Target Temper Tantrum

I needed to get out of the house for a bit this evening, so after we got the kiddos to bed I waved goodbye to Mr. Bug and headed off to Target. I was really just killing time, enjoying the quiet and looking at all the pretty things when I crossed paths with a mom and her daughter. The girl was whining and hollering down the aisle that she had found what she wanted, and the mother was telling her in her most calm and soothing voice that it wasn’t in the budget.

I looked at the mom and my heart twinged a little bit. She looked so tired. She had obviously had a long day and her daughter was not giving her a break. Finally she simply said, “I’m done, honey. We’re going home now.” Boy oh boy did that tick that girl off! She didn’t quite stomp her foot, but she sure was bouncing up and down as she whined, “But this is the one I want! I want this!”

Ready for a surprise? The girl was at least 18 years old, and the item in question was a futon. You were picturing a little girl, weren’t you?

This girl was apparently shopping for supplies for college and making her mom miserable. I wanted to pull my cart alongside them and tell her to stop being such a brat. Obviously that wouldn’t have been the right thing for me to do, but man that girl made me mad.

I ended up behind them in line and as I stood there I subtly watched the mom and her daughter. The futon was in the cart, the girl was standing next to it with a sour look on her face, and the mom still just looked tired.

On the way home, I got to thinking about my little munsters. Eden will be heading off to college in about 11 years, and I hope and pray that our college shopping experience looks nothing like that. I’m not naïve enough to think we’ll go skipping through fields holding hands all her life, but I really would rather she not suck the life out of me. :) Maybe I expect too much?

Well, I’m headed to bed. Hopefully when I awake I will be well rested and ready to remind my little ones about all it means to show respect and appreciation for all that we’ve been given. Because there’s no freaking way I’m taking that girl shopping for college.