I am tired of my children. Can I say that? I promise I have good reasons. I present to you Exhibit A: The afternoon trip to Publix. We park and enter the store.
LC (10yo boy): Can I push the cart? Without either of the girls riding it?
Me: Okay, LC is pushing the cart. Girls, you can help me pick stuff.
Abby (5yo girl): (whining) I’m tired. I want to sit down.
Hannah (8yo girl): He always gets to push the cart!
Me: You pushed it last time.
Hannah: But other times he always does!
Me: Well he is today. You can remind me that it’s your turn next time.
Hannah: (sulking)
Abby: (whining) Can’t I just ride it?
Me: N-
LC: NO! Didn’t you hear Mom? What is wrong with you?
Me: LC, don’t use that phrase. Abby, no you can’t ride. Hannah, please keep up.
This is in the first aisle of the store. Fortunately, we then travel down eleven entire aisles without incident. They each pick their own ice cream (to head off any fights later), and we’re in the home stretch. LC runs off to look for meringue cookies. I start pushing the cart.
Hannah: Can I ride while you’re pushing?
Me: (not really listening as I checkmy list) Okay.
(Both girls get on. LC approaches.)
LC: HEY! Get OFF! Mom said I get to push WITHOUT YOU!
Me: Uh-
Hannah: LC is being such a JERK!
Abby: HEY! I JUST WANNA-
Me: Hannah, don’t call anyone that. LC, quit yelling at the girls.
Abby: (at the top of her lungs) WHY AREN’T YOU LISTENING TO ME? EVERYBODY KEEPS TALKING OVER ME!!!!!
(Other shoppers stop and stare. I pull all three down nearest aisle.)
Hannah: Abby is so embarrassing. Why does she have to be so embarrassing?
Me: You’re all embarrassing. I want to go home.
Hannah: I am NOT! I WASN’T DOING ANYTHING!
Abby: I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET YOUR ‘TENTION CUZ NOBODY WAS LISTENING!
Hannah: WELL, THAT WAS STUPID! YOU SHOULD JUST BE QUIET!
Abby: YOU BE QUIET!
LC: GIRLS! SHUT UP!
Me: [I'm in my happy place, my happy place....]
And so on.
When we get to the registers, no checker will make eye contact with me.
Now I know that they’re sick of being cooped up all summer. They’re bored and sick of each other. And they’re probably sick of me. But is it too much to ask for them to walk through a grocery store without making it sound like a WWE ring (“You’re goin DOWN!” “No, YOU’RE goin down!!!!”) before the pro wrestling match?
The countdown has begun: Only six more days till the first day of school. Please dear Jesus, help me not to kill them.
3 responses so far ↓
1 youthwife // Jul 31, 2008 at 11:29 pm
I am so there – and I don’t stay home all day with my boys – they get punchy with each other when they’ve been around each other too much – I think it happens with all kids. No wonder my mom sent us to 5 different VBS in the course of one summer when we were all smaller!
2 Maggie // Aug 6, 2008 at 10:11 am
I can so identify with this post! Thanks for posting…I thought maybe I was losing my head.
Loved this from the last pot: ” Today has been really challenging. Parenting at home 24/7 is hard work. Draining, life-altering work.”
And this from this post: “I’m in my happy place…I’m in my happy place…I’m in my happy place.”
I often ask myself in my own happy place, “then why I am yelling at my kids?”
)))
3 momonthejourney // Aug 6, 2008 at 11:56 am
My mantra, “my happy place…” is often the only thing that KEEPS ME FROM yelling at the kids.
I struggle with that every day, and no more than during the summer when we’re together all the time.
One more day!
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