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Thursday 29 July 2010

Retail Therapy

There's nothing like hitting your local shopping centre with your children for a spot of retail therapy.

No, there's actually nothing like it.

I need real therapy after that experience.

I went out with the purpose of buying some goodies for the kids with some vouchers I found in the cupboard.

I came back with a headache and possibly a stress-induced ulcer.

Some chocolate buttons would set the tone, we would stay for a maximum of an hour and then we would meet The Boy for lunch.

What could possibly go wrong?

For starters, The Goddess was rudely awoken from her nap by the older two squabbling over whose turn it was to turn off the inside car light (switched on because we went inside an underground car park of course).

Off to Waterstones we went to buy an audio book. It should've been so easy. I knew the one we wanted, but despite instructions not run off, I found myself chasing The Peaceful One around the shop.

Ironically, I finally caught up with him down the child psychology aisle.

After that I reduced the number shops I had planned to visit, headed to one more store and then got the heck out of there.

At times the sibling rivalry is intense.

In that short amount of time, we had 'But she pressed the lift button before me.'

'I'll put the ticket it, you put the money in and I'll collect the change.'

'No, I want to put the ticket in.'

'It's not fair, It's my turn go into the car first.'

It's exhausting being caught in the 'he said, she said' crossfire. I'm trying my best to encourage them to work it between themselves but it's early days.

Meeting The Boy was a welcome break, or an extra pair of hands at least. Lunch was a tasty but rushed sandwich as we passed The Goddess back and forth between us.

Then it was back to mayhem as I attempted to buy an item for myself. En route home I stopped by a local sports shop. I just needed a pair of running trousers. I've entered a 10k run and need to look the part - raggedy tracky bottoms just aren't going to cut it.

So as I tried on a pair of shiny running leggings (looking like Sandy from Grease only with sausages for legs), whilst the baby cried and the others ran under the clothing rails, I remember why I barely venture to the real shops and do nearly everything online.

Retail therapy now has a whole new meaning to me.

7 comments:

  1. Sharon I am so with you on this one - have also just been to local shopping center - just to exchange a pair of leggings in Gap (bought size 6 - 12 months for Baby Beth, but they were already snug and she is not yet 6 months!) and I feel absolutely exhausted - definitely know why i also stick to online shopping now - dangerous but easy! Enjoy reading your blog - Andrea pointed it out to me. Would love to catch up with you and exchange experiences of life with three! Peta

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  2. Soooo joyful...thi o why I only have one ;-)

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  3. Sorry...don't know what happened to my comment? It should say 'sooooo joyful....this is why I only have one ;-)

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  4. Tee hee Emma. But I remember feeling like this even when I did have just one!

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  5. Peta we must definitely catch up, would love to meet Beth soon. xx

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  6. Brave you. I've only got two and it's like trying to take goats on a day trip.
    Oh, those heady days when we could meander round glamorous shops on a Saturday morning, have a brief recess in a stylish bar for an afternoon tipple, then skip lightly home - arms laden with shiny bags - to enjoy a peaceful night supping vino on the sofa in front of a thought-provoking film....*Sigh*

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  7. I was there with you.This happens to me all the time. We spend the car journey there talking through all the stress points and pointing out how these things will be done. 'Right JJ will do life or crossing buttons and then Miss E and then Miss M, everyone will get a turn, Ok?' etc etc

    Nice style of writing. Mich x

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