Because we need advice
I'm not a big fan of Dr. Sears. I used his baby book, but I've always found him irritating. He's far too kind, patient, and positive for me.
Sometimes I think Sears and poor long-suffering Mommy Martha had all those kids just so he could use different names in his personal examples. "When our seven year old, Matthew..." and "After our ten-year old, Erin..." I know I'm not the only one to find Sears bugging. I didn't quite go the other way, but I certainly mixed a little Detachment Parenting and more than a few formula bottles into my otherwise swaddling, coddling, "babywearing," breastfeeding BrooklynMama infant days.
Since it's been a while since I checked in with Dr. Sears I thought I'd see what he had to say about tots. As expected, some very patient and positive nuggets are to be found on his website, as well as the totally useless stating-the-obvious tips the experts always insist on giving us. For example:
When you shop with a toddler, be sure she is well-rested and well-fed, and be ready with a nutritious snack to keep her mind off the cereal boxes, lettuce, and egg cartons.... Take your babysling along, or let baby ride in the cart. Have fun and a short grocery list. If you're in a hurry, feeling distracted or stressed, shop without baby.
"Be ready with a nutritious snack to take her mind off the cereal boxes, lettuce...?" What kind of toddler is this? Maybe a Sears toddler for whom lettuce is like, what, a fab treat? Sears, there are these things called cookies. And these things called lollipops and this aisle called Junk. Haven't heard of it? Figures.
"Let baby ride in the cart."Now THAT'S clever!
"Have fun and a short grocery list." A short grocery list? What are you talking about, Doc? You have like, 50 kids so you never have a short list. And I have, like, one, and nor do I. So why are we talking about this?
"If you're in a hurry, feeling distracted or stressed, shop without baby." Let me see, the advice you give me on how to shop with tot is...leave her at home?
On second thought, that's good advice!
I love the short shopping list. Hello, everyone knows kids need 5 types of cereal in case one magically becomes "yucky."
And also, nutritious snack my butt. I'll stick with bribing with donuts.
Hey, if I put off doing things when I was in a hurry, stressed, or distracted I'd never go out of the bleedin' house!!