Wednesday, August 06, 2008

oh for the love of PETE!!!!

If, by chance, you have over-indulged your child to the point that she, at age 3 or 4, is obese (with calves the size of MINE)...

And...if, by chance, you have over-indulged your child to the point that she, at age 3 or 4, does not know what the word NO means....

And...if, by chance, you decide that you need to go shopping with your entire brood of 5 or 6 kids in tow....

And...if, by chance, you have your mother (or mother-in-law) with you....

THEN IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS PEACEFUL...

PLEASE....

take your screaming kid OUT of the store, because she's been over-indulged and never told "no" and now, she's having a bloody melting temper tantrum in the middle of the world's WORST store to be in just before school (and Christmas)...WALMART...

Because when the people around you have to YELL at the others in their parties so as to be heard over the incessantly, pathetically obnoxious screaming, whining "I NEEEEEEEEED IT, I NEEEEEEEED IT, I NEEEEEEEEED IT, I NEEEEEEEED ( okay, I think my readers get the point)"...that has gone on for over 20 minutes NON-STOP.

Well...it's just NOT OKAY.

It's not okay for you to ignore her as you shop with your other kids and mother (MIL)...it's not okay for you to grab her arm so hard she changes her plea from "I NEEEEEEEEED IT" to "DON'T SQUEEEEEEEEZE SO HARD, IT HURRRRRRRRTS" (and then back to the need thing).

It's not okay for you to just ignore all the people around you who are either yelling at people with them (so as to be heard), or ignore the staff that asks you to PLEASE either quiet your daughter, or remove her from the store, thankyouverymuch.



******************

It was hell, pure and simple. We started hearing the screaming while we were in the toddler department (poor little Scotty, doesn't have legs long enough for a regular 4 yet!)...we went to get some underwear in the boys' department, and that's where we discovered the screaming banshee was. So we headed to girls', but it was still so overwhelmingly atrocious that we headed to toys to get some gifts. Yes...we could STILL hear the plea of 'need' back there, but it was a bit more tolerable, what with the blaring of 5 different tv stations and 2 movies, as well as all the radios in the electronics department. That certainly was much more pleasant.

We dawdled in toys for too long (discovering NEW fairies in the Disney line)...and then headed back to get Hannah's new school clothes. Blessings...the screamer was gone. But her brother shortly took over the position, screaming about being squeezed too hard (apparently, Mom's got a tight grip, because that was TWO kids complaining about it).

We checked out and headed to Target to get the last of the missing school supplies (Must we REALLY buy Pink Pearl erasers, or can't we just get the no-name colorful ones? SHEESH...because honestly, I have NO need for 12 Pink Pearls, and apparently, everyone else thinks the same, as that is all that was left). As we were checking out, what comes in the door, but the screaming banshee and her family. SERIOUSLY.

I suppose it can't be helped, when all you have for options are Walmart, K-mart and Target for school shopping. I was never SO HAPPY to be LEAVING a store as I was then.

You could tell the child was either just getting over the fit, or was gearing up for round 2 (or who knows WHAT round she might have actually been at!)...her face was blotchy, eyes red...it was just UGLY.

Seriously...if your child is not happy, do NOT force him/her to stay in a store where they are bothering EVERYONE else.

9 comments:

Barbara said...

I SOOOOO hear you! Every child is entitled to their temper tantrums but.... there's a fine line and when it's crossed, someone needs some Nanny 911!

Anonymous said...

We have been busy around here, buying school supplies (yes, $276 worth of them) for 4 kids, from lists that are longer than my arm it seems.

saintseester said...

Dear, you KNOW it has to be really, really bad if Walmart staff are telling the mom to get a handle on it. OMG!

One of my son's bags o stuff disappeared at school so I had to go BACK to walmart for more. Thankfully, it was just basics, the cheap stuff.

Anonymous said...

I think those people were at my walmart too...

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rennratt said...

There seems to be a screaming kid EVERY TIME I go to WalMart.

I am tempted to wear headphones.

I understand tired kids crying, but tantrums?

Uh-uh.

liberal army wife said...

Oh, I think she was here too! in the commissary!

LAW

JBBGirl said...

OMGoodness!! I think those same people were in my town LOL! I had the same things happen when I went in to get glasses. Overfed kids (no joke) mother in law or grandma in tow and the whole nine. I just wanted to get my glasses not listen to the chaos that just entered the door. It was a whole entourage of chaos!! As soon as they left there was just a sigh of unspoken relief though out the store.

Niall MacC said...

Ha ha, I am not sure what makes this post so funny, the story about the kids or you!!!

It's simple really, I am to selfish and self centred to allow my son to be spoiled. I like my peace too much!!!

Well, I was all of the above before I was saved. Now I bring him up God's way because I love God.

Life is SO HARD when you have bold, disobedient parents... ooops, I mean kids!

Ruth

The Mrs. said...

AMEN! I hear ya. I will admit there are times that my kids have thrown doozy tantrums in stores and usually I will walk out, however, sometimes you really need that roll of toliet paper or tampons and husband is away TDY that you have to tough it out. But in the situation you described... take it outside.

I also think that occasionally telling your kids NO will help. My three year old went thru an I want stage and my response was I dont care so often that he nows says in a singsong voice in stores "I want it I dont care!". He thinks its a funny game now. Oh call me uncaring I suppose but my kid is learning the meaning of NO!