Somebody posted this video on a parenting group I’m a part of on Facebook. Don’t worry, it’s actually a cool parenting group. We support each other by posting videos like this and harshly judging each other for not breastfeeding our kids till they leave for college.
It reminded me of a story that happened a long time ago that will really embarrass my little brother so it should be documented on the internet for everybody in the world to read and enjoy.
So Cameron was clearly the last child my mother was going to have. It could be that my older brother and I completely RUINED her to how perfect and lovely children are. It could be that she really just wanted to hang on to that last “baby” but she completely spoiled Cameron ROTTEN. Like, TO THE CORE. When they went to the store she’d let him hang out in the toy aisle (that used to be okay to do without somebody calling child protective services) and before they left he’d want a toy, of course. If she said no he’d throw a fit and she’d give in and buy the toy. She liked to blame this on his ADHD but I’ve read a lot of books about how to deal with ADHD and NONE of them suggest “buy them everything they want”.
One time I took him to Longs Drugs. I was pregnant at the time so that means Cameron had to have been either 7 or 8. I let him hang out in the toy aisle because shopping with a hyperactive 7 year old is… Well, it seemed better to let him make action figures and Barbies kiss than ask me a bunch of questions about why I was buying vaginal itch cream.
And, of course, when I went to get him from the toy aisle he wanted a toy. At the time I was nineteen and pregnant and had to buy the store brand cream with change I’d dug up from the back of my car. I was totally not buying him his 4th over priced fake G-I-Joe.
The next thing I knew he was on the floor screaming and kicking and pounding and writhing around. The two other parents in the aisle quickly shot me the death glare and shuffled their children out of there before their precious crotch fruit could learn any bad habits. I guess they were leaving that up to television or something.
I looked down at Cameron and very calmly said, “I am going to go pay for my stuff now. When I’m done I’m going to the car and I’m going to leave. If you are still here when I leave, call mom and she can come get you when she gets back in town.”
And I walked away. Before I had even handed the cashier my palm full of change, he was back by my side and acting like nothing had ever happened. While he continued to use The Fit Tactic to get toys from my mom, he never again threw a fit when I had him. EVER.
Looking back, the mom in the video looks like she had much more run teaching her son the same lesson. Cassidy never threw fits in stores or restaurants. She was the most mellow kid ever. I guess at this point I’ll just have to wait till Cameron gives me some nieces or nephews. Or better yet, I’ll just demonstrate The Fit Tactic to the next girl he brings home for a family dinner. I’ll wait till right AFTER he tells the story of that one time I scared him so bad he still hasn’t recovered TWENTY YEARS LATER.
But that’s another blog post for another day.