I need to catch one but I am far too out of shape to run after it!
Two new Trader Joe's have come to the area. Adam is on a health kick and has been for awhile. We are cheap, though, and normally shop at Aldi so when the "Aldi of Whole Foods" came to town we were BOTH happy.
The one near us does not sell liquor so we went to the one that does. Adam wanted to try "Two Buck Chuck" and I like to look and browse. We also needed to do our weekly shopping.
I've said before, going out with the kids can be a bit of a shot in the dark. When we got there, I noticed the store was busy but not abormally so for a Saturday. Camille grabbed the first kiddie shopping cart she saw... and that is when all heck broke loose.
Georgie WANTED that cart. By golly, he was going to HAVE that cart. And the fact that his sister got it first and Daddy would take him to look for ANOTHER cart was NOT going to cut it.
I took the older kids away to look for food while Adam went to find the wine with a screaming two year old. I made sure to keep the kids busy by having them pick out what we needed. I thought this would keep them happy but they fought over who got to get what and where to put it. I don't know my way around TJ's well enough to just run through so I have to stop and look for items. They don't have 12 kinds of yogurt like most stores but they have two and I needed to see which of the two I wanted.
We met up with Adam in the wine section. I wanted to look (they had some fun labels!) but Georgie was still having a meltdown. The kiddie cart had been found but it was not good e nough. He refused to walk and was laying on the floor, screaming.
About this time, Cole was into meltdown mode because his diaper was dirty.
I was thisclsoe to leaving our full carts in the store and even closer to crying. People were staring. Adam grabbed both toddlers and took them to the car while I checked out.
It was hard enough (although the check out clerk was wonderful and cheerful. She made me feel better even without saying or doing anything about the meltdowns) but then I come to forums, forums that are supposed to be kid friendly, and people snark about kids melting down in public. How we should leave them at home. Tag team shopping. That sort of thing.
I've already said that I rarely leave the house and, when I do and the above happens, I feel horrible. Judged. I tell myself it is all in my head but apparently it isn't.
I can't win, can I? At what point do I give the heck up?
I''m so sorry. I know how you feel though. I had so many bad outings when Emma was little and was judged a lot. No, all kids do not just stay in the cart/stroller when buckled, some (such as mine) mange to throw themselves out. Any how, I understand, I was told a was a bad mom at a MOPs group for locking Emma in her room at night. I must say I loved Moms Club there and our play group because I never felt judged.
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