Embarassment while out shopping

[Jacquilynne]

Here's a somewhat humorous adventure now that its over :o

Today, I was out fully dressed with the family (wife and kids). Oh yeah!! Well we were only shopping for our weekly groceries so it shouldn't have been a big deal. . . I mean shouldn't have been.

Thats not what happened!

See, today our middle daughter (age 3) was in a particular bad, or horribly bad mood all day long!! she was terrible off and on. It was a typical toddler mood that couldn't be controlled -- screaming , whining and all-around girly angst . . . bad news.

Anyway, we were in our last store (Walmart) and she started acting up a little at first . . . wasn't too bad to start.

Then, as we were about to finish . . . she began to act out really badly (I can't remember what precipitated the outburst). So much so that I was going to take her out to the car and let my wife finish up.

That was the problem, as soon as I picked her up to take her out, she melted down . . . and began screaming loudly and flailing her arms all the while crying and screaming so badly she almost somersaulted right out of my arms!! Mind you we were right out in the open, in the middle of the produce isle and there she was screaming and pitching a serious diva fit right in my arms . . . there were quite a few people in the area and now EVERYONE was staring at the loud scene!! My wife said even the SA manning the seafood section popped his head up to see what was going on! :eek:

Here I am fighting to control a screaming, flailing child while dressed with my purse and all!! i Yikes, it was horribly embarrassing. Somehow we got her under control a little . . . basically enough to get out with no more incidents . . . but I was somewhat a mess . . . When I was able to look around, and compose myself I saw that everyone was back to scurrying around with their own business of shopping.

It appears they only stopped long enough to gawk at the scene like onlookers to a car wreck! So, I guess it wasn't that bad . . . but it was indeed embarrassing.

I'm sure there are others who have experienced embarrassing situations and I know there have been posts inquiring of and describing about such but I just thought I'd share this one.

Hope you enjoy. . .after this I sure can smile.

Jacie

[danielle_from_cal]

That's a great story! I suspect that most of us that go shopping while dressed are more concerned about being stared at. I cannot imagine having to care for a child that is screaming away. I think I would have died!

[Jacquilynne]

believe me. . .I wanted to find the nearest small corner and disappear! It was horrible. . .

I made it out alive tho . . . whew!

Jacie

[Angie G]

Gotta love those kids. Thank God mine never did that in public.:hugs:
Angie

[sissystephanie]

My two children never did anything like that in public. They knew better! However, I did have an experience with a two year old who became my granddaughter!

My daughter marreid a man with two kids, and left on their honeymoon. My wife and I had agreed to take care of the two young (4 and 2) children. I took a day off work and told my wife I would take them to the Seattle Zoo, which is a very nice Zoo and had a big Lion named Caesar!

The first half of the Zoo the kids were great. Jeannette, the two year old was in her stroller, and Jason just walked around taking everything in. Then we got near the Lions and Caesar started to roar. We couldn't even see him, or any lions, but we could sure hear him. Jeannette started screaming as only a two year old girl can do! When she stopped, Caesar roared even louder then he had before. So she screamed again! It became a contest, who could make the most noise! Everybody was looking at us, and all I could think was how do I get out of this place quickly!! It is funny to tell this story now, but it did not seem funny at the time. BTW, Jeannette does not remember doing that, but Jason still does!!

[Susan G]

You now have a precious memory you'll remember forever. Imagine if your child shouted out "Daddy", that would have been rough. Thanks for sharing your story, and I feel the blush you must of been wearing!:o

[Billijo49504]

Yea, I like the Daddy part. That would be a thing to remember too!!..BJ

[trannie T]

Thank you for reminding me why I chose to never have children.

[Carin]

Ah the joys of parenthood.

Been there a few times. But in the end, they are all worth it.

[Sally2005]

Going in, you have to expect kids to be kids... so you should have known she would act up in public. I'm not saying that to tell you you did anything wrong, only that setting your expectations low will prepare you for the worst. When something like that happens to me I get tunnel vision and focus on the kid and smile (kids are kids) and just focus on getting the kid to understand acting up won't do any good and they must believe you are prepared to wait them out even if the whole world is watching!

You have courage to do it while dressed. Thanks for sharing the story!

[Jacquilynne]

Thanks for all the great compliments . . . funny thing is generally our kids are exceptionally well behaved :) (we have actually been complimented on their outstanding behavior so many times.) Its just our girls have been recovering from sicknesses and colds so their sleep schedules are off . . . that and she had been awake most of the night before! :eek: and NO nap. :eek::eek:

I understand kids are kids can act up at the worst times . . .I was just embarrassed at the level of scene that she made. . . and was trying to not make more of one myself!

I kinda knew it was going to be a little rough as she had been cranky most of the day.


. . . just focus on getting the kid to understand acting up won't do any good and they must believe you are prepared to wait them out even if the whole world is watching! . . .

True. that does work at times its just really embarrassing especially when dressed!

BTW: I think she may of screamed, "Daddy, let me go" . . . not too sure tho. I was too busy wrestling with her. Anyway, its all over now and now I do have a humorous story to tell . . .

Jacie

[kimmy p]

I'm sure that your child is fine most of the time but....
This is why I still think that a roll of duct tape and a small pet carrier is the best babysitter in the world! :D

[Kim_Bitzflick]

Jacie,

I'm glad it ended well. What ever doesn't kill you makes you stronger & if you survived this, you can survive a lot more.

Kim

[kristinacd55]

My older daughter (now 23) used to make memorable scenes in public, one time in Wash. DC she wanted to go up to the Washington Memorial even though the line was like 2 hours. My wife & I started walking to the Lincoln Memorial & she threw herself on the ground flailing away. I got a pic of her on the ground & we all share a huge laugh over it now! Of course, I wasn't enfemme at the time & people who knows what other people thought. :)

[linnea]

Thank you for recounting your tale of woe and embarassment. Probably, as people tend to be, the object of attention (in this case, you) tends to be much more self-conscious and embarassed than the looks really warrant. With the uproar, naturally people looked. Many probably were relieved that they were not the involved parents.
As to you being dress (you look great, by the way), you might just think of this being one more adventure en femme.
Now that it's over, I would guess that you can laugh at it a little--especially since you know that you got through it all right.

[Ralph]

BTW: I think she may of screamed, "Daddy, let me go" . . . not too sure tho.

Now THAT would get a lot of double-takes as people try to match up the word "daddy" with the image. Har!

We always taught our kids that yelling for help won't do much if they are taken by a stranger in a crowded place; people will figure it's just another obnoxious child having a tantrum. Instead they should scream "This is not my father/mother".

Of course, that was 10-15 years ago. Nowadays I'm more likely to draw on the almost-adult kids' martial arts training to protect me when we're downtown late at night!

[Rachel Morley]

I'm not a parent so I'm maybe coming from a place others might think of as cold and heartless, but for me, I can't think of anything worse! Screaming toddlers are very annoying to me even at the best of times, but to have one literally screaming their head off violently in a very public place, attracting even more attention toward me while I'm en femme is something I really would not like at all. :sad:

[MaryAnn40c]

You are a brave gurl,out shopping with your wife and kids. I conmend you on your abilities, you are strong.

[Christinedreamer]

My mother tells the story of my older sister who pulled the same stunt (55 years ago) in a diner as the family was driving across country. Sis (about 4) went ballistic over something and would not shut up.

My mother asked the counter girl for a small cup of ice water. When she gave it to mom, she immediately through it in my sister's face.

Shock, surprise and now wearing a very cold wet dress.

Mom just asked her "Another one?" My sister never again pulled that stunt.

P.S. I was a good kid and never needed the impromptu shower.

[Jacquilynne]

Wow -- a cold shower that we be a shock!

Thanks again for all the kind words. . . By the way everything seemed to return to normal -- I'm sure everyone just looked quickly at the loud scene and after all was under control they quickly forgot and went back to their busy lives.

For some it's just as courageous to open their front door and step out . . .I just choose to go a bit further and sometimes I'm courageous on the outside but intensely nervous on the inside.

Thanks again for all your praise and encouragement -- it really means alot.

Jacie

[Sammy777]

Glad things ended up working out somewhat for the best.
At least the "daddy" part is a maybe & wasn't a 5 minute stint.
Ah Kids, gonna love'em.


My mother asked the counter girl for a small cup of ice water. When she gave it to mom, she immediately through it in my sister's face.

Shock, surprise and now wearing a very cold wet dress.

Mom just asked her "Another one?" My sister never again pulled that stunt.

OMG - LOL That is classic!!!
Probably could not get away with that now n days......
But it would be worth a shot & a laugh to try, lol.

I don't remember reading that in Dr Spocks book....... LOL

[Kelsy]

Oh those lil sweethearts!!:D they are exceptionally cute when they are sleeping!! (dad of three all grown and on their own) enjoy them, when you look back you will see that these are the best days!!!

:hugs:Kelsy

[lisalove]

the same thing happen with a friend of mine. They were at K-mart getting their family Christmas pictures taken. After several attempts at getting the daughter to cooperate, they decided to take her outside, the whole time screaming, yelling fighting, the whole nine yards. So my friend puts her over his shoulder and carries her out, well with all her squirming and such, she falls to the ground. My friend tried to catch her, but it was a feeble attempt, she hit the ground kinda hard. Some woman walking into the store saw what looked like child abuse to her, startes yelling," he's hitting her, call the police", so securty comes running, sees a little girl with blood coming from her head. The cops are called, they come and so does social services. My friend gets hand cuffed and put in the car, the daughters get taken away, for just over a week, until the whole mess gets straightened out, And then for two years my friend and his wife had to go to couceling. All this just because a little girl didn't want a picture taken. Gotta love kids.

[jruiz]

I don't know how is it in other countries, but in the States people tends to be a bit paranoid about child abuse and they believe to see wrong behavior everywhere.

When I started reading, I thought that it was going to be a story about bigots calling police because a "pervert in a dress" had a crying kid on his arms...

[Jacquilynne]

Sad thing is -- Nowadays you never know . . . someone cold have easily :o Good thing is I wasn't really dressed to highly. . .no skirt. Just fem hiphugger jeans, black v-neck tee, black button-down cardigan, low heels, natural long hair (pulled back into a ponytail), and my purse. Nothing too striking

Whew! It woulda been worse if I was in a skirt/dress and high heels -- thats for sure!

Jacie

[JoAnne Wheeler]

I'm just impressed that your Spouse is accepting of you enough to go shopping while you are dressed and with the kids

Elaborate on that

JoAnne Wheeler