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This week at Guideposts, I posted about my cross-border shopping trip last week, when I foolishly brought along my family for the day. As disastrous as it was – at least I got a post out of it right?
Here is a taste — click over to finish reading it.
Family Shopping Trip
She agreed to take her husband and two kids along…how bad could it really be?
I am a proud Canadian. But as much as I love my country, we do have some serious shopping hardships.
Ladies—there is no Target in Canada! And that’s not all…there’s no Macy’s, no outlet malls and no Cold Stone Creamery!
Yes, we endure desperate conditions up here in the frozen tundra with our beaver pelts and moose-antler wall hangings.
So, every once in a while, we who live close enough grab our passports and our credit cards and make a run for the border. (But we do come back—did I mention we have free health care? Target can only tempt a girl so much.)
When I mentioned to my husband that I was going shopping in the U.S., he suggested that we turn it into a “family trip.” I didn’t have the heart to say no. Maybe it will be OK? I thought. I mean, there will be two of us to manage the kids, right? Sure—it will be fun. Let’s do it!
Did I mention I have a 7-year-old son, a 21-month-old daughter and a husband who hates shopping? A cross-border shopping trip really wasn’t the best idea for some quality family time.
I know you are right there with me. You can see me give my son “the look” that makes him drop to the floor to serve his time-out. You can feel my frustration when my husband tells me how long we have been in the store…every ten minutes.
But when we only had one hour until the mall closed and I offered to take the kids with me to Macy’s (to find some dresses that I desperately needed for an upcoming conference) and let my husband check out Old Navy by himself, well, that was the cue for things to turn ugly.
I maneuvered Olivia’s stroller between the racks, grabbing some dresses and racing against the ticking time bomb that was my overtired toddler.
There were no attendants, so another shopper told me to just go on in and grab a room. I positioned Olivia’s stroller against the door and gave into her wails to get out of her stroller. I sat her on the bench beside me. With one dress over my head, I heard my son cackle and the door open.
I peered out of the neck opening to see my toddler’s eyes dance with mischievous delight as she disappeared with my wallet into the store. Jackson was incapacitated with laughter.
I struggled to get far enough into the dress to follow her without exposing myself. “Jackson,” I begged my son, “Go get her!” And we both chased after Olivia, who had disappeared like only a toddler can…
Click here to finish reading at Guideposts.com…
YOUR TURN: Please make me feel better and tell me your shopping with kids disasters…
Written by Janice.
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Miranda says
This post made me laugh because almost every shopping trip with my children is like that, including the rude disgusted faces. It’s so frustrating. I hope you were able to at least get something to wear that you liked.. I know when my kids are freaking out like that I often just settle for whatever. LOL I can’t wait to meet you in Chicago next week!
Stephanie says
This post totally made me laugh (although I’m sure it wasn’t funny for YOU in the moment). You described it so well! I could just picture everything in my head.
No wonder I don’t go shopping much! 😉
P.S. Did you find the dresses you were hoping for?
brandy says
you have no idea. i have 3 toddlers. while my 18 month old sits in the buggy screaming. my two toddler girls fill my cart with stuff i don’t need. run through the isles, hide in the clothes. they have even opened the dressingroom, and bathroom stall while i was in it. the worst was my oldest was 2, we were at a walmart, and she wasn’t getting her way screamed the f word. so embarassing
Kelley from Mammalog says
Definitely one for the books!
A friend of mine called me a couple days ago and invited me to make the 2 hour trip to the city. We took her 5 year old daughter, my 3 year old son, and my 19 month old daughter (who went home with Daddy after he got off work downtown). At Kohl’s, we selected a double shopping stroller, and the kids climbed inside. It wasn’t the triple disappearing act that my son performed that make me share this story, nor was it his successful attempt to sneak his hand out and knock an entire shelf of folded T-shirts to the floor.
Just as we were about to make our purchases, I noticed a thick string of lime green gum in my son’s hair at the base of his neck. He reached up and felt it at the same moment, and I watched a lower lip protrude, eyes widen, then, “OOOOOOO!!!!! Riley put gum in my hair!!!” Into the bathroom we went to attempt to dislodge the gluey mess McGiver style. I was somewhat successful. You can barely tell where I cut the gum out, and I learned two lessons. Never let a child chew gum while sitting behind someone, and never leave home without a jar of peanut butter!”
Ann says
Great story! Jackson is a riot!
I was in Macy’s with my cousin and her daughter (who was about a year old at the time). My cousin went into a dressing room to try on some clothes and I stayed with her daughter who was in a stroller. She was the type of baby who would often start to gag (for lack of a better word) for no apparent reason. As we were waiting for her mom to finish up in the dressing room, she started to gag and it was clear that she was going to get sick. I didn’t know what else to do but cup my hands under her mouth. So there I was, standing in the middle of the store with my hands full (the baby was doing absolutely fine) and nobody in sight to help me. I finally saw a sales clerk and asked her to get my cousin out of the dressing room so that I could go to the restroom to wash my hands! 🙂
Hannah says
You poor thing! My mom and I can totally relate. Toddlers and shopping trips don’t go very well together.
Tara says
Oh, goodness. When I told you I had a shopping disaster just now on Twitter, I had no idea what was in store in your post. Your mishap is hilarious! I can’t believe the other shopper was disgusted. She needs to lighten up.
I bet Jackson will remember how much fun this shopping trip was for years and years to come! 🙂
Billy the Kid says
you need to start shopping online more!!! C’mon you of all people should know the benefits 🙂 There’s this great site called http://www.clickbee.net where you can get up to 25% cash back from all your favourite stores (Target, Macy’s, Best Buy, Toys R Us) AND you dont have to leave the house AND you reduce emissions by 35% AND a lot of them have free shipping AND you’ll be saving money AND you can do it while the kids are playing/sleeping/watching t.v./sitting on the floor playing with play dough containers 😉