hand how many times we have taken him into the store. A visit there is definitely a 2 parent day trip.

  2. Cam, I give you this advice as a friend. Having children of the ages 6 and 4, and having it to do all over again…they would not have touched the floor of a grocery store, toy store, Target, you name it still to this day! In the cart will always, always, always be easier.

    Oh yes, and Toys ‘r Us is the devil. Just sayin’. Don’t beat yourself up about that. ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. I am just sitting here feeling so grateful that I’m not the only one that this happens to (c; Heaven love them for having a mind of their own, but gosh darn it is it annoying sometimes! (c:

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