Don't judge!

Don't judge!  That's exactly what I want to say as I drag Reese across the floor at Hobby Lobby as she flops on the ground in complete defiance and the lady beside me, who is acting like she is looking at frames, is really staring at me thinking, "Ewww if I were that little girl's Mom I would...."  It's what I want to say as I walk down the Wal-Mart aisle and Reese systematically finds the worst items to pick out of the cart and chunk down the aisle.  When I tell her no, she raises her eyebrows, her eyes get real big, and she starts swinging like a crazy lady.  It's also what I want to say when I'm trying to put shoes on the girl and I end up having to sit on the floor with her restraining her as she starts swinging and eventually lands a slap on my face.  Then, I have the Mom with her two kids, quietly looking at shoes, while I am sitting on the floor with my lil' crazy monster child restraining her.  At first I thought it was a phase, but now I'm pretty sure my child is a hitter.  Not with other kids or people she doesn't know.  No she really reserves it for me and sometimes my Mom and Adam.  That's about it.  It's awesome.  Yes, she goes in time out.  Yes, she has gotten spanked and popped, but honestly I feel like that's just the opposite of what she needs.  It's like, "Here, let me pop you.  Now don't hit Reese."  Hmm..not the best method more than likely.  I consistently get on to her, which often starts a full scale war in public, but she gets over it pretty quickly.  I've also tried the method of not giving her attention as she swings at everything in sight and that works at times.  Nothing works 100% of the time and nothing has a true lasting effect.

Point is, I used to be the lady in the store.  I would see kids acting crazy and I would think, "When I have kids I will..." or "I can't believe she lets them act like that".  Now, when they get to a certain age there really is little to no excuse for certain behaviors, but I was judging the little ones...little Reeses! Little hitters, little ones flopping on the floor, and the ones throwing things out of the cart.  I have a whole new perspective now.  Kids are built differently.  They have completely different tendencies and personalities and as a parent, you just need to roll with it...with consistency.  I have already seen Reese go through many different phases and I know this will eventually pass.  She has a temper and doesn't know how to control it all yet.  However, hopefully (fingers crossed) with consistency from me and Adam she will start to understand how to manage it and express it differently.  For now, it definitely makes for some interesting times and experiences for all of us.  On a side note, she's not always crazy.  We have more great times in stores and in public than not. We always have.  She just has her psycho moments.  Don't we all? :)