Shopping with Kids

 

It was 2 days before school started and I had to go grocery shopping.  Three kids in or hanging on a shopping cart plus all the groceries make it challenging to maneuver through the store.  This is the very reason I started utilizing the grocery pick-up service from Walmart.  I LOVE that I can shop online and pull through the drive-thru to get my groceries.  However, I didn’t take the time to shop online the day before and I thought “oh this won’t be too bad!”  

Not that the kids were terrible (believe me, we have our share of fun shopping too...hence the mascot head picture above) but it just takes forever to get groceries when they are asking if they can get this or that and constantly wanting either in or out of the cart.  They hang or lean on the cart while walking, unknowingly making it difficult to steer.  There are the occasional squabbles over who is sitting where or the whining about how long it takes to get groceries.  There could even be a meltdown or two before we are all done.  Keep in mind that each of these actions gives me opportunity to correct and guide them to proper shopping behavior, of course!

If we are there around lunch time (which we were) I get them popcorn chicken from the deli but this time they were out.  This was the only time we have ever been there when they didn’t have popcorn chicken.  This created a mini-melt down from the little guy.  I got them the chicken tenders which were equally delicious instead and they were again happy. 

Did I mention that I LOVE the grocery pick-up service?  Well I do!  And I am not even getting paid to say that!  I recommend you try it sometime! 

I knew what I was up against so I thought I would try something new to keep the kids occupied.  I printed the list from the shopping list app I use and brought a clipboard and pen.  I was excited to try this new idea!  I told them they could help me know what was next on the list and mark off what we had already gotten, (all the while trying to share my enthusiasm in hopes that they would in turn be excited).  They could even write down how much it cost.  My enthusiasm worked for my daughter.  She gladly took the clipboard and did great for the first several items.  Then she passed it to her little brother who was glad to take over, only he quickly got frustrated when his numbers didn’t look right and started crying.  It was then that we gave up on the list because older brother didn’t even care to try it and the other 2 were done as quickly as they had started.  No great loss, but my plan had failed.  It was worth a shot though!

We were finally done shopping and they helped me place the groceries on the conveyor belt at the self check-out (another great invention) and when we got home they all carried in a few sacks of our newly purchased groceries.  Then off they went to continue the Lego adventure they were on before we left.  Needless to say we were all glad to be home.  I ate a quick bite and went out to mow.  Mowing is the best therapy (especially when it’s done with a fast zero-turn mower)!  Just throw all your cares to the wind and let the noise of the motor drown out all stress.  I even got finished before the rain started to get too heavy and stood in the rain.  It felt good.  Just what I needed. 

My Take-Aways:

1. When shopping with the kids, make sure you have an organized list.  I put my list in order (the best I could) of the layout of the store.  It makes it easier to scan the list and hopefully ensures no back tracking through the store…unless you go up and down the baking aisle a few times because you can’t see the pudding mix that is most certainly there and you have to ask someone where to find it.)
2. Find joy in the chores.  The kids are going to grow up and move out.  Don’t take this precious time with them for granted!
3. Balance is key.  Parenting can be stressful and tiresome.  Find ways to release that stress.  For me, spending some time outside does the trick.