This week I was mulling over some possible questions for the blog, some good suggestions and tips from experiences I’ve had or days when I’ve really had it together….
…until today, when I took my kids out for lunch.
Suddenly, I was THAT mom. (We`ve all been there, fess up!) The one who gets the exasperated glare from the surfer guy who just wants to order his organic salmon in peace, or the pitying smirk from the pregnant woman who rubs her belly thinking “I’ll never let MY child behave like that in public.” So I stood there, babe in one arm, toddler throwing himself to the floor in a fit of low blood sugar and exhaustion, and a fine sweat forming on my brow, and took stock of my options.
1) The old “That’s it! We`re going home!” Not today. Home was 30 minutes away, my 2 year old was famished and the baby was due for a feed.
2) Time out? No dice. Having foolishly left the stroller in the car, I was already out of free hands and my boy was not about to sit quietly on a chair by himself to contemplate his wrongdoings.
3) Pray for a sinkhole to swallow me up? Quite possibly…
So what can I suggest this week? When the wheels fall off, (and I have a dozen or so witnesses who can attest to the fact that they most certainly did)–laugh it off. Smile at surfer guy, because he clearly doesn`t get it and probably never will. And smile at the pregnant mama, because in a couple of years, she’ll be that mom too!
RSS
We’ve all been there! Excellent advice!
I think you handled it really well…in the end we are responsible to our kids – no one else ad if they choose to smirk or stare then they are choosing to not help. I have three kids and have helped many a mum in the same situation….let me say the smirk from strangers quickly turns to guilt for not doing the obvious. Good job – you are a mum and sometimes the badge is hard to wear but it’s one that we cannot take off even though there are time we wish we could. Wear your badge with pride and buy the kids a plate of fries and breathe. You made it through !
It must be a bad week for toddlers, tantrum posts abound, my own included. Thanks for commiserating.
I have been very very fortunate, we very rarely have these types of things when we are out! I really do have very good boys. But like you said, we have all been there. I usually find there is a point of no return for the kids, and if I can I haul there butts out of there. I wait until they have cooled down, and then I talk reason. But there are times when letting them have a flip out and going about my business the best I can is the only way to survive. My first one always had major major melt downs, he still does sometimes. But I know it is when he is over tired or over hungry and I do my best to avoid those situations.
The middle one well his temper tantrums are never that bad, and we have only had 1 major melt down and that was here at home, when his brother took his toy, and then promptly hit him in the head with it. Just between you and me I don’t blame him on that one!
Glad you were able to keep your smile about you. When this happened to me once in a mall and it was because Daddy didn’t do his usual routine with us, I found planning the untimely demise of my husband a great distraction from the screaming child in the front of the stroller, and the child I was so nicely dragging thru the parking lot screaming at the top of his lungs. The kind little old lady who opened the door of us and smiled so nicely and said “don’t worry dear, one day they will grow up and move out and you will miss even this”, made me feel better.
Thank you..’nuff said…perfectly put. I too have been there (three times over, thank you!)
Pure genius
I agree! I too have been in that position more times than I would like to count and the stares from others don’t help…
I hope your day got better
I think a knowing smile is all you can do. Remember the old expression “Everyone is the perfect parent until they have kids”. LOL!
Oh, carrie…. we have definitely all had one of those days. I do the same thing. I just smile through it, and then usually burst into tears once I make it back to the car from the stress of not freaking out on everyone, including surfer dude!
In that situation I always take a deep breath and think of this quote… When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. -Franklin D. Roosevelt
We all have those days…you just have to tie a knot (not around your child!) and hang on!
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