Thursday, May 16, 2013

Pennies for Peace

Taking my three VERY energetic children to Wal-Mart (or any mart for that matter) is a challenge.  By the end of this challenge, I am always ready to throw in the towel.  I have already been through all the challenge hurdles:

Please stop climbing on the cart.
No, I will not buy that for you.
Please put that back.
Please stop running.
Please don't touch that.
Stay on this isle so that I can see you.
I cannot push with you hanging on the cart.
Please come back over here, you are in that person's way.

Multiply that by three kids, then multiply again by every minute we are in the mart, and by the time I reach the checkout lane I am done.  D-O-N-E.

Except I'm not.  I'm not done.  I still have to check out.  I still have to unload the cart onto the conveyer belt, swipe the card, push yes, then no, sign on the line, and get all the sacks into the cart while simultaneously telling each of the three kids:

Please stop climbing on the cart.
No, I will not buy you gum.
I will not buy you toys either.
Please get off that.  You will break it and/or get hurt.
Please stop hooking and unhooking the belt that closes the lane.
The cart will tip over if you hang on it while it's empty.
Please stop twirling the sack turn-table.
Please come back over here, you are in that person's way.

I'm not calling my kids straw or me a camel, but it's enough to threaten what little is left of my patience and tip me over the edge.  In those last few moments when the finish line is so close and I feel closer and closer to the end (the end of my sanity that is), I dig out every penny that I can find in my purse and buy myself just enough time to make it.

I hand over the fistful of pennies to my oldest and send all three kids a few steps away to support the Children's Miracle Network.  Their focus on this kind deed is very short lived (depending on how many pennies I had), but it is just enough time for me to cross the finish line in peace.

Pennies may not buy much these days, but they buy enough for me.


1 comment:

  1. I do not know how you do it. you must be super mom. I admire self control.

    ReplyDelete