Jake 'n Mommy bonding

When Jake was younger one of our favorite activities to do together was shop. Grocery store, Target, even the mall. It was a bonding thing for us. He was such a good shopper too. Sometimes we'd go to the mall just to walk around and people watch. He'd sit in the cart or stroller, snack on cheerios, and help me put stuff in the cart. As he got older he would walk next to me or ride on the front of the cart (I know I know, dangerous). I would take pride in the fact that he could go into any store and not expect to walk away with a toy or treat. He wasn't like some of the kids who would be crying in the aisles wanting a new toy. Worst case he'd pick out a toy and carry it around the store but put it back as we were leaving. It was going so well that'd I even let him go into the Disney store to play for a little while (its much cleaner than those communal indoor playgrounds, right?) I thought that deserved a pat on the back for ol' Mommy. I envisioned him and I shopping together all the time. I would teach him the ways of the coupon and eventually he would take over. But recently a switch has flipped and shopping is no longer the fun bonding time I thought. Jake is now old enough to now understand how shopping works.

A few weeks ago on the way to school he asked where we were going. When I replied "school" he said "we aren't going to school, we are going shopping." He even threw a fit when he couldn't get the mouthwash he wanted (sorry kid, not on sale. We ain't buying it.) He then told me "fine, I don't want to go shopping anymore." I thought I could bribe him by letting him use the kid shopping carts at the grocery store. That worked a few times...until we went to a store that didn't have them- apparently they were getting stolen :( . That started a whole new kind of tantrum. At dinner the other night he told me he wanted a Jessie doll and I needed to go to the mall to get him one. Say. What. Son? You know its a problem when your kid tells you his favorite place is Costco. Or when he knows to get a specific item at Walmart or Target.

And that's the end of that. So now shopping will be Mommy's quiet time and the boy's bonding time with Daddy. For now at least...