Pain and Pleasure at the Grocery Store

I enjoy grocery shopping with my son the way some people like picking their scabs. There is something painfully pleasant about the whole thing. Sure, we end up with a box of some sugary cereal that he’ll eat two bites of and then toss aside for his tried-and-true Crispix. And at times there is some yowling as we cruise up and down the aisles. But we’ve got the experience down to a nice groove now. I can even manage that oversized car buggy without ramming other shoppers now. And that takes skill.

A girlfriend of mine was sharing an usually unpleasant story about a recent grocery shopping experience with her 3 ½-year-old. She wanted some words of wisdom – from me of all people! So I gave her some tips that work for us. And since I’m hardly the expert, you might want to share some wisdom of your own.

What works for us:
Truman and I have an agreement. He can have one thing, whether it’s cereal or a toy car that falls apart or some Crush Cup yogurt he will lick once and then toss away. But if he falls into a violent fit, then that one item goes away.

I also consult with him constantly while shopping. I did this when he was too young to talk back, and now that he can it’s even more fun to hear his logic. I say, “Should I get the Breakfast Blend or the French Roast? What do you think?” He says, “I think you should get the blue, Mommy.” I say, “The blue is decaf. We can’t get the blue. So is it the yellow or the red?” He says, “Is French from the country France, Mommy? I like France. What’s decaf? Why can’t we get the decaf?” And so on.

I also started giving him one of those long, thin reporter pads and a pen so he can “write down” and “mark off” his own grocery list. One time, when I glanced away to riffle through packets of ground turkey, he wrote all over his face with the pen. So be prepared for excitement like that.

As crazy as it sounds, I actually prefer grocery shopping with my son these days even if he causes the Windex Wipes display to knock over. Call it our mother-and-son bonding moment, but I actually miss him when he’s not there in the buggy with me.

(photo, JWJourney)