Any parent who routinely takes a preschooler on shopping trips to the grocery store knows the risks involved. Most have experienced the embarrassment and humiliation of a son or daughter throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the store and have felt the glaring eyes of the other customers.
The trouble is that it can be difficult to discipline a child while out in public. And the child knows it. When children are allowed to run amok and carry on in public, they learn that they can get away with it. That inevitably sets the stage for more fireworks on the next outing.
Parents can minimize (and hopefully eliminate) such blowups by taking a few simple precautions and establishing some ground rules. Here are five suggestions:
1. Schedule grocery trips for when the child is not tired or hungry. A tired and/or hungry child is much more likely to cause a scene than one that is well fed and well rested. Additionally, do not prolong the trip any longer than necessary. Keep it short to minimize the potential of a tantrum. Be organized; have all your coupons and sale ads in the order of your stops.
2. Bribery. While not all parents approve of using bribery as a motivator for good behavior, it can produce results. Before embarking into the store, talk with your child about a reward that can be earned with good behavior. Alternatively, discuss the consequences of poor behavior. Just be prepared to follow through.
3. Treat it as an expedition. An expedition is a trip with a purpose, so give your child a purpose for being with you. Rather than just riding along in the cart, your child can help you locate items and pick up boxes. Depending on your child’s age, consider creating a list of items (using words or pictures) that he or she can be responsible to find.
4. Don’t be afraid to discipline in public. Most people understand that discipline is a necessary part of parenting and will appreciate your initiative. If you are a proponent of spanking as a form of discipline, however, avoid swatting your child in public. Instead, find a quieter corner of the store where your child can sit for a “time out.” After a few time outs, your child will learn that misbehaving is not acceptable even while shopping.
5. Interact with your child as you shop. Many children begin to act out when they feel ignored or neglected. Accordingly, avoid dragging your child along as baggage. Instead, engage your child with some conversation. You can ask questions about the day, use the experience as a teaching opportunity, or quietly sing songs together.
With good shopping practices in place, you can turn dreaded trips to the grocery store into cherished occasions You and your child can enjoy the shared experience while keeping the embarrassment and humiliation at a minimum.
The number one thing to consider is the airline you choose to fly. Some airlines seem to be more ‘child friendly’ than others. Take the time to ask questions, in regard to their policy on traveling with little ones before making actual reservations. A pleasant flight is worth the extra research it might take.
Packing finger foods such as cheese sticks, pretzels, dry cereal and fruit tidbits, in your carry-on bag, will help their children adjust to high altitudes and in the cabin pressure changes.
If your children are smaller, giving them a pacifier, bottle or even a sippy cup will help to keep their little ears from popping.
During the summer months, many children complain of being bored. If this is a constant complaint from your children, you can cure their boredom by getting them involved in art projects that can stimulate their minds and maybe even help foster some talent.
First, you will want to find creative ways in order to get your child to want to do the projects. If you just tell them to color a picture, they might be reluctant. But, if you tell them to make decorations for your next cookout or pool party, they can have fun and get involved with your party plans in some way.
Another great project for kids is to let them decorate flower pots that you will use to brighten up your backyard deck or front yard. You can even get them to help you plant the flowers as well, letting them pick out the colors or types of flowers that will grow there.
The biggest part of getting children to do art projects is to give them the motivation for creating something new, something that they have never done before. Pretty soon, you children will be coming up with their own art projects to keep them from being bored.
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