Recently, I found myself in an emergency situation at Target. I made the questionable decision to bring my lively, nearly two-year-old troublemaker along for a quick shopping trip.
First Mistake
As we stepped into Target, she pointed to the food court and enthusiastically declared, “this way.” I foolishly followed her lead, convinced by her adorable smile. I mean, who can resist those sweet curls and blue eyes, right?
Second Mistake
When she asked for popcorn, I knew it was a bad idea. I tried to persuade her to opt for a cookie or a slushy instead. But there she was, cutely insisting on “popcorn,” a word I didn’t even know she had in her vocabulary. I totally fell for it—hook, line, and sinker.
For about a minute, she munched happily on her popcorn, and I felt like Supermom. But then, like Gretel leaving breadcrumbs, she began dropping popcorn everywhere. I picked up piece after piece, still feeling like I had it under control—until we reached the sock aisle. She needed fancy socks for her sailor dress, and I envisioned how adorable she’d look. Yet, with no socks in hand and more popcorn scattered, I was starting to lose my grip.
The Unraveling
At this point, she became frantic, dropping her pretend lipstick in the cart and insisting on sitting in the back. I gave in, but that was when everything unraveled. Why did I think this was a good idea? While I chatted with another mom, my daughter dumped an entire bag of popcorn in the toy section. Why did I even take her there?!
As I scrambled to clean up, my little one attempted to climb out of the cart, one hand clutching popcorn and the other pulling down my shirt while hanging onto my favorite necklace. Just then, a mom with well-behaved kids walked by, her children looking like little angels. Her expression was kind yet slightly judgmental, as if to say, “I’ve never been that mom,” but haven’t we all found ourselves in a similar situation at least once?
A Moment of Chaos
In the midst of the chaos, my daughter spotted an Elsa microphone and shouted, “Let it go!” I grabbed it for her delight, marched to the checkout, and left with only the microphone. #survival.
Now, sitting in the car, my hands were shaking. She was singing into her new microphone, and I realized I had given in to her antics. I shouldn’t have rewarded her for her behavior, but I just needed to escape.
Dear God, guide me as I raise this little red-headed whirlwind. Please. Amen.
You’re Not Alone
If you can relate to being that mom, know you’re not alone. And if you’ve never had such an experience, I can only hope your luck holds out. As for my favorite Target, I am officially done with popcorn purchases.
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In Summary
We all have our moments as parents, and it’s okay to laugh (or cringe) at ourselves. Life is full of surprises, especially when you have little ones around.