So, this weekend as I was checking out at Walmart I was lectured to by the checker. I'm not sure if she really knew she was lecturing to me, but it was definitely a beat down to my psyche. She noticed the three super sized bags of sugary cereal among my groceries and proceeded to inform me that Utah had the highest per captita cereal consumption with Utah county the highest. (Which is where we were at the moment). I informed her that I was from Nevada. Checker:1 Me: 0
She went on to droll on about how she never let her kids eat that stuff. No, she fed her kids good old fashioned oatmeal, cream of wheat, and pancakes.Translation: I, on the other hand, was a terrible mother feeding my kids such junk. Checker: 2 Me: 0
She figured out how much she was saving by not buying that expensive stuff and instead saved the money not spent on cold cereal and took a trip to Disneyland. Translation: Not only am I poisoning my children, I am also frittering my money away. Checker:3 Me: 0
I thought I would redeem myself somewhat by weakly responding that my mother never let us eat the sugary poison either. To which she responded "Oh, my kids follow my example and don't feed their kids that stuff either" Translation: You still failed. Checker:4 Me:0
Feeling the agony of defeat, there was nothing more I wanted to do but to slink back into that hole of motherhood guilt.
However, several hours later while traveling back to the real world, I began to remember the real reasons I allowed my precious children to eat that sugary cereal and I wanted to replay that conversation with the checker again.
Checker: Did you know that Utah has the highest per capita consumption of cereal in the nation?
Me: Hmm. Isn't that interesting.
Checker: I never fed my kids that stuff. I fixed them old fashioned oatmeal, cream of wheat, and pancakes.
Me: Really? Well, that's great, but I was busy giving my kids violin lessons before school. It would have been nice to fix them a warm breakfast, but I chose to teach them a skill that would help them in their lives.
Checker: I figured out how much I saved by not buying cereal and took my kids to Disneyland.
Me: I saved hundreds of dollars by teaching my kids violin myself. And, we went to a lot more interesting places than Disneyland.
Translation: We need to stop feeling guilty about the choices we make as mothers. We do the best we can with the tools we are given.
4 comments:
What a tool! Man, Walmart really hires some quality people. Were you with me when the Walmart cashier told me the shoes I was buying were ugly? Well, Mom, for what it's worth, your mothering skills are unmatched. I am SO GLAD you decided to teach us violin and get up stinking early every single day instead of making pancakes. Besides, apple jacks are the BOMB! :)
I can never think of what to tell the Walmart cashiers until we're nearly home. I love reading your blog.
Hi Ms. Harris. I don't know if we've ever met. I'm actually president of the Dave-and-Wendy Fan Club.
I think you're a cool mom. And you should've punched that checker in the face.
It's nice to know Dave and Wendy have such awesome friends. By the way, I have met you, Jershon sp? at Miller. Thanks for the kind comments. :)
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