Wednesday 24 June 2015

Things you don't do with children in tow - but we (I) do

So today I did something pretty silly and within 2 minutes of the trip I realised why I didn't normally do it. I went to a shopping centre with both boys, yes BOTH boys! I do go shopping occasionally when there are things I need with just one of the boys, normally Noah when Finley is at preschool. This is the best way as Noah is still in a pushchair so I go to the shop I need, get the jobs done I need to do and get out in lightening quick time! I always go with snacks in hand as these always make the experience that little bit less painful.

But today I was meeting two old school friends for lunch and a wonder around the shops. Why I thought this was a good idea with both boys I don't know but I did go with a packed lunch and a ridiculous amount of snacks. This time the snacks didn't make it less painful as they both just cried when the snacks ran out lol! We got there about 11 and had a wonder around, in one shop Finley took every gift voucher off a stand and handed them to me telling me there were 10. Then Noah in EVERY clothes shop grabbed every item of clothes we went past and pulled them off the hanger, as I was replacing the one he had pulled off he was pulling more off the hangers the other side. I am laughing now but at the time I could have just jumped in the car and come home had it not been for the fact I was hungry, wanted lunch and hadn't seen my friends for a while.

At lunch the boys did behave when they were eating. But when all the food, and I mean ALL the lunch and snacks had gone, they weren't impressed. Finley started digging in the large plant pot next to us and when I asked him to stop playing with the mud he replied 'its compost mummy'. I bribed them the prospect of cookies and ice cream so they calmed down a little and off went to grab a few essentials we needed.
I went to try on some leggings so left Finley with my friend, when I reappeared I was presented with photos of Finley trying on all the sparkly high heels!! She is a friend that will be the person who teaches my children all the naughty things when she looks after them - if we're honest we all have a friend like this and I think we all need this friend in our lives!


So once all our jobs were done and we had all had a good catch up we made our way home. This whole experience got me thinking of all the things that you don't do with children if you want to stay sane, but we all do them. Here they are:

1 - The first one was obvious, clothes shopping.

2 - Food shopping. Most of us hate it so our kids will too.

Food shopping boredom
3 - Try and do work at home. This is one that is unavoidable but it is hellish!


When he realised working with mummy was boring
4 - Go to a theme park in the height of the season, whether it be a children's theme park or not.
Waiting in a theme park queue
 5 - Decorate. I did this one and it wasn't too bad but I got lucky. Next time it will be carnage.

6 - Move house. Not from experience but we will be doing this soon. Hopefully we will have parents on hand to take them away for the day as I'm sure its not the easiest thing to do with little people running around the place.

7 - Go to the Next sale. I have been lucky enough not to have needed to do this but I would have done it, and may still do it, if I needed to. And I get stressed with just myself so who knows what it would be like with a child in tow.
8 - Look for a new car. Done this and got the t-shirt, not fun! They get bored and end up screaming the dealership down.

9 - Do a family photo shoot where the children need to pose and sit still. This for us has never been a pleasant experience and next one we do the kids will be able to run free and will be a natural one, no posed shots.


One of the good ones
And last one....

10 - Go sofa shopping. Yep we didn't learn from the car experience and took them around a million sofa shops, not fun on anyone - us or the people selling the sofas!

Even after writing this post I won't learn and I will do one of these or something else that is not really suitable for children and then think afterwards - why?!?!




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21 comments:

  1. haha I am not going to do ANY form of shopping with my little girl or future ones now! haha. Love the high heels shot xx

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  2. Ugh, I do all of these and NEVER learn my lesson! I once took all 3 (2,6,9) into the changing rooms while I tried on dresses for a job interview. Nightmare! x

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  3. I never learn my lesson and I have had 4 children!! Kaz x

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  4. Haha, this is why I have my food shopping delivered and do most of my other shopping online too! Great list! x

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  5. I took M shopping every day from day 1. She is ok about going now, but does like to stop for tea and cake so thats my bribe for her!! :-) #binkylinky

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  6. Oh I have made quite a few of these mistakes, we don't learn until we do them though ;) #thelist xx

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  7. oh I definitely agree with a lot of this stuff especially shopping this is a massive no no for me I always do it online or go when I have no children which is rare! great post it made me laugh cause I get every point! #BinkyLinky

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  8. HA! This made me smile - every time I go into town with Ted I wonder why on earth I don't learn my lesson! Thanks for sharing this on #bigfatlinky Jen - Mrs Dad Network

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  9. Love the high heel photos! I don't get clothes on the High Street now, much better to order online and send back the items that don't fit! I last tried taking the boys shopping and out for lunch with my friends when O was 14 months old and never tried again, I would rather see them less often, but childless! Not tried the car one yet, but that might be happening soon, not looking forward to it! X

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  10. I've done all of those, except 7 & 10. I will try to keep it that way. I used to love shopping, but not anymore! Not with three small children in tow anyway xxx #twinklytuesday

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  11. I love this and so true and yet I do these with both of my toddlers too. People are constantly telling me I am crazy for all I do with them on my own like running errands. lol I think when they get used to it, they are better at it. Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me #sharewithme

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  12. You did WHAT???! I wouldn't even take R shopping on his own, never mind if he had a brother! Fair play for trying but thank goodness you're a blogger so you could write this list to remind you next time - hahah! ;) Mike always wants to do things like go to IKEA or we recently did the aforementioned sofa shopping and I'm always like WHHHHHY?!??! It's going to be hell. And it is! He'll never learn though I don't think, rose tinted specs I recon ;)

    Thanks for linking up to #TheList xx

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  13. I gave up on the food shopping a long time ago and now do it online! They were pretty good the first few times, but soon got bored! Sorry the comment for last weeks #BinkyLinky is a little late, we were on holiday and only got back late last night!

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  14. What an interesting perspective. As a single mother, it had never really occurred to me to identify specific tasks that I can't do with children in tow. I suppose it's more accurate to say that I just don't do things that you can't do without children. The only thing that comes to mind is going to bars, but I'm sure there are others. I spend so many hours at work, the idea of hiring someone to watch my kids to run errands is just unthinkable. Present shopping is a challenge. Online shopping ends up being the solution for anything that needs to be kept secret, I suppose.

    Thanks for linking with #TwinklyTuesday!

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