Living life in the carpool lane..

My kids have a gift.  My kids have a talent.

My kids have the ability to make me look like I have no control over them whatsoever whenever we are in public.

No, really.

They make me look like I’m a completely ‘hot mess mama’ that can’t handle her own kids.

I don’t know how they do it.

And I swear that when I’m home, I have things seemingly under control.  At least, I think I do.

Maybe it’s because I don’t have to interact with other people, that I feel like my kids behave better when we are at home?

Maybe it’s because there are more things to see, hear and experience out than at home?

Maybe it’s because I’m just fooling myself into thinking I have things under control when I’m home?  That’s probably it.

K is at the age where she needs to experience everything.  I’m serious when I say EVERYTHING.  Today, at Costco, she felt the need to feel every package of bread that was within her reach.  EVERY. SINGLE. PACKAGE.

And I get it.  She’s at a very exploratory age.  She uses all her senses to get a feel for the world surrounding her.  But, when she refuses to sit in the shopping cart, so I compromise and allow her to walk while holding my hand, AND we have to keep up with Hubby and M ahead of us?

Hot mess.

What about when M is in dance class and I can barely stop K from wanting to get on that dance floor and join the class.  Thank goodness for the large waiting area in the back of the class, but it’s a real struggle to keep her on the carpeted area instead of the dance floor.  And when she refuses to cooperate, she screams.  Loud.  So loud the whole class can hear.  And I cringe.  It feels like I have no control over that kid.

Hot mess.

Or the time when we were at the music store and I was purchasing a piano book for M.  I’m at the register holding K trying to pay for the book when she decides she just wants to go down.  She begins to squirm and wiggle.  When that doesn’t work, she screams.  Loud.  Loudly, in my ears.  On top of that, M decides she wants to try out the bongo drums.  With nodes (click here), I’m not allowed to talk over loud noises.  So, I’m wrestling with K, trying to keep her in my arms.  I’m begging M to please stop playing the drums.  I’m wrestling with K again to stop trying to remove all the contents out of my wallet.  I’m begging M AGAIN to quit playing the drums.  I’m trying so hard to stay calm for the sake of my vocal chords and because I’m sure the store would not appreciate a mom having a meltdown.

I wanted to drop everything I was doing, sit on the floor and just cry.  Seriously.  I was THAT overwhelmed.  I wanted to give up and just wait for Hubby to come and rescue me.

I felt like I lost all control.

We’ve all been there, right?

But it is what it is.  I held K a little tighter.  Gave her a bunch of kisses and talked her through all the frustration (which was probably more for me than anything else).  M eventually listened and stopped banging the drum.  I purchased the book.  We went home.

The whole scenario probably lasted five minutes, but it felt like an eternity.

And in the grand scheme of things, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to parenting trials.  This is all probably the easy stuff.

But c’mon!  Can’t they make me look like I have everything under control sometimes?  I mean, can’t they help me look like less flustered?  Just do mommy a favor and stop making me look like a hot mess all the time.

I know I’m not the only one that feels this!  Share your story in the comments below!