This was a brutal parenting weekend! So much drama, arguing and crying spread out between all 3 of them. Sunday was the icing on the cake though.
I decided to take the 2 girls shoe shopping. This time of year is especially difficult because I only buy things they absolutely need. Otherwise I tell them to put it on their Christmas list. My kids do not get whatever they want and they certainly don’t get something because someone else has it. I don’t care what other people have and for myself I will more likely not get something because everybody has it. But nonetheless their feet won’t stop growing so last years shoes don’t fit. It started out fun and the girls were trying on shoes and strutting around the store laughing. But it took a sudden turn 😖 Wanting one pair turned into 2, then 3 and then the talking back and arguing began. I must’ve given at least a half dozen warnings to get it together or we would leave empty handed. But it’s so hard out in public. You can feel people watching and judging, so I tried to be super patient, understanding and calm. At the same time I’m not one to let my kids act up or talk disrespectfully and then get their way.
At some point I decided we would get the shoes (one pair) but then I would take them away at home to be earned back after some consequences. But in the end I made a spur of the moment decision standing in line to check out. The talking back continued in line and after a final (and way too many) warning, I dropped the shoes and walked out the door. I had one kid behind me crying and one behind me still running her mouth. Oh my goodness it was a hard moment and I had to fight back my own tears. Driving home I went back and forth in my head if I had made the right decision, should we go back, should we go somewhere else so we can still get shoes, should I continue with the other errands I had…but we did none of those. I drove home with one angry kid and one sad kid, both really upset with me.
There’s no way to prepare for these parenting moments. There’s no manual with laid out scenarios and how to handle them. I think I made the right decision. It was hard and broke my heart but later on we talked it over. One realized her behavior was not ok and the other one knows it wasn’t her fault but also saw how our behavior even affects those around us and there are consequences.
Parenting is hard! 😔
~Elena
Elena And Erin.....It Is What It Is 