Dear mother who dragged your child, screaming and kicking, out of Target,
I heard your little boy yelling, “But I WANTED that!” at the top of his lungs. And I heard you calmly tell him, “No” as you wrestled him into the car. I just wanted to say, Good Job. Whether you said no for financial reasons, or simply because he needed to realize that he can’t have everything he wants, you stuck to your guns and I applaud you for that. I know it’s embarrassing to walk through the parking lot with a screeching kid (been there, done that), but it’ll pay off.
Warmly,
A fellow mom and occasional screaming-child-dragger
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Dear girls in the study group sitting next to me at Panera –
I know that there are three of you, and only one cute guy in your little group. And I know it’s much more fun to flatter him and flirt with him and offer to get him a refill than it is to study your Trigonometry. And I’m sure he’s enjoying all the attention. But in the long run, you’ll be served better by doing your math. However, I also know that there’s no point trying to convince you of this fact, so I’ll just stay in my booth, smiling at your silly antics, glad that I’m no longer in high school.
Sincerely,
A concerned observer
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Dear Target,
It’s January. And we live in a cold climate. You really don’t have to put out the shorts and swimsuits just yet. It’s nothing more than a reminder that we’re stuck with gray skies and either snow or sleet for the foreseeable future.
~ Your faithful patron
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Dear Cheez-Its,
I’m sorry I had to leave you, rejected and bereft, on the grocery store shelf. The truth is, I would have loved to toss you in my cart and take you home with me. But the rest of the truth is, you have a tendency to take my self-control, wad it up in a little ball, and throw it in the trash. Therefore, I had to leave you at the store, where your orange cheeesy goodness cannot call to me from kitchen pantry, and where your salty squares cannot become my primary intake for the next two days.
Resolutely,
Katrina, attempting to exercise self-control
#1 – Gaa! You heard me!
#2 – Cheers!
#3 – You can sign my name to that one also.
#4 – Well. You can sign my name there as well.
This post was my favorite of the day!
Ha ha. Cheez-Its are often lunch for me. I should leave them on the shelf more often!
Too funny!!
And so sorry about the cheez-its (especially the white cheddar ones). sigh.
moment of silence.
I loved this!
This is great! I applaud moms like the one you mentioned, too, who stick to their guns.
Great post! Thanks for the giggle!
Hee hee.
One time when my oldest was, I don’t know, 3 maybe, she was bugging me for candy in the Walmart checkout line, and I told her no. She then threw a nice, little tantrum, thinking she could sway me, but I stuck to my guns. Anyway, the lady in front of me who was listening to all this turns around, looks me straight in the eye, and says “Well done, Mom”.
I still think of her whenever my kids try to guilt me. Not that they would ever do that or anything…
HILARIOUS!
(number 4 for me is chex mix. must. resist.)
Oh, I hear you on the CheezIts. I can clear a whole box by myself in one sitting!!
Oh, we’re living parallel lives these days, but my screaming child (children actually) were IN Panera, not Target. The mothers handled it okay, but I think that the better response would have been for some of those children to be at home napping — I think that was probably the next stop after a quick lunch!
And the CheezIts, especially the Cheddar Jack, which have more fat and calories than chips — have been banished from my cupboard as well. The regular ones aren’t quite as tempting to me, but those particular flavors with the cheesy powder — gosh my mouth is watering just now, and I know I’m not helping your resolve either. . . .
Preach it sista!!
Ahh, I needed that laugh this Monday morning..thank you!
You have just become a friend of mine. This was stellar.
For me, the Cheez-Its are for the kids. It’s Cheetos that tend to make the gesture of “Hey fatty, grab a bag.” I leave them on the shelf because they insult me and throw further injury by leaving orange residue on my hands.
For the two girls studying Trig with the guy, they really should focus on the math. Flirting with the same guy while together usually ends friendships.
Too funny.
(P.S. I received the book “Home Another Way” last week. Thanks again.)
oo this was such a fun post! I will hate being the parent in #1 but glad to know it will pay off when I do. WTG on the cheez-itz!! I had to leave the double stuffed oreos on the shelf yesterday!
So, I work in retail. We had our Christmas stuff on-site by the end of Aug and put it up the first week of Sept! We received our patio furniture in December and before, ,yes before Christmas was over, cleared out a spot to start putting it up! I am a mess. And we wonder WHY our lives seem to blaze by at the speed of light. I was as Penney’s yesterday and they have their spring collections coming out! Wish I had the moola to buy the winter stuff that’s 70% off!! I’m in Minne’snow’ta! I can only pray for May to show up soon!
Oh, I’m so thankful to be out of HS as well! You had quite a bit of self control with a couple of these! Kudos to you!!
Props to that mom who walked out of Target! Hopefully the kid is still living.
I now how mortifying it can be in this day and age when we’re supposed to make our kids happy at all costs. Make a scene? Who wants to do that these days? So many people seem to have concerns about parents actually parenting! Well, I give a resounding, WHOOP, to that little mama!
I love this. It reminds me of Alanis Morrisette’s song “Unsent.” Today must be a random post day. I did one sort of similar to this too. I call these brain dumps “mental goulash.”
Here’s a link to mine.
Here, here, or a hearty Amen Sister to all four! Wonderful post Katrina, all of them are so very true!
#1 Amen! And boy am I thankful when people around me are supportive when my kids go off like that.
#3 And what about actually keeping some winter supplies in stock? Last year my son’s zipper broke on his winter jacket in the middle of February. We still had at least 6 more weeks of freezing weather and not a single winter jacket to be found for miles around. He had to wear hooded sweatshirts and a rain jacket. This year his backpack broke in October. Again, not a single backpack that was not made for big burly camping men. They took them all of the kids’ backpacks out of the store after school started. I had to special order a school backpack online for him.
#4 Ditto, except substitute Peanut M&Ms for cheez-its. I was doing so good. I didn’t get them at the store or add them to the grocery list, but my husband brought home a jumbo bag of them yesterday. Granted they are for him, but he knows I can’t resist dipping into them. He needs to find a good hiding spot for them because I know I will eat them all.
Aack – I can’t believe I typed “They took them all of the kids’ backpacks.” Chalk it up to trying to type while taking care of two little ones.
I loved this!!!
#1-Congrats to all parents who don’t give in.
#2-Me too!!! I’m in the prime in my life and live not to impress but to connect.
#3-Kind of hard to be thinking about summer especially with all The White Stuff around here.
#4-I love peppermint stick ice cream…thank goodness it only comes out at Christmas!!!!!
#1–As a mother of Autism/Adhd child, thank you for not judging me as a bad parent because my child is misbehaving in public.
#2–I was thinking the SAME thing last night at the junior high basketball game..watching the girls next to me whispering & pointing & the 1 girl sitting alone pouting because she wasn’t the center of someone’s attention.
#3–The good news is if you can find winter clothes, it is already on clearance!
#4–I am SO with you! I shop in the morning when my self-control is at it’s high & pass up alot of stuff because I know even if I buy it w/the thought of only eating a little at a time, once 9pm comes, anything is fair game!
Ahh yes, I avoided my own cheesy goodness today in favor of a dressing-free salad and sandwich. It was very boring, but at least I am not guilty. The easy part is leaving it on the shelf, once it comes home…look out!
Oh, terrific! I shall have to link to this in my “Kiss Before Typing” post. You wrote not one but FOUR letters. Love it.
This was great!! Thanks for lightening my day!!
Post perfection.
Love it.
I too have bid a fond farewell to Cheez Its…
I am so glad I found your blog! I came over from L.L.’s. I LOVE these four letters, I was laughing while I read…the Cheez letter was hilarious and so true…don’t we all have our “Cheez-its”, those will-breaking bits of temptation that are best left on the shelf? But my favorite was the first letter. Brava to all the women who brave the screaming tantrum and the stares of fellow shoppers, forgoing comfort in favor of training up their child in the way he(she) should go. Wonderful!
Fun post! I loved them all, especially the first one….makes me happy to know that people will do that.
I’m not doing so good with my self control at the moment.
Hi! I just found your site through Should Be Reading. This is the funniest thing I have read all week! I need to add you to my blogroll so I can continue to come back for more fun!
Oh, I just loved the letter to the dear mother. Kids do have a way of trying to make you feel embarrassed for simply being a parent. I have been that mother on more than once.
with blessings,
Minister Mamie
This is still making me laugh . . . probably because in the past few days I have “written” similar letters myself. Mentally but they’re kind of taking on a post of their own. Do you consider imitation flattery? (i.e. mind if i copy you?!)
One word: Hilarious!
No, two words:
Absolutely hilarious!
lol! I’ll bet writing these letters was cathartic. I sure enjoyed them.