A good Mom

Last week we were out of ice cream, which is an essential, and the kids wanted to spend their report card money. My kids respond well to bribes, I'd rather bribe than threaten so it is the main system of motivation at the Carter house, one such bribe is money for doing well on their report card. This term all three of my children did varying degrees of well and all received varying amounts of money for their efforts. It had been almost a whole 24 hours since parent teacher conferences and the money had almost burned a whole in their pocket. The constant nagging and begging of "please can we go to the store now," was giving me a headache. I figured there was only two ways to stop the pounding in my head either eat some ice cream, or take them to the store. I would have opted for the first but we were out of ice cream so we headed to Walmart. We made it into the store without anyone getting hit by a car in the parking lot, always a major accomplishment. We headed for the toy section. Each of my three school kids found a toy they wanted and miraculously it was in their price range. I did have to have a little chat with my 6 year old about the importance of modesty even for Barbie. Amazingly enough she put back the string bikini barbie and choose one with a very low cut ball gown, but it did have sleeves she pointed out (even though the sleeves were removable). I counted this as a step in the right direction and we headed for the grocery section. By this time my baby was just finishing up her regular temper tantrum about riding in the cart so things were looking up. I think my kids must absorb sugar by osmosis, for some reason just walking down the cookie island sends them into sugar rush and they are bouncing off the walls, begging for treats, wrestling with each other or holding races down the aisles. So we barely make it out of the cookie row with my sanity intact. We were starting down the ice cream row when I had to turn around and stop an argument about which was better sherbet or cookies and cream when I hear my baby ask if we can make cake now for family home evening. I turned and looked at her and she was holding an egg, "see," she said, "now we have eggs". So I carefully pried her little fingers (which were very sticky) off the egg and put it back in the carton. Just then I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was an olderish woman. She quietly said. You are a good mom. I rolled my eyes and laughed saying no I was just a good actor. She said, "No I can tell you are a good mom" then she walked away. Well somehow that little compliment or perhaps it was just a sly tactic to help me keep my temper in check, made my day. The more I think about it I think it was just a ploy- she could probably sense I was about to explode. But either way it helped. I finished my shopping, assured my baby we would make cake for family home evening and got everyone to the car without so much as a frown on my face. I didn't even have to open the ice cream that night.