Be Kind To Your Fellow Mom

I used to laugh at the warning pictures that are placed on shopping carts. There are usually two or three circles with lines through them, showing you that one should not attempt to parasail off the edge of a shopping cart.

I laugh no more.

While at the market yesterday, Grace tried to take advantage of the fact that there was no (and there never is) seatbelt to tie her down to the cart. This resulted in many firm threats, which resulted in a very dramatic temper tantrum. She SCREAMED through the store as I quickly made my way to the checkstand.

In front of us in line was a woman who probably had grown children who never misbehaved in the market. She gave me a “look,” as though I should do something, but I know Grace’s tantrums, and there was nothing to be done. Furthermore, had I shoved a Kit-Kat in her face to shut her up, this woman would have given me the I-can’t-believe-you-are-indulging-her-Look. I tried to ignore Grace and pretended to be calm by looking at magazines, but I could feel my face getting hot and the headlines on Us Weekly blurred to read, “Brad and Angie Adopt Two Year Old Abandoned at Grocery Store.”

Suddenly a man to the right with a brightly lit ring over his head said, “Maam? I can take you over here.” It was a miracle. The lady in front of me gave the checker a grateful look, as though he had just responded to a Code Blue, thereby saving all shoppers from losing their minds.

As I was leaving (Grace is still wailing, loudly) I passed by a young woman sitting at the store’s bank station. She was covering her face and laughing. I smiled and shrugged, thankful that at least someone was finding some humor in the situation. In ten years, when her kids are screaming behind me at the checkstand, I will smile at her and tell her that my kids used to do the same thing.

In conclusion, after I had piled the kids and groceries into the car I walked to return the shopping cart to its place (super mom demonstrating excellent citizenship). When I arrived back at the car Jake was gently rubbing Grace’s arm, whispering, “Don’t worry Grace. Mommy and Daddy love you very much.”

Oh, for crying out loud.