Why You Don't Shop With a 4 Year Old!!

I know this has been around for millions of years (ok, maybe a teeny bit exaggeration) but seriously I loathe shopping with my 4 year old daughter.

And yesterday was no different. Being a Saturday and the last day of 2022, I took my little darling (cough cough) Darcy to the shops, while her dad had a visit with his son from his first marriage for a few hours. Walking around Kmart we had plans to pick up A4 Paper for daddy, that's it. To kill time I was like let's browse as we made our way around the store, stopping every so often. Then she saw it. Ping Pong balls of all things in the sporting section. Not just one, but a tub of about 30 balls, now keep in mind we don't have a ping pong table and I am not even sure she knows what one is.

That is when the calamity started. Hence the following conversation ensued in the middle of Kmart.

"Can I have a ping pong ball?" she asked first.

"No darling, we don't need ping pong balls, besides we don't have a table" I replied.

"Can I please have a ping pong ball?" she repeated, selectively ignoring what I said.

"No Darcy" I again replied pushing the trolley away.

"But I want them" she yelled.

"Tough, we don't even need one ball, let alone 30, please stop asking" I said sharply.

Then came the sulking and tears.

"Why don't you ever get me any toys?" she whimpered, tears streaming down her face.

"Are you serious? you have a tonne of toys at home, and you just got more for Christmas not 6 days ago. " I said, stopped in my tracks and stared at her.

"I just want a toy, why don't you ever give me what I want?" she pouted again. Face red with tears.

Choosing to ignore her, instead of continuing with the back and forth, I let her sulk and cry. Seriously trying to make me feel bad, what the hell. Wandering through the aisles, not really looking for something in particular just looking. She turned around in the trolley to face away from me, ok child whatever I thought.

Ever since she was born, we used to go for trips to the shops so my husband who was studying his Bachelor of Accounting online while working fulltime could study in peace. She was soo much more tolerable when she was a baby at the shops then now that is for sure.

Having a thought, I pushed the trolley to the laundry/kitchen section of Kmart. Trying to perk her out of her sulkiness, I piped up,

"Hey Darcy, do you want to help mummy find some containers for the pantry? Could find a snack box for your snacks?? Hmm?" I hinted.

"Ohkay" came the grumpy response, with arms folded.

Now, pausing the story, I love Kmart so much, I could live there. They have so many options, and ideas for organization and they are always bring out new ideas. I know this as I follow their Facebook page.

Anyway, back to cranky butt, we started browsing the laundry storage but as our laundry is downstairs in our garage and not really any room down there, we whizzed past that and onto the kitchen. Oh my god, I stopped in front of these containers. Perfect and teamed with these labels gave us an activity to do when we got home (and keep cranky butt occupied).

By the time we got home, she had calmed down. Here is the result of our Kmart trip :)