August 24, 2011

Grocery Shopping

I hate doing grocery shopping with the kids if hubby isn’t around. Taking Alva is not too bad. But if Alden tags along, it automatically becomes a grocery-shopping nightmare.

He doesn’t want to sit on the trolley, likes to wander off and wants everything. When I ask him to hold my hand, he pulls away and says NO. When I chase him, he laughs at me and says na na na na na. Yang style bikin girigitan tu ba. When I’m not looking, he grabs stuff from the shelves and puts them in the trolley. There was one time, I found a packet of 8 AA batteries in the shopping bag. I didn't even realised he took it and I already paid for them.

Any mother who has had the joy of doing grocery with their toddlers would understand how crazy things can get at the supermarket.  It can be really frustrating cos you never get to finish your shooping. I always ended up leaving the store in a hurry cos all I wanted to do was to get home.

When my sister sent me the following short story, I immediately thought about the many shopping adventures I have had with Alden. The story really hit home cos I can totally relate to the grandfather.  

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did :)



THE CARING GRANDFATHER

A woman in a supermarket is following a grandfather and his badly behaved 3-year-old grandson.

It's obvious to her that he has his hands full, with the child screaming for sweets in the sweet aisle, biscuits in the biscuit aisle, and for fruit, cereal and drinks in the other aisles.

Meanwhile, granddad is working his way around, saying in a gentle controlled voice, "Easy, William, we won't be long . . . Easy, boy."

Another outburst, and she hears the granddad calmly say again "It's okay, William, just a couple more minutes and we'll be out of here. Hang in there, boy."

At the checkout, the little terror is throwing items out of the cart, and granddad says again in a controlled voice, "William, William, relax mate, don't get upset. We'll be home in five minutes; stay cool, William."

Very impressed, the woman goes outside where the grandfather is loading his groceries and the boy into the car.

She said to the elderly gentleman, "It's none of my business, but you were amazing in there. I don't know how you did it. That whole time, you kept your composure. No matter how loud and disruptive he got, you just calmly kept saying things would be okay. William is very lucky to have you as his grandpa."

"Thanks," said the grandfather, "but I'm William … The little bastard's name is Kevin."


source: unknown

11 comments:

Amanda Christine Wong said...

haha...funny story. maybe u need to put alden on those baby leashes i've seen on some toddlers :D

edythe said...

Hi, nice entry. I can't stop myself from commenting as I faced the same problem with u. This was with my youngest girl when she was 2-3 yrs old. There's once she cried looking for me when she lost inside the supermarket after she ran around thought that I was chasing after her.
And nice story abt the grandpa hehe...

Lizeewong said...

Manda- Yeah, I used to do that when he was 3-4. He's too big for that now..nda muat suda tu ^__^

Edith-Your girl was a firecracker too? hehe..But it's scary when they run off like that kan?

Isabel said...

That story is a good reminder to a mom like me who has yet to bring my son (when he's much older) to the supermarket. I don't know if I could handle situation like that. huhu..

edythe said...

I almost got a heart attacked when she was missing. But now, she turned 4, she's more behaved :)

CathJ said...

ah ahahahahahaha... I have a bigggg laugh!

Same here Liz.. I always prefer to do my grocery shopping when my boy was at school and me with the baby only.. eventho it's not that easy and very limited things I can grab.. but at least I can do it peacefully..

If my big boy tagged along... my shopping cart will ended with the most expensive toys from that shop... aduiii... and if I don't want to pay, sana lah...kena tebal muka and hold your pants tight.. hahahha... my boy pandai tarik seluar tu sama baju kalau mengamuk...and the loud vice of crying tidak payah mention lah..

Cath... hang on there... 5 more minutes.... LOL...

aemynadira said...

hahaha! funny! who else can deal with children that's having tantrums anyway? hehehe. i don't think i can do it in public..especially shopping mall. oh how can i be a mum?? haha. :p

Lizeewong said...

Isabel- Your Leonell seems like a very kuai boy. Si Alden ni hyper sikit ^__^

Edith - Lucky you. My Alden is 5 and he's full of mischief ^_^

Cath- Yeah. same la moi. If I had a choice, I would rather go alone. Easier! Wah, your boy tarik pants lagi?? Hahahaha..Masing2 ada style sendiri kan mau attract attention ^__^

Tu la next time we got to the supermarket we must do what the grandpa did "Calm down girl, relax..5 more minutes.." LOL

Aemy-Hehhee..Sometime I feel like I need the Supernanny. Btw, you'll learn when the time comes my dear ^__^

Tina said...

Hi Lizee! Shopping with a toddler or preschooler is every mother's nightmare. My kids' idea of fun was to shake the clothes racks/rails (where you hang clothes on hangers?) real hard or play hide and seek among the clothes; and supermarket aisles were tracks... like on the padang!
Loved the grandpa story!

Lizeewong said...

Jeez Tina. Alden does that too when I take him shopping. Really annoying cos I can never concentrate on my shopping. ^_^

Octavia said...

I immediately burst out laughing at the end of the story liz...dia panggil grandchild dia 'bastard ' lagi!! hahaha... Thank god my two kids love to sit in the trolley though....