Continued Confessions
I try really hard not to be judgmental. When I see someone doing something that is “un” something in the world according to Dawn, I work through it to come out on the other side. One of my recent judgments shot to hell by having kids of my own is related to shopping carts. Whenever I used to see moms with kids sitting or standing in the back of the cart I would get really judgmental about how unsafe that is and why can’t they find another way to do it.
Then last week I walked into the grocery store with my two toddlers only to find that all the cool double shopping carts shaped like a race car were taken. All that was left were the regular carts that only “seat” one. I had their stroller out in the car but seriously, it was like 100 degrees outside and what a pain that would be to turn around, go back, get it out, etc etc. So I threw them both in the back of the cart and we headed to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions. Then earlier this week I did it not once, but twice. First at PetSmart. Petsmart was cute as they showed me how well they know the store from stroller visits by going straight for the reptiles making their snake hiss sounds. Then on to the birds with great cries of “bird” “bird” (ok, I know that’s not what it sounds like but I’m not good at creating the real sounds so I just go with what they mean to say). But somewhere near the cats for adoption they wanted into the cart, so I obliged by putting them both in the back.
Then it was on to Babies R Us. Speaking of Babies R Us, I really need to write them a letter. How is it that there is such a huge upswing in multiples and they don’t have double shopping carts? Are they totally out of touch or what? So with two toddlers in the back of the cart I did my shopping quickly, as always.
I saw the judgmental looks shot my way on all three occasions, primarily by the people checking me out. I’m guessing that they either don’t have kids or never had twins or some combination of those two. I suddenly find myself in situations that I had no experience with before. So moms out there, if you worry that people are judging you when your kid cries in the restaurant, knocks things down in the store, when you give them a swat on the butt because they won’t stop arching and screaming when you try and put them into the car seat; know that the only ones who are judging you don’t count because they don’t know what it’s like, they’ve never been there but hopefully they will some day and they will laugh at themselves for being so small minded. I seem to laugh at myself weekly since the boys turned one.
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Comments
blessed be the everchanging flexible mind
we’ve all done things we never thought we’d do:
let them climb on the couch at home
leave them in their carseats
leave them in the bathtub
leave them in the highchair
go back inside while they’re playing outside
let them go down the slide alone
just as they test situations out, so do we
I let my 3 year old ride in the cart too. Especially if I know he’s not 100% and would likely run around and never look back. I think my twins will ride in them too…because you’re right, I have yet to see a double cart - except at Costco.
laughing right along with you. once i even put them in the back of the cart without shoes. what kind of mom am i? the good kind…i think.