Family Friday

Happy Friday friends.  Mandy's computer is still down so I am back!  So often I see (and have been one) frustrated moms at the store.  The kids are screaming or running around and the mom just looks done with.  So today I thought I would give you a few tips to make your store experience better.

1. Never go to the store when your little ones are tired.  Let's face it, children get cranky when they are tired.  Try to go to the store early in the morning when they are bright eyed and fresh or right after a nap.  Never go when they are tired.

2. Never go to the store when your little ones are hungry.  Your children also get cranky when they are hungry.  We all do.  {smiles}  Never go to the store close to meal time.  Try to go fairly close after a meal or take a snack with you.

3. Involve your kids in the shopping.  If your kids are old enough, give them a small list of things to be on the look out for.  You can even add a math lesson in there without them know.  Write your item down, have them locate it and find the price and add all of their items up to see how much money you spent. If your children are younger, try taking pictures of simple items like Cheerios and milk, then put the picture on an index card and tell them to watch out for the item.


4. Play rhyme games.  When you pick up an item, have your children find rhyming words for it.  Pick up the loaf of bread and ask them for rhyming words; head, lead, said, etc.

5. It's okay to reward them.  When we shop, we have a circle we make in the store to catch everything we need.  My kids know that the bakery at the front of the store by the fresh fruits and veggies, where we make our last stop, has free cookies.  They know that if they are well behaved, they may have a cookie when we pass by.  If they act up, they miss out.  If your store doesn't have anything like that, you can purchase a small piece of candy at the check out, make a run after the store for $.99 Frosties at Wendy's, or a trip to the park.

6.  Sing songs!  My mom has told me that when I was a little girl I would be in the front of the buggy and as she pushed me through the store, I would sing Jesus Loves Me.  Now, my children and I often will sing songs like Father Abraham, The B.I.B.L.E. and other little kid's Christian songs.  Sometimes we make up silly songs.

7.  Watch your children.  I am going to step up on my soap box for a moment, I hope you don't mind.  We go to the grocery store early in the morning because it is not so busy then.  Recently we went and walked by a buggy in the frozen food section of the store and in the buggy was a carseat.  Assuming the mom is carrying the baby, we walk by.  Nope.  The precious baby, around two months old, was sleeping in the carseat.  No parent around anywhere.  My children and I sat there for four minutes, we timed it, and not one person walked over to claim this sweet child.  Finally after four minutes a woman walked up with her other child and some items, placed them in her basket and pushed her buggy and baby away.  Ladies, I could have taken that carseat and been to my car and out of the parking lot.  Please, please, please, watch your sweet little blessings when you are at the store.  {stepping off soap box now}

What other tips do you have to make trips to the store more pleasurable?


Sweet Blessings~