Leisure shopping with Toddlers…
No, it’s not possible…sorry if you thought this article was a HOW TO.
So my mom recently had hip surgery and has graduated to using a cane. With the weather being in the negatives and ice being an everyday enemy, she was getting a little stir crazy and demanded an outing. So we (my four year old, my 2 year old, my mom and I) loaded up and headed to Target. (We live in the middle of nowhere so driving 40 minutes to Target is definitely an outing.)
We get inside and try for a bathroom run but had no takers so we grabbed a cart. Of course we had to check out the dollar spot. I let the girls each pick out a paint activity but had to follow up with about 100 no’s a piece. We had JUST peeled them away from it all and made it half way down the clothes isle when;
2 year old, “Mom I have to go potty!”
What!? I just asked you five minutes ago! Fine, let’s go. I took her and my four-year-old into the family bathroom, hoping she would go too. I must have asked her a dozen times if she had to go and of course she said no. So we finished up and met back up with my slow moving mom right where we left her. Not 30 seconds later;
4 year old, “Mommy I have to go potty!”
What!? We were JUST in the bathroom! Sigh, ok. So back through the adorable cloths I have yet to look at and straight to the family bathroom…again.
We found our way back to where my mom was waiting with my two year old (still in the same place) and she informed me that while we were gone my two year old filled her pants…and it smelled…bad. At this point I contemplated protesting the situation. I even picked up a sweater, held it up, “Mom, do you think this is worth $13.95?” But, before she got to answer;
4 year old, “Mommy…I have to go potty again…”
Sigh, ok, ok… My mom volunteered to go in the bathroom with them so I could run out to the car for a diaper and wipes (because why would I bring those in?). I ran out to the car only to find I did NOT have a diaper and the wipes were frozen solid. After all it was -10 outside. So I ran back to the family bathroom to retrieve my wallet so I could buy some thawed out wipes and diapers.
After that clean up, we gave it one more go and headed back to the clearance section but at this point both girls had dropped a couple pounds and were feeling extra frisky. I chased them down twice…literally and we hadn’t even made it through ¼ of the store at this point so we decided it was time to go.
I love my kiddos but this is why moms (or dads) take three hours at the grocery store when they’re alone! We want to walk, slowly, through each aisle. We want to look at seasonal and clearance items…because we can! So if your spouse or partner makes a run to the grocery store and takes longer than necessary, maybe just let it slide. I imagine they needed it.