In Case You Forgot….

Those of you who have older children and are missing the times when your children were young, I’ll give you a little reminder of what it was like to have a toddler.

Today I went to the store. My almost 3 year old likes to push the little kids cart around. He was doing great until we were almost through the checkout. He had a full blown screaming meltdown right there in the checkout lane. The baggers couldn’t get the groceries bagged fast enough. They reminded me of the pit crews at the Daytona 500.

His meltdown wasn’t over not getting any candy. It wasn’t over a toy. It even wasn’t over him wanting to leave. It was because he wanted to keep the little shopping cart and the fact that we were leaving the store. That’s right, he wanted to stay and he wanted to keep the cart.

That’s a new one.

Talking to him wouldn’t work, he was screaming too loud to hear me. I couldn’t get him to sit in my cart, so I looked apologetically to the cashier as I handed him my 20+ coupons. As I apologized to everyone between the gasps of air my son took, the cashier behind me was kind enough to say that he understood as he has a four year old. I appreciated that. At least I had one person not shooting daggers at me with their eyes.

My son wailed at the top of his lungs all the way to the car. Only when I told him I needed his help to put the heavy bags into the car did he stop. He’s my little helper and knowing that Mommy needs his help is enough to calm him down.

I later explained why we couldn’t keep the carts. He frowned as he wiped his tears and sniffled as I buckled him in. All was forgotten by the time we pulled out of the parking lot. Toddlers are definitely bipolar little individuals whose moods change faster than the weather around here.

So, if you ever miss those days of when your children were young, think back, if your brain hasn’t blocked it out by now, of the times like these and see if that longing for the good old days passes.