Could you go refrigerator shopping with 4 kids in tow?

[american_mama]

My sister did! She is a SAHM with four kids ages 8, 6, 5, and 3. Her food was starting to defrost from the broken refrigerator, so she plotted her course, prepped the kids, packed up, and spent from 10:30 am to 6 pm WITH THE KIDS shopping for a new refrigerator. The kids didn't cry, my sister didn't kill or even threaten them, and a refrigerator was bought for a super discounted price.

*THAT* is why my sister is my parenting role model. She parents very differently than most on this board, but she does a very good job.

[DebbieJ]

Wow!

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/10029.gif

[votre_ami03]

Please share her secret! I don't think I could do it with one, let alone 4. That is awesome!


Christy, mommy to Nolan 7/22/03

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030722/1/7/2/-7/.png

[MarisaSF]

>my sister didn't kill or even threaten them,

LOL!

>and a refrigerator was bought for a super discounted price.
Congrats to her! Perhaps the 4 kids helped her cause.

[g-mama]

Possibly, but I would just buy the first one that looked alright and call it a day!

No way would I or my (two) kids last that long shopping. That's amazing. I have a friend like your sister but she has three kids. She is SO relaxed and easygoing, she makes it all seem so effortless. She often offers to watch my kids without blinking an eye, like it's the easiest thing in the world to take on a couple of extra ones. She drives 18 hours with the kids from VA to FL to visit her parents - without her husband - 2 or 3 times a year. She is MY parenting role model but no matter how I try to learn from her, I just can't get it. It must be a gift!


Kristen
Paolo 11-00
Benjamin 8-03
and a third one coming in december '05!

[Toba]

I agree with the above poster. I only have kid, but I would just buy the first one I saw that had the options I wanted, if I was in the same situation (obviously in dire need of a new fridge!). I'm so impressed! :)


~Kimberly Anne~
Noah Nevan, March 12, 2004
*the light of my life*

[saschalicks]

Please share her secret!

[starrynight]

I couldn't and wouldn't do it! Shopping with my kids' is like the 9th circle of hell. But my oldest has autism and my younger 2 are younger than your sis's kids (well I have a 3 year old) and my youngest gets freaked in stores (SID, noises and lights bug her). If I didn't have all of that going on, maybe I would do it!

I know my mom dragged us with her shopping all day long and all over the place and we were all fine and behaved. It's not that mine don't behave, it's they get sensory overload quick and get cranky and then I get cranky and we are all frustrated with each other.

[mamaharsh]

I'm totally impressed! I bought mine online a few days ago because my one trip to home depot with my ONE child was unbearable...

[Bethann31]

OK, maybe I'm the lone dissenter here, but I've done that, with my older 3 children when they were small. I'm incredibly lucky I know, but my children went everywhere shopping with me. The kids knew my expectations and they behaved (when they were younger....) Now, taking the oldest 2 anywhere is HELL.


Beth
mom to:

Josh 3/90
Mollie 4/92
Jeffrey 12/94
Katherine 6/03


http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/lamlamsvi20030604_4_Katherine+Grace+is.png

[hez]

Impressive :)

We took Payton to get a new dishwasher. That turned out to be OK because "Finding Nemo" was on the TV, and they had a couple toys at a kiddie table. Otherwise, it could have developed into a disaster!

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

Well...
I had to purchase every bit of stuff for a massive remodeling of our bungalow with kids in tow-just me- hubby out of town...but must say when I do it it doesn't sound anywhere close to as glamerous as your sister's experience. So I do it...but I just don't look good doing it :)

I spent atleast 10 hours in Lowes trying to find all new enterior doors and exterior doors for our place, I knew what I wanted but they all needed to be special ordered. I did this over 3-4 attempts and was almost in tears each time.

Someone recommended Home Depot and ONE 4 minute phone call to the door guy there has those doors not only located but ordered!!!!!!!

So lesson learned I'd chose Home Depot over Lowes from now on!!!!


Neve
Reichen (6), Karsh (3), Tristan (2) and baby girl Bronwyn born March 10th!!!!

[Calmegja2]

I'm with Neve, it may not be pretty, but especially in the summer, if we want to leave the house, that's how it is. 4 kids go along, usually in varying degrees of dissent, but if I go, they go, especially this summer, as our helper is AWOL.

The thing that blows my mind, is how many people feel free to comment on shopping with all the kids. Standing in lines, I invariably get my heart blessed, or have someone make a joke about having my hands full, or a comment about having four kids to start with.

Sometimes....you just wonder who raised some people. Wolves without manners? LOL! ;-)

I'm impressed with your sister, though. It's not easy to do what she did. I know this in my bones. :-)

[toomanystrollers]

Jessica - I hate those comments too!!! - "hands full" blah, blah, blah!!

If I had to go buy a fridge, I'd bring a flask }(

[Calmegja2]

>>
>If I had to go buy a fridge, I'd bring a flask }(

***

I'm the world's biggest lightweight of a drinker, but a day of appliance shopping would require that, I think!!! LOL!!!!

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

as if people think you've never heard that before "oh you have your hands full"!!!! And they always make these comments when you are most stressed and just want to bite their head off!!!!!

today TWICE I got asked "are they all yours"...nice smile and a proud "yes" and TWICE I was told "They don't look alike"...

What stupid people...I wanted to tell them I sleep around with many men and that is why :)
Neve
Reichen (6), Karsh (3), Tristan (2) and baby girl Bronwyn born March 10th!!!!

[sbjf]

The best response to "you have your hands full" is,

"If you think my hands are full you should see my heart." :-)

Love that line!

I get the hands full comment practically every time I go out with my two. We're a freak show!

[pamela mom of 3]

LOL.. it isn't easy though but i also have little choice but to bring 'em along. Glad your sister found a fridge sounds like she needed one ;)

[american_mama]

It's nice to hear from some of the moms here with 3 or more kids. We all do what we have to do, and having more kids forces you to do more than you'd sometimes like.

Neve, I was not thinking about you when I typed this email, but I did think of you occasionally when you were posting about all the purchases you had to make after the boys come home. I thought that must have been tough, two new kids not even speaking English, but needing stuff and having no opportunity to purchase anything for them beforehand.

Anyway, I once asked my sister if it bugged her when I wanted her sympathy about my troubles with one child (I only had one kid then) because she was dealing with those troubles times 4. She said no, because she knew everybody wanted and needed sympathy for their situation. She has a friend who had two kids, adopted a third, and later ended up adopting the siblings of the adopted child. So they ended up with about 8 kids. My sister pointed out that her life is easy compared to her friend's, but that my sister still needs and wants a listening ear sometimes.

As do we all.

[pritchettzoo]

>What stupid people...I wanted to tell them I sleep around with
>many men and that is why :)

LMAO! I want a picture of their faces! :) Why can't people just say "You have a beautiful family" and be done with it? You know, if you can't say something nice...

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03) and Eli (July '05)

[ddmarsh]

I always want to say "It's 4, not 20." Ugghh, I hate those comments.

Of course the worst by far is the "finally got your girl" comments. Especially when said in front of my boys it just makes me want to haul off and slap them :O.

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

I get that one too...all the time!!!!
and Reichen always looks uncomfortable when they say that...

Neve
Reichen (6), Karsh (3), Tristan (2) and baby girl Bronwyn born March 10th!!!!

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

I have to say I can't necessarily say it is harder with 4 than 2 so I wouldn't compare...I mean when it was only Tristan he would run off and I'd have to chase him. Now the other kids kind of anchor him in place in that he wants to be near them.

Reichen is able to hold my purse while I fill out my name on the envelopes for film etc...

So I agree we all need some lovin' with our experiences no matter how many are in tow :)
Neve
Reichen (6), Karsh (3), Tristan (2) and baby girl Bronwyn born March 10th!!!!