Did you ever have one of Those Shopping Trips?
Your kids bicker in the van and then decide to continue their Simmering Spat on into the produce aisle with subtle pinches and scowling looks when your back is turned.
You haven't been in the store for five minutes, and they are quietly yet subversively plotting the Overthrow of Your Sanity.
So you do the only Peaceable Yet Powerful thing you know to do. You leave the bag of peaches in the cart, and walk out with one child by the hand, trusting the others to follow closely behind. They do. They know you mean business.
You drive them home and leave them in the care of Another Adult, an older sister, say. It's for their own good. You know that. They don't. You are suddenly the Worst Mommy Ever.
Then you drive back to Walmart, pick up the bag of peaches, and shop the aisles in peace, trying not to feel Guilty for Enjoying Yourself. You even buy yourself an impromptu present, a fuzzy soft blanket with a big bear on it. You are Mama Bear, after all, wanting the best for your cubs, ready to protect them, yet sometimes feeling a little growly yourself and trying not to roar.
You drive home, cranking up the music. You are tired, and not looking forward to Dealing with Cranky Children when you get home. You pray for grace.
When you pull into your driveway, the Most Offending Child comes bounding out to the van, apologizes for being an idiot at the store, and grabs two bags of groceries to bring inside. The Other Offending Child is already fast asleep in bed. You now believe in miracles.
So has this ever happened to you?
No?
Me neither!
This was hypothetical, of course! Hypothetical. Really.
Sweet peace and sweet peaches,
Virginia Knowles
www.ComeWearyMoms.blogspot.com
P.S. #1: The sliced peach photo was edited with Picasa using the Ortonish feature.
P.S. #2: If you like the idea of gentle parenting, please check out my post, Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us, which has a lot of links on the topic.
P.S. #3: This post is the third in my rather random Big Words series, the most recent of which, the sentimental Sacramental, was only posted a few hours ago. This post will also be linked at these blog parties this week:
Each time I see a mother grocery shopping with two, three or four kids in tow, I feel so sorry for her! She's just outnumbered, and they know it! (Rarely do I see a father in the same situation...why is that?)
ReplyDelete