Today, I had the honor of being THAT parent. You know, the one with the screaming brat in public.
I had to take Grace (3 1/2) and Anneliese (18 months) out with me to the dermatologist and then to CVS. We had to wait in the waiting room at the dermatologists for about 15 minutes, and the girls were quite good, especially considering the fact that there weren't any toys save one dump truck. They were great during the appointment, but at one point the dr took a scraping of my foot to test it, and the test took 15 minutes. So I'm sitting there in a dermatologists exam room that doubles as an OB/GYN office and you can imagine how hard it was to keep the kids from exploring. Especially when this office keeps everything unlocked and out in the open. Anneliese actually pitched a tantrum and knocked her noggin. The dr came in chuckling because he could hear her across the office. BTW, Grace was walking and I had to carry Anneliese.
The kids were thrilled to leave, and then of course we go to CVS because, you know, I was out of Paxil and Mommy without Paxil isn't a pleasant thing. Now, anyone who's been to a CVS knows that the Pharmacy is all the way at the back of store. The kids are pointing at all of the food items, and then Grace finds a garland of pretty fall leaves and insists she wants to buy it. She's upset and whiny and shouting about how she NEEDS it. I just take her hand and lead to to the back of the store.
I get my Rx but of course of COURSE there's a candy counter there in addition to the various medical stuff you would need: miniature bottles of alcohol, contact lense solution and cases, BUBBLE GUM. They find the gum and insist it's chocolate. Grace gets insistant (aka loud and obnoxious) that she wants the gum (no) and Anneliese kept sniffing it and saying "I dat chock-it?" As I get the receipt Grace sticks a pack of gum in the bag (I let her hold it) but she informed me she did it so I told her that was stealing, put it back, and walked away from the desk. As I'm gathering the girls, another lady at the desk tells the clerk that she wants a raincheck for one of her RX's.
I have to say that was the LONGEST WALK OF MY LIFE going through that store to get to the front to leave. Grace was crying and screeching the whole way, about 3 feet behind me. In her very loud babbling, she inserted "I WANT A RAINCHECK NOW! WHERE'S MY CHOCOLATE? I WANT A RAINCHECK AND CHOCOLATE! YOU GO TO YOUR ROOM! WHERE'S MY RAINCHECK?!?" People were turning to look at us, me carrying my Rx bag now AND Anneliese, with Grace trailing behind. They would start out rolling their eyes until they realized she was angry because I didn't give in to her. All the freaking way to the car. I buckled Grace in, as I let Anneliese explore the car.
As I'm buckling Anneliese in, Grace is still howling in fury and the raincheck lady is going to her car. She chuckles and says "My, what a handful! She's still at it, huh?" I just laugh and say "Yup, and this isn't the worst of it." She laughs again and says "We were talking in there, the pharmacist and some other customers, and we're impressed that you didn't just give in to her. We see parents all the time who won't discipline and will give in as soon as their kid starts to whine. Good for you," I grinned and said thank you.
Now that made me feel great.
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