Shopping with the kids
I watched a good mom in action today. It was interesting to observe her teaching her young son big life lessons while never once raising her voice.
We run a kid friendly store with some fragile items but also books, a few puzzles, hand made goods, etc. We don’t fret when kids come in…we keep stickers at the counter to hand out and often have treats, too. We leave the parenting to the parents, but sometimes it is fun to be the fly on the wall – or behind the counter.
The little boy was about 3 years old and he did very well in the shop…until apparently he touched something that he wasn’t supposed to – at least that is what I think happened. He raised his voice to his mom and blamed her for him dropping his quarter. I do not know what she said to him, but I have to admit that he calmed down a lot quicker than my youngest would have when he was that age!
He found his quarter and they discussed how he was going to spend it. We have an old fashioned 25¢ candy machine, which is what he chose. They discussed the colors of the fruity candy and what flavors were best. Like a big boy he put his quarter in and got his candy. I think the color he didn’t like was given to mom. He walked on through the shop with his mother, chewing as he went. Then, much to my delight, he announced that he wanted his quarter back. She patiently explained to him that it was gone. He wanted to know where it was. As they left the store she was reminding him that he chose to trade it for candy. He was listening and trying to understand, asking questions as they went out the door.
I suspect that someday he is going to be a fine young man speaking quiet words of wisdom to his own children.
