Ship Full o' Pirates

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GROCERY SHOPPING WITH YOUR KIDS can be a hassle.  Yes, feed ‘em first.  Go potty at home and go again as soon as you get to the store.  Bring their pillow and blanky if they are cart riders.  By all means train them before taking them to the grocery store.  

But still, even after you’ve done these things, you still need a plan.  A code of behavior.  The kids need to know you are not gonna buy candy or anything else they ask for in that store.  And you need to be honest with them about that.  Don’t tell ‘em that you aren’t gonna buy it if you really don’t have a spine.

I used to take all of my children to the grocery with me every week.  I also used to pay with cash.  I would only take $100 in my purse.  So, I had to be absolutely certain about my running total.  

I made my list in two columns on a piece of notebook paper attached to a clipboard.  I wrote down my prices, rounded to the nearest nickle, in the margins and would stop about 5 times during the shopping so I could add everything up.

My kids are rather well behaved in the store because I trained ‘em and I taught them what to expect and I was consistent, every week.  But, when I was adding my prices I needed to not be interupted even if  a “cowboy” walked by the end of the row we were on, or there was a person in a bunny costume, or the sample lady was waving at us.  You know?  I didn’t want to be interrupted unless there was a fire or someone was bleeding… badly.  So, I invented THE GAME.  When I wanted to add my prices I would calmly say, “Y’all play the game.”  And they would hop to it.

The rules are simple.  

• Stand in a line, youngest to oldest. (out of the way of other shoppers) 
• Stand up straight.  
• Be as still and as quiet as you can.  
• You may breathe and you may allow your heart to beat, but that’s all!

My children are very competitive, so I always picked a winner when I was done adding.  I didn’t allow them to display dismay if they didn’t win, but I always encouraged them to try harder next time.  There never was a prize and I can count on one hand the number of times I got interrupted while doing my math.

I know what you’re thinking.  You’re thinking it’s so simple, how could that work?  I thought so too.  I don’t know why something so simple worked.  You really would think there would have to be a prize or a punishment.  But I never did either.

I am convinced my success was due to advance training and teaching of the expected behavior.

I did, sometimes, reward good behavior for the whole shopping trip, but I never tied it to THE GAME.

Now it’s your turn.  Share your helpful hints and practical tips for raising a large family.  Write your Help for Growing Families post and link here with my Mister Linky.  For more details click here.

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