This morning I had a dentist appt. I had to take the boys with me. So, I gave them their gameboys and that worked! They sat like little angels while I was under the LAUGHING GAS (no kidding, bubble gum scented gas...good stuff). I was proud as a peacock walking out of there. All the assistants were saying..."Oh, what great little boys you have". "I didn't even know they were with you, they were so quiet". On and on the compliments went and I was loving it.
Back out at the car, I told the boys..."Mommy is so proud of you, I'm gonna take you to Target to get you both a treat!" They were thrilled.
So, we venture in to search for that very special prize. Looking around at the $1.00 bins, of course. Will picked a slinky. Wesley picked a wind up yellow chick. I should have let things be. They were happy. Content with their prize, but NO, I had to take it a step further.
me - "Why don't we go over to the candy (jelly belly section) and you can each pick 5 pieces of candy to put in your OWN bag!"
boys - again, cheering
me - "Wesley, what 5 pieces of candy do you want?"
Wesley - "I want raspberries". (you know the little black and red gummies with beads on them)
me - "okay, let's count them....1, 2, 3, 4, 5! Yaaaay!"
Wesley - "NOOOOOOOOO! I want ALL OF THEM!" (screaming and starting to cry)
me - "Wesley, (trying to sound sweet because people are watching), remember mommy said, we could get 5, so let's have a happy heart about these okay sweetie?"
At this point I'm going to stop the dialogue because, well, there wasn't any more. Will was happily choosing his 5 pieces...(2 swedish fish, 1 sour gummy worm, 1 regular gummy worm and a gummy bear). Wesley is screaming so loud, I can't hear myself think. His face was blood red and he was MAD. I managed to get him to the check out. He was in FULL BLOWN tantrum mode. It was time to put our things on the belt to be scanned.
I handed the raspberries and the yellow chick to the check out guy and said, "We won't be getting these today." Those words, turned his world UPSIDE DOWN. Wesley just looked at me screaming and I started to get scared of him. ME - I'm the MOM! Afraid of my 3 year old. There was kicking and crying, wailing around on the floor...the whole bit. I had the attention of the photo lab guy, the customer service desk, the Target deli, every other person in the store.
I noticed something. They were all staring at ME.
"What is she gonna DO about THAT?" they wondered.
me - "Dear God, please make me invisible, please make me invisible..."
Call it nerves or the laughing gas, call it whatever you want, but I just started LAUGHING. Out loud. With everyone watching me. Including my tantrum throwing son. And my 6 year old. I kept thinking to myself. "Pull it together! Stop laughing. Get control of yourself, you're the mom!" None of this worked, but only made me laugh harder. I was mad that I was laughing because I didn't want Wesley to think he was off the hook by ANY MEANS. I was desperately trying to sound firm..."You are in trouble when we get home mister." But he wasn't buying it. Will then looks up at me and says...."mom, I think you did the right thing by not buying him treats. This is embarrassing." And Will's face was all red. He was mortified too. Only he wasn't hysterical like I was.
Kicking and screaming the whole way, I managed to get Wesley in the car. More stares in the parking lot of course.
We pulled in the driveway and I told Wesley to go STRAIGHT to the naughty corner. I made their lunch. Pulled myself together and was able to discipline him out of love.
He is napping now. Night and day difference. He looks like a little angel.
If any gals from my dentist office are reading this, thank you for the compliments this morning. I'm gonna choose to remember THAT moment of the day instead of the latter.
I wonder...is it safe to give laughing gas to kids??? :)
And just so you know, I love my little Wesley. He's a spit fire sometimes, but I love him to PIECES.
King Ranch Beef Casserole
12 hours ago
6 comments:
Oh, Angela! What did you have done to yourself that you needed laughing gas? I've asked for it before and the Dr. just looked at me like I was a drug addict or something! Then proceeded to inject my mouth with numbing fluid via a gigantic syringe!
The Target incident sounds like something that would happen to me! I would probably start laughing, too.
Angela, that was funny. The SAME thing happened to us at Harris Teeter on Saturday. Caroline was having an off day and we walked in, she pitched a fit over not wanting to go to the dairy section, we walked out to the car, I spanked her and we went home. SO Frustrating!!! You handled it well. I would have laughed, too:)
Why, why, why do our children have to turn something fun into something miserable for us??? :) Very funny story...for me that is. Way to follow through with not buying the toy and candy...not sure that I would have done that...you're one tough mama! :)
Angela, this is hysterical! I love that Will said he was embarrassed!
Good for you for sticking to your guns. I rememebr thinking that parents with tantrum thowing kids must be bad parents -ha!! that was BEFORE I had kids.
The first time Madison threw an all out tantrum in public I walked away from her and left her on the floor in the middle of an aisle - I was praying that "make me invisible" prayer.
Moments like this humble me and help me not be so judgemental... it happens to us all b/c they are foolish little sinners!! Good thing we have a God who specializes in foolish sinners! :)
Girlfriend, I'm stunned! You were still in a bubblegum buzz when we hung up the phone and all was well-
I remember the last meltdown Chaz had, in Best Buy about 10 years ago. I did the same thing you did, looked around and noticed everyone looking at ME. Somehow I managed to kneel down, get eye to eye with this insane monster that had only moments before been my precious son, and calmly tell him to look around at all the people staring at HIM. Once he did, he got really quiet. Not leaving well enough alone, I asked him if he had any idea what they were all thinking. When he shook his head no, I told him they're all thinking "That poor MOMMY!" I stood up, as he mulled it over, paid for our stuff and we left. He never again had a tantrum in public BUT, for 2 years after that, he would yell "Stop looking at me!" at us each time he cried. You handled it brilliantly - and with no long term damage ;-)
Okay, Love the laughing gas. I am actually going tomorrow to the dentist. If I could be put under for a cleaning I would opt for that! It is frustrating when those things happen! Sometimes I look at Jagger and think, "where did my sweet boy go?" I don't think Lola-Reese has ever thrown a tantrum, but Jagger has made up for it!
Post a Comment