There is supposed to be actual snow tomorrow (not an inch of snow, covered by ice, like we got on Sunday), so after school, I dragged my three little people to Target to buy snow pants for Kiddo. So with the Boy in his carrier in the cart, Babs hanging off the back, and Kiddo "helping" me push, we moved from the parking lot to the store. I am very sensitive to the fact that kids move at their own pace, and I put a lot of effort into not stopping right in the entrance or exit of a store, or any other place where flow is important. I am often thwarted by Babs, who seems determined to stop in those exact places (yet is content to run like a banshee every where else).
Today was typical, I had finally pushed all three of them into the store when I have to stop suddenly so I don't run over Babs who has gotten off the cart. I strongly encouraged her to get back on, so we can get out of the doorway when I had to pull the cart to a quick stop again. This time it was to avoid running into the people ahead of us, who were also disrupting the flow.
It was a mom and her three kids, except her three kids were two teenagers, and one preteen (tween?). She was not shepherding them, just walking, assuming they would follow. The kids were laughing and talking in that non-guarded way that tells you they are friends as well as siblings, and have forgotten momentarily that their sworn duty as teenagers is to be cooler than their family.
I had a few thoughts at that moment: So this problem of stopping in front of others will never go away. That is my future. I want my kids to still like each other.
My three are so small, but they won't always be. I know that, but I'm not sure I understand that. Today was a good reminder.
