Joy Sometimes Looks Like Chaos

  There is something magical about the way that young children can find great joy in even the simplest things in life. Through innocent and inexperienced eyes, even a basic trip to the store can be full of fun and happiness. Their excitement levels can only be matched by the amount of destruction they leave in their wake.

  If you’ve ever seen one of those shows about people who chase tornadoes and hurricanes, then you have some idea of what it’s like to take our kids to the store. Sometimes, when we forget how… energetic our children can be, we decide to take them with us on a supposedly quick grocery trip or short errand. It usually seems like a good idea at the time.

  Our twins are at an age where they do not necessarily need to be pushed around in a cart. They usually ask to walk around. And, of course, when I say ‘walk,’ I mean ‘run’ and when I say ‘around,’ I mean ‘around crazy.’ This isn’t to say they don’t want to ride in the cart. In fact, they will ask to ride in the cart numerous times per minute, usually right after asking to walk.

  We are blessed to have very smart and inquisitive children. This means that they like to examine things up close to see what they can learn. It also means that there is a chaotic flurry of objects getting pulled from the shelf and tossed in every direction. They are also curious about the shelf itself, and whether they will fit on it, or if it will support their weight. (Sometimes, it can.)  

  Shopping with the kids is usually a frantic attempt to replace items on shelves, keep fragile items out of small hands, and maintain visual contact with three children. Occasionally, if we have time, we take a break from all that to actually look for the things we came to the store for. Between my wife and I, we have four eyes and only three children to keep track of, and we outweigh them by a good bit, so statistically, this should be easy. Sometimes statistics are misleading.

  Because our kids are very vocal about their discoveries (and anything else that pops in their head), other shoppers – sometimes from several aisles away – can hear all about their animated observations. They are so excited to see all the wondrous colors and pictures on, say, a pickle jar, that they can’t help but share, usually by running across the store with the item precariously in hand. The more likely it is to shatter and make a tremendous mess, the better. Their enthusiasm is somehow both endearing and stressful.

  I am glad that our children are so curious and inquisitive about how things work. I just wish they were a little less curious about the workings of the public restroom in the store. No matter how clean an establishment keeps its restrooms, you still feel there are germs hiding everywhere. Children are drawn to germs.

  The timing of the bathroom request is critical for our children. They love the family restroom at Wal-Mart, because it has those kid-sized potties, so they make a point to visit every trip. They know that their optimal time is to ask five minutes after we get into the store, or right after the cart is entirely full of refrigerated goods. Another key time to ask is when we are at the exact opposite end of the store from the restroom, or in line at the cash register. Just be to safe, they also ask to go to the bathroom at approximately 20-second intervals. 

   In any event, I've noticed that we bring much joy to people when we go shopping as a family. We see a lot of amused faces as we struggle to maintain order. And through much trial and error we have discovered the following from taking our kids to the store: 1. We can all learn something about our own outlook on life if we watch the way children take great joy in even the simplest things and are happy wherever they are; 2. The grosser something is, the more likely it is that someone will touch it, or roll around on it; and 3. After they make room, a three-year old can fit on most grocery store shelves.