As a parent I have found that I suck the fun out of my kid’s life on the daily. Opportunities for me to disappoint my child are lurking everywhere; at the grocery store, at Target and even around the house. I know I am not the only parent that shudders at the words “Mom, can I paint?” Between busy schedules, worrying about our kid’s health and the family budget there are just some things that are better left for Grandma.
Let’s start out at the grocery store. You know that retailers target tired Moms who would rather skip the argument and give in to a child’s every request. For us it starts as soon as we spot the car shopping cart. There is nothing I hate more than the germ-infested car shopping cart. But gosh does my kid love it! As soon as she spots it, she is pleading to ride in it. She sees herself racing down the aisles Mario Andretti style, but all I see is myself juggling the impossible to steer car through the crowded aisles trying not to knock over toilet paper towers and jars of tomato sauce. Not to mention begging my child not to touch the last kid’s leftover sample cups.
Another annoying part of these Car Carts, it puts the kid at perfect eye level to spot the sugar-filled cereals. All I want to do is grab my Special K and rush to the checkout, but my daughter is shrieking that she NEEDS Lucky Charms! And speaking of the check-out line, there’s always the age old “No you can’t have that (insert desired candy bar here)” argument. Marketing genius/Mommy nightmare. Let’s save those treats for the next outing with Grandma.
It doesn’t stop at the Grocery Store. Have you ever been to Target, a craft store or a book store right before a holiday? Any of those stores are lined with stuffed animals. What every parent needs, one more giant hippo holding a heart or a plush rabbit gripping an Easter basket. If your Child’s bedroom or playroom is anything like mine, they could create their very own zoo of stuffed animals.
Then there is anything in a blind box or bag! Whoever came up with sticking a $4 price tag on teeny plastic toys concealed in little containers with the words “Collect Them All” scrawled across the packaging deserves the worst accommodations the afterlife has to offer. I can’t tell you how many of the same “Squinkies” and “Mini Boos” we own. My daughter calls them “Twins or Triplets” I just call it a waste of money. I am so glad my daughter has two amazing grandmas to spoil her with these things!
Even at home there are several things I’d rather “Save for Grandma.” Basically, anything that is going to cause another mess for Mom to clean. For example, baking with children. In theory it sounds like a great afternoon activity. Until the kid turns on the mixer at high speed splattering batter all over the counter. Or misses the mixing bowl dumping flour all over the floor. Then there are the messy crafts. Painting and play-doh as much as I know how great it is for my daughter to experience and how beneficial it is for her fine motor development, the mess of it all gives me hives!
Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of times we have splurged and grabbed a candy bar at the check out stand! Of course, I bake and do art projects with my daughter from time to time. But the great thing about grandparents is that they don’t have to balance the busy schedules. There is no need for them to worry about giving their grand kids too much sugar or buying them too many treats because that’s what grandparents do. It’s a grandparent’s job to spoil their grandchildren. So, save some of those special treats and messy fun for Grandma. Grandma will get to be the hero and it will save you a little sanity.
