Long before Amara was ever born her Mommy had some very strong opinions on how children and parents should behave in public. I like to think that I played a role in her mindset. I think she remembers the time when as a 4 or 5 year old she was physically removed from a store – by me. She kicked and screamed the entire way to the car but it only happened once, she was a very fast learner and sitting in the car with an angry and unsympathetic Mommy while her Daddy finished the shopping wasn’t fun and I don’t think she wanted to do it a 2nd time.
Obviously, not all parents feel this strongly about how kids should behave in public. Yesterday certainly seemed to be proof of that. There were children screaming, having temper tantrums and generally making life miserable for everyone around them!
I love going shopping with Amara and her Mommy. OK, Amara and I do get a little crazy and at least once during each shopping trip Jenna has to turn to the two of us and say “Do I need to talk to you two?” but it said with love and with a giggle in her eye. We just like being silly and at least we are well behaved, unlike the children running wild in the mall yesterday while parents were completely oblivious. One child even ran by Jenna, smacked her as he went by and said “HI!”. He and his sister were playing tag in the store. They were not the only children running amuck. They were everywhere! One parent did glance over and go “hey” and then went back to her shopping as her 5 kids pulled clothes off the shelves.
Now Amara is not perfect and she does try and push the envelope sometimes. She is seven. But her Mommy has taught her you don’t run and scream and play in the store. She has been taught that if you pick something up off of a shelf to look at it that you must try your best to fold it and put it back the way you found it. If you take down something on a hanger – you must put it back neatly.
So hats off to Amara’s Mommy and Daddy for doing such a great job of teaching Amara to “act like a lady” and to be respectful of other people and their things.
Tags: Amara, behaving, Grandma, Mommy, shopping
Kudos to you, Grama Kc! You set all this in motion because you were a great mom! Now you’re a great Grama too! And a great sister, by the way!! xoxo
Wonderful!!! When shopping with my grown children, and kids are running wild around us, I always say to them “I am sure glad you are grown up” and they laugh.
I wish more people would teach their children how to behave properly in public. Mine were never allowed to run wild. They new how to behave in a restaurant or a store at a very early age. I will admit that it was easier to train my daughter than my son. He did occasionally run amok.
Yes, hats off to Mommy and Daddy! I agree completely with your mindset. My girls never acted like that in public and now will comment when we see hellions at a store or such. Bubby tries it, but the reins are tightened immediately. He knows better, but of course has to test the limits.
Yes, I am so VERY glad I don’t have little kids anymore…and that my grandkids, so far, are being raised by a Mommy and Daddy who lay down the law, at least when it comes to appropriate behavior.
It seems inevitable that I will get behind someone, or the someone behind me that goes down the very same aisles where something is located that I need with a screaming child. It makes me nuts!
I came across a wonderful tool somewhere along this road. Whenever the now gramerlings ask for something, I always say, “Why, I think that would be great.” “Let’s put it on your list.” Some folk even carry a physical list to write on. This seems like such a preferable answer to yelling, “No, didn’t I tell you you weren’t getting anything.” “Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa……….”
I did this with Bean from and early age, and continue to with all of them. However, after much shopping and list making with Bean, once, when he was about three and a half, after agreeing to yet another item to go on the list he inquired, “Drandma, what is a wist?” I’ve laughed over that many, many times. Hat’s off to the second generation of polite child tenders!
Yes, it’s a joy to be around kids who are polite, respectful and well-behaved. Unfortunately, it’s almost a rarity to find a child like that. Congrats to your family for raising children with manners.
Amen! Even my little 17-month-old grandson knows how to behave. The other day at Olvera Street, he’d pick up a toy and I’d tell him to put it down and he would. No temper tantrum (of course, it helps that he doesn’t talk