Parenting Lesson 101

I should have known this morning, when Little Two woke up, that this was not going to be one of his better days.   I should have known since it is not one of his better days taking him, and Little Three, on errands right before picking up Little One and lunch was also not the smartest of ideas, but no, I decided to do it anyways.  After all, what could really go wrong? My little ones are kept on a tight leash: tantrums, throwing things, screaming, hitting are not acceptable in our home.   Although I'm pretty sure the customers at Target would not believe me if I told them that ...

Tuesdays and Thursdays are typically my errand mornings while Little One is at school.  Makes sense right?  Only lugging 2 little ones around, instead of 3, all under the age of 5? But did I mention those said 2 little ones are under the age of 2?  I think that going out in public with two under two would fall under the category of bad decisions due to sleep deprivation ... anyways ... 

The morning started off with battles: changing Little Two's diaper involved kicking, screaming, a stern 'no' and swift swat on the thigh ... you know ... just to show him who's boss.  Breakfast involved multiple spoons, because he has to have one in each hand (and I need one to get the food in his mouth - yes, that's 3 spoons to feed one little one, you counted right), screaming and thrashing over a peeled banana (thank goodness for high chairs with straps!) ... sorry Little Two, but bananas do not taste good with the peel on them ... and when they break in half they don't go back together.  Last, but definitely not least, getting dressed ... I'm not even going to go there.   Lets just say before 9 o'clock this morning Little Two had received numerous forms of discipline, but don't worry I still thought it was a good idea to take him out in public.

So we arrive at Target.  The drive there was surprisingly uneventful: he held my hand while walking to the car and no 'bending steal' to get him into the carseat.  Victory!  But that is where said victory ended.  No sooner had I gotten both little ones into the cart, strapped down, and into the store when Little Two decided he did not want to be sitting in the front.  No, he needed to be pushing the cart.   After multiple attempts to discipline/distract him, I gave into the screaming and temper tantrum and held him with one arm while I pushed the cart (despite his desperate attempts to push the cart himself).   At this point people are starring.  I'm hiding in aisles where no one is, and contemplating which would take longer: going through check out or trying to put everything back (that I've quite skillfully tucked into the cart around the infant seat and diaper bag).   

After what seemed to be an eternity, but was actually probably my shortest time spent in Target EVER, we made it out of the store and back into the car where the screaming and tantrums continued.  At this point I'm mortified at the looks and stares from the people in the store, and just plain old pissed at Little Two.   At first I'm thinking, 'how dare he disobey me like that ... and IN PUBLIC!' ... and then I realize what I had been given ... a heaping dose of humility.    There was nothing that was going to calm this little one down in the store, and it was not the result of bad, or lack of, parenting.   It just was.  It was inappropriate.  It was the terrible twos. It was wrong.  It was mortifying, but it was also a very good lesson in parenting: humility. 

Yes the picture above is from the continuing tantrum in the car .   After stopping to get gas on my way to pick up Little One the whole situation  took on a much more humorous note ...