A trip to "The Public"

A shopping trip w/ 2 overly spirited little boys can certainly save us all money, on any gym memberships.  Every weekend I decide to enter "The Public" w/ my children.  They are house broken, they are loving, they are kind, they are polite, they are smart, well-mannered, little gentlemen.....AT HOME.

First: Stores w/ Escalators; great ideas or our worst enemy?  I have yet to come to a conclusion.  I love the excitement the boys get when they are able to ride up and down the escalator.  I dislike that it becomes an obsession until we leave the store.

Second: Saying, "No!" w/o any repercussions.  Okay, I know not everyone experiences this joy of parenthood, but I had to list it.  The simple, 2-letter word, "No!"  can put a temporary damper on your shopping experience.  I like that I have the power to say "No!" but I dislike that it may be met w/ great opposition.  I don't mind the opposition to the word "No!" b/c we do want our children to develop the skills  to debate an argument in a mature, intelligent manner..... BUT do 4-year-olds or 6-year-olds really understand mature and intelligent on a 24/7 scale?

Third:  "The fit."  We all have been to stores and have seen "the fit" being thrown and we all have been guilty of judging the parent and/or the child, but I no longer have the option of judging...ANYONE.  I, again do not mind "the fit" itself b/c I can deal w/ it.  It is just noise, a child's way of ranting b/c they do not know how to maturely verbalize their emotions.  I, however do NOT like the stares as if everyone around us is so perfect that they want to burn a hole into me for ignoring the fit.  I quietly respond to the fit w/, "Life is tough...it will be okay."  I really think I should patent the sound of "the fit" and sell it to the itunes store...... just a thought.

Fourth:  "The bargaining"  Yes, in one way or another we all bargain w/ our children.  They make several promises to behave in "The Public" and they probably tried in all honestly.  #1, #2, and #3 just take over them and it makes #4 nearly impossible for them to accomplish.  We make deals w/ our little people and accept their promises to be 100% truths.  The one thing we forget is a truth to a child has a timeframe and really if we do not complete our task in a set amount of time, some of the blame definitely falls on me.

Fifth: Leaving "The Public" is fantastic b/c I hear apologies and loving words.  We love you Mommy and are sorry.  Let's try it again, we will be good next time.

So that $99 I spend annually on a gym membership really isn't needed when I am wrangling little boys out of clothes racks, toy aisles, shushing their outside voices, and trying to keep them safe from escalators.

....and you know what happens?  The following Saturday, I dress them up, and do it all again.  "The Public" may not like our visits, but practice does make perfect.  Besides all of the "unpleasant" experiences I have listed above, the boys do something that make everything better.  Love makes us do crazy things.