If you follow me on Facebook, you would've noticed my status yesterday involved a trip that MD and I took to Target. (Side note: If you don't follow me on Facebook, you should).
We walked in to find a woman painstakingly scrubbing the Target cart with those free antibacterial wipes. I mean, the woman was cleaning parts of the cart her daughter wouldn't even be able to touch the bottom of her shoe to. All the while, her daughter is standing next to the cart picking her nose. Seriously, digging for buried treasure. I guess on the plus side, the boogers would be landing on a santized surface?
Another thing happened while we were on that same trip to Target that really irked me.
It got me thinking about things we can control in our kids' lives, and things we can't.
It has to do with grown-ups arguging.
See, Steven and I make it a point not to argue in front of MD.
I don't think it's healthy for kids to see their parents arguging in front of them.
There's lots of things I think parents SHOULD do in front of their kids (show affection, make each other laugh, have kid-appropriate discussions, etc), but arguing is not one of them.
I think it probably stems from, on my end, the fact that I don't ever remember seeing my parents argue in front of me.
Honestly, that probably took a lot of effort on their part, seeing that they got divorced when I was young, so I'm sure plenty of arguments took place leading up that that. But I never saw it.
It's not say that Steven & I don't argue.
We are human.
We've been together for almost 6 years, married for a little over 3, and have had MD for a little over 2.
We argue.
We just don't do it in front of him.
So MD and I are casually strolling around the baby section of Target (diapers were on the list) and I overhear two people arguing. I mean, seriously arguging. Raised voices, the whole 9 yards. I walked over to the clothing section (winter hat was on the list as well) and accidentally ran square into this (un)happy couple who were yelling at each other over something, I have no idea what.
We made a quick b-line out of there because not only did I want to hear their arguement, but I especially didn't want MD to overhear the madness.
Luckily, he didn't notice and we went right on shopping.
We headed up to the check-out, and I started putting all of our merchandise on the conveyor belt when I heard them.
Of course they would pick the same register as me.
Of course.
Still arguing, even more heated now.
They had their two kids with them who didn't seem phased in the last, but MD was.
His eyes got huge, I visibly saw his body stiffen, and he strained his neck to see where the yelling was coming from.
I was trapped...mid check-out and they were not jumping in another line.
The aruging continued as I tried to figure out a way to get MD to lose focus on the situation.
I started asking him to point out different items we were purchasing as they moved up the belt.
I asked him if he had a good day at daycare, if he was excited to see Daddy when we got home, if he wanted a sticker for being such a good boy at the store.
Luckily, it worked.
Even luckier, the male member of the (un)happy couple decided he was so mad he couldn't even stand being next to his wife/girlfriend/baby momma and the kids anymore, so he stormed off outside.
There was silence.
We ran into him walking to the car.
Now yelling at someone on his phone while pacing the parking lot.
I was pissed.
It was a prime example of something I wanted to shelter MD from, but I realized I don't actually have a choice in whether or not I can shelter him from it in the real world.
I understand he will hear arguing at some point, heck the kid argues with me already, but I just don't think young children need to be exposed to the arguements of grown-ups.
So I guess, in closing, I'd appreciate it if everyone at my local stores could please keep their domestic altercations to themselves.
There are people trying to shop in peace amongst you.
XOXO,
Laurel
We walked in to find a woman painstakingly scrubbing the Target cart with those free antibacterial wipes. I mean, the woman was cleaning parts of the cart her daughter wouldn't even be able to touch the bottom of her shoe to. All the while, her daughter is standing next to the cart picking her nose. Seriously, digging for buried treasure. I guess on the plus side, the boogers would be landing on a santized surface?
Another thing happened while we were on that same trip to Target that really irked me.
It got me thinking about things we can control in our kids' lives, and things we can't.
It has to do with grown-ups arguging.
See, Steven and I make it a point not to argue in front of MD.
I don't think it's healthy for kids to see their parents arguging in front of them.
There's lots of things I think parents SHOULD do in front of their kids (show affection, make each other laugh, have kid-appropriate discussions, etc), but arguing is not one of them.
I think it probably stems from, on my end, the fact that I don't ever remember seeing my parents argue in front of me.
Honestly, that probably took a lot of effort on their part, seeing that they got divorced when I was young, so I'm sure plenty of arguments took place leading up that that. But I never saw it.
It's not say that Steven & I don't argue.
We are human.
We've been together for almost 6 years, married for a little over 3, and have had MD for a little over 2.
We argue.
We just don't do it in front of him.
So MD and I are casually strolling around the baby section of Target (diapers were on the list) and I overhear two people arguing. I mean, seriously arguging. Raised voices, the whole 9 yards. I walked over to the clothing section (winter hat was on the list as well) and accidentally ran square into this (un)happy couple who were yelling at each other over something, I have no idea what.
We made a quick b-line out of there because not only did I want to hear their arguement, but I especially didn't want MD to overhear the madness.
Luckily, he didn't notice and we went right on shopping.
We headed up to the check-out, and I started putting all of our merchandise on the conveyor belt when I heard them.
Of course they would pick the same register as me.
Of course.
Still arguing, even more heated now.
They had their two kids with them who didn't seem phased in the last, but MD was.
His eyes got huge, I visibly saw his body stiffen, and he strained his neck to see where the yelling was coming from.
I was trapped...mid check-out and they were not jumping in another line.
The aruging continued as I tried to figure out a way to get MD to lose focus on the situation.
I started asking him to point out different items we were purchasing as they moved up the belt.
I asked him if he had a good day at daycare, if he was excited to see Daddy when we got home, if he wanted a sticker for being such a good boy at the store.
Luckily, it worked.
Even luckier, the male member of the (un)happy couple decided he was so mad he couldn't even stand being next to his wife/girlfriend/baby momma and the kids anymore, so he stormed off outside.
There was silence.
We ran into him walking to the car.
Now yelling at someone on his phone while pacing the parking lot.
I was pissed.
It was a prime example of something I wanted to shelter MD from, but I realized I don't actually have a choice in whether or not I can shelter him from it in the real world.
I understand he will hear arguing at some point, heck the kid argues with me already, but I just don't think young children need to be exposed to the arguements of grown-ups.
So I guess, in closing, I'd appreciate it if everyone at my local stores could please keep their domestic altercations to themselves.
There are people trying to shop in peace amongst you.
XOXO,
Laurel