In another installment of Parenting at its Finest, I was shopping with my daughters on Friday when my 6-year-old demonstrated once again that she:
a) does listen to me from time to time, and
b) possesses wisdom beyond her years.
We went to Bed Bath & Beyond specifically to purchase a gift for the baby shower we attended this weekend. (You know, the one that we were an hour late for? Yeah, that one.) C is going to be a flower girl in her cousin’s wedding this summer, so she was invited to the shower. I thought it would be fun to include her in picking out the gift, so I waited until her school day was over so she could accompany me.
I rarely get to Bed Bath & Beyond so I was like a kid in a candy store. I started grabbing stuff off the shelves for myself, kicking myself every step of the way for not collecting those blue 20%-off coupons that land in my mailbox a couple times a month.
Finally my daughter stopped me and said in her most authoritative tone, “Mom. You aren’t supposed to be shopping for YOU today; we’re supposed to be shopping for Kristina.”
D’OH!
Oh yeah. Nothing like being called to task by a 6-year-old. I wish I could tell you that I turned it into a teaching moment and put my loot back on the shelf, but instead I laughed and gave her a hug and explained that sometimes it’s okay to buy for oneself AND others. Which sounded disturbingly like “do as I say and not as I do” but I did my best to ignore my pesky conscience and carry on about my business.
So this week I learned that I better start practicing what I preach because my kids ARE watching.
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Yeah, I think sometimes we are surprised by our kids because we don’t give them enough credit.
She sounds like a smart cookie.
they will call you on it every.single.time. =)
I just hate it when that happens, I do tell my kids “we are shopping for xxx today, when we have to buy a b-day present and they want a toy” I am certain I would have been called to the carpet too.
I keep waiting for Boo to call me out, and she does from time to time. It cracks me up, but she is right most of the time. It is like having your own little angel on your shoulder some days.
Love that place! I still have some of my gift certificate left from Christmas! Warm Vanilla Body Wash. (how do you spell a long, indulgent sniff?)
Exactly why you normally shop alone! LOL.
LOL thats to funny.. gotta love when they tell us something back that we had already “taught” them. Sammy likes to tell me not to touch my coffee because its hot
I could go crazy in Bed, Bath & Beyond. I don’t go in very often, but when I do, it just seems like there’s so many helpful things I didn’t know I was living without. =)
So funny! But I can totally relate as I can never go in that store without buy tons of stuff, but I totally collect those blue coupons and stash them in my car!
Oh how I can relate! Kids can be so perceptive, and it almost always catches me by surprise.
Out of the mouths of babes! My mom says when I was 4 or 5, she was oohing and ahhing over houses in the wealthier part of town, when I piped up, “Mama, MY Bible says, be content with such things as you have.”
Ouch!
I think you should give yourself a pat on the back! After all, it sounds like you’ve taught her well!
Ah, remember the days when the kids were infants and just laid there and looked cute all day long? It’s hard to believe that now they’re able to school us from time to time. I agree with Kristin – good job, mom!
That’s too funny…love when kids use our lessons we’ve taught them on us!
I have fond memories of a few snatched moments in Bed, Bath and Beyond from our last trip to US 3 years ago…. and I showed no restraint!
Our kids have that habit of occasionally listening to us, don’t that?!!
Sorry – got distracted – meant to say “don’t they”!
Rats!
I hate it when those kids say the things we want to hear at all the wrong moments!
My 11 yr old is really getting in the habit of calling me out every chance he gets.. they are too smart for their own good sometimes!
I was at Bed, Bath & Beyond this weekend shopping for a shower gift,too. I did not bring any children along…its much more fun that way!
Been there. It is reassuring that they do listen. Even when the lessons come at an inopportune time
yes! they are! lol!
I remember when I was learning to drive and my 2 year-old sister was yelling out from her carseat “Break, break!” so it starts early!