I just got back from one of "those" Walmart trips. I just needed a few things- my list had only 5 items but they were all needed. I had only one kid but no snacks. I was going to be so quick- in and out! As soon as we got through the door Brielle saw the carts with the big kid seats in front- you know those massive things. She started to cry and throw a fit when I put her in a regular cart so I caved and tried to strap her into the big kid cart. Two minutes into our trip she has found her way out of her strap and is dangerously climbing everywhere- standing on her seat, climbing into the back of the cart, walking off the end into the aisles. I try to make her sit but she screams and throws herself back. I try carrying her while pushing the massive cart but she is screaming and wiggling to get down. I try restrapping her- she gets out! I feel like screaming - I hold it in. I know I look ridiculous to onlookers as I try to scold a one-year-old about sitting on her bottom. Just at the point where I am about to break down- a fellow mother offers Brielle some fruit snacks. THANK YOU kind stranger- it is amazing what a few fruit snacks and some empathy can do. I quickly grabbed the last three things on my list and some impulsive aisle-end Easter candy temptations to deal with my stress and got out of that store. The fruit snacks lasted until the checkout where the kind cashier tried to wave sweetly at Brielle and Brielle yelled no at her and wildly tried to wave her away. Oh the joys of motherhood!
And now a video moment Kevin recorded last night, to remind me how cute she can be...
These days Brielle is very adamant about being independent. As you can see from the video, she wants to do everything her older siblings do. She only wants to sit on a regular chair at dinner, she always wants to drink out of a regular cup. She wants to walk and not be carried. She even insisted today on wearing a backpack like Makenna when we took Makenna to school. She wants to get into the car herself. She even wants to buckle her own carseat- (she can't of course but she does want me to wait patiently while she tries).
She's cute and hilarious but sometimes trouble. So this is my question for any other parent to answer. I can't keep her off our kitchen table. I am pretty sure as I am typing this, she is sitting on it in the other room. She thinks its so much fun to get up there and hilarious when I tell her no and then take her off. I can't exactly baby proof the table to keep her off it- we sort of need the chairs there-- what do I do? Any ideas??? I am contemplating a time out playpen or a squirt bottle (yes I am seriously desperate- stop me before it comes to that- what should I do?).
7 comments:
How nice- I love kind strangers...I seriously want to hug people when that do that kind of stuff for me. I have no idea about the kitchen table though- that is a tough one. Hopefully my kids never think of that.
Sometimes kids only survive because they are so cute. I have no clue how to keep kids from climbing, that is the one thing Aurora never really did.
I know you don't want to be reminded of this but you were the eighteen month old who I found climbing up on the stove top turning the burners on as you sat down on them!
Oh Melissa! We have such similar woes! Luke is an absolute nightmare at the store, even when I do bring fruit snacks! He insists on walking and then runs far away from me giggling, he's my worst shopping companion ever! I have no advice about the table, he isn't doing that yet but I would not be surprised if he started soon! I love your moms story about you :)
It's a good think Luke and Brielle are so darn cute! Good luck!
Be grateful it's just using the chairs to climb on the table. Soon it will be dragging the chairs around to climb on every other counter/shelf/etc... in the house!
timeouts have been pretty effective with sophie. when i first started to give her timeouts i would just put her in her crib in her room, but i think for that was a bit too traumatic, so i finally just resorted to sitting her on the stairs. and even though i usually have to sit with her on the stairs to keep her from getting up, etc. she still hates it enough that she'll quit whatever misbehaviour she was exhibiting (her main vice is screaming...hmmmm...i wonder where she gets that from :).
oh and you know i think i remember a friend once saying they had this problem and what they did was just to put all the chairs on top of the table when they weren't using them, and then the kid couldn't climb on top of the table anymore. i don't know how feasible that is, but i hope something works for you!!
Funny, I was talking to Joel last night on the phone and he said Kennedy is a big climber and they keep finding her on top of the table. I will ask him what they do. I know Cheryl uses time outs when they are quite young. She just has them sit on the bottom step for a minute.
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