I’m a Momma first, and a Customer later

This morning, I was feeling a little cooped up.  It was rainy and dark, and my baby girl slept in until almost 11.  I decided that this was as good a day as any to go shopping.  My husband needed more work clothes and I needed to figure something out for dinner.  I’m a cheapskate, and always start at bargain places first, if possible.  We had a quick breakfast and then discussed the rules:  There would be a prize, IF the kids were SUPER well behaved in the store.

We started the day at Marshalls.  It took about a minute to go through the Men’s section and determine that they had nothing that I was looking for.  Then, we walked through the little boy section and did a brief walk through toys.  After a soccer ball was introduced to the artwork area (lots of glass – none broken, luckily,) we exited, with nothing.  The kids were still in good enough moods to put the cart away kindly and  hold hands as we left.

Then, we went to Ross.  It took a little longer to determine the same thing… nothing in Men’s.  We walked towards the toy section and had a mini-battle passing through luggage.  After more than a fair share of warnings, I explained we were leaving and temper tantrums were had.  I had to carry my baby girl and my son was literally hanging onto my legs and screaming and kicking and yelling to me that he didn’t want to leave the store. By the time we got to the doors, I was holding his arm, trying not to twist him as he tried not to walk.  By the time we were to the parking lot, I was holding him by his shirt (careful not to choke him, I promise) and his screaming and angry fit continued.  There was punching and attempted kicking (all by him, not by me.)  By the time we were at the car, he was furious with me and explaining that I needed to take him in to buy his toy.  Nope.  Not gonna happen.  After the kids were buckled, a discussion was had about how being naughty is absolutely NOT being SUPER well behaved and how, NO, we were not going back to that store no matter how good everyone would be.  There were tears, but I stood my ground.  Mostly because I didn’t want to encourage fits as a means of convincing me to give in, and a tiny part of me also didn’t feel like approaching that store twice in one day after the scene we left with.

I gave the kids an option.  We could go home.  Or, we could go to Goodwill.  After all, I was still empty-handed and it was a while before nap time.  Could we do it?  The kids thought we could.  And I was hopeful.  So… we started driving to Goodwill.  We started in the Men’s section, which was far more promising than Marshalls and Ross, but also had nothing I was looking for.  Then, we went to the children’s book section, where we found a bunch of books that looked like fun.  I found a firefly counting book that lights up and the kids found a book about exercise with moving pictures.

I also foundthe Noah’s Ark set that I wanted for the kids ($27.59 new) for $6.00!

We found a sand bucket and shovel for $2 and a fun motorized monster truck for $3.  The kids have a new stepstool in the bathroom for $3 and I got a beautiful wall decoration with scripture for $3.

All said and done, I left with two HUGE bags and spent under $30.  The problem was… I still had nothing for my husband and I still had nothing for dinner.  At least the kids were happy.

At that point, I gave the kids another choice.  Home for nap OR Walmart.  Again, we made a deal… if they were super well-behaved, I would take them to the toy section.  I know, bribing my kids is low, but I seriously HATE shopping, and I do what I have to do.  We got through the mens section, and came out of it with two pairs of pants and two shirts.  I got underwear for me, halloween candy buckets for the kids, cereal, milk, a waterproof mattress cover for the bed that the kids sleep in, and a number of other things.

We got to the toy section, finally, and my son looked at me and told me that he needed to go home to use our potty.  Oh boy.  So… we abandoned the toys, which the kids were okay with because they already got some at Goodwill, and went running to checkout.  We found a line, which was interesting (I think they had a total of 4 open,) and waited.  The cashier was slow.  She was relaxed, looking bored, actually, and scanning quite slowly.  I tried to be patient.  I smiled when she made eye contact, I tried to contain my falling apart children.  My son had another fit in checkout and my daughter was convinced we needed to try to eat cookies before buying them.  Thank goodness we didn’t.

By the time it was our turn, I (fairly loudly) told my son to ask the cashier to please hurry because he had to potty… She wasn’t impressed.  Immediately, there were problems.  Nothing would scan.  She would look at the item and mumble, “Why won’t this scan?” and try again and try something else and have the same result.  She finally picked up the hand scanner and scanned an item.  Then, she put the scanner down so that she could bag the one item.  And then she would pick it up again and scan another item and then put it down, each time more frustratingly, and bag the single item.  I debated, in my head, offering to scan my own items.  The kids were falling apart, I was losing patience.

I finally saw a manager, and called out to her, “Are you a manager?”  She confirmed.  I asked, ”  Could you possibly help her with her register?  She has to pick up and put down the scanner for each item and we really need to get going.  My son has to go potty and my daughter is past nap time.”  She asked me to explain what was wrong again.  The cashier complained that her register was broken.  The manager explained that many registers were broken.  They began discussing how this is unfortunate.  I had it.  I explained that I waited a long time to check out and that we really needed to get going.  I don’t know what I expected, maybe an offer for someone more experienced to scan the items.  But it ended with me saying, ” I hate to do this to you, and I know it is a lot of work, but I have to go.  I need to get him home to the potty and I just  don’t have time for this.”  So, I gathered my children and left everything there, after giving a pitying look to the woman who had been trying to wait patiently behind us in line.  The manager called out an offer for me to take my son to the bathroom and come back to check out, and I told them that we needed to go.

As we walked out, my son (looking visibly relieved) asked if we were going home, and then thanked me for it and my daughter was excited too.  I frustratingly mumbled that “this” is why we don’t shop at Walmart.  I was so frustrated.  Rushing to the car, trying to prevent an accident, and so thankful that neither of the kids apparently had their hearts set on toys from Walmart.  And feeling guilty.  Guilty for walking out.  I felt like I’d made a commitment and then walked away from it.  But seriously, most of their registers are broken?  And their staff can’t scan faster than that?  Before you get offended because I “don’t work” and “don’t understand,” please know that I did work retail previously.  I’ve run a register, I’ve dealt with customers, and faulty equipment.  Not all customers have time to do a leisurely check-out and deal with broken equipment without fair warning.

When we got home, we had a relaxing lunch (KIX is good for moments like those,) and now that nap is over and the day is almost done, we’re going to start deciding what to do for dinner.  Shall we venture out to another Walmart in a different part of town and hope for success?  Or give in and pay more to shop somewhere that guarantees success?  Oh, Frugality and Loyalty to my family can be exhausting!  So… build me up… how do you handle Shopping Chaos?  Please don’t beat me up for walking out.  Sometimes, a momma has to be a momma first, and a consumer last.