“Mummy, I Want To Buy This!”

The time has come for my retribution, I tell you.

I remember when I was a kid, every time my parents brought me to a shopping centre, I would bug them to buy me something, without fail. It can be anything – a toy, a pretty dress, a pair of shoes,a coloring book, whatever. As long as I get to buy something new. You know how irritating kids can be sometimes. Their rational’s kinda warped. =P

My parents must have felt incessantly irritated by my behavior, especially in a public place. Now it’s my turn to suffer.

We all know we cannot punish publicly, but alas, this has also become a loophole because our kids are so smart that they know how to take advantage of it. My Joey repeats her requests at least 10 times even though I’ve said ‘No’ the equal number of times. She knew that if I was embarrassed enough by her persistence, I would relent. I mean, I’m not exactly projecting a very good image if I am a mother who heartlessly rejects every of her kid’s request, especially when the kid is persuading with all her might and looked like she would die without buying it. =.=

As the days pass by, thankfully, my skin has gotten thicker and thicker. It used to be that I would be unable to tolerate Joey’s persuasion and just buy her something she wanted out of sheer embarrassment and attempt to just end the whining. Now, I have already attained the highest power level of saying a firm ‘NO’ without so much of a bat of an eyelid or a twitch of my facial muscle.

As a veteran therefore, I am pleased to announce that the most effective and best way to handle such situations is to WALK AWAY.

I mean, the first few times you try it, it might not work as well because your kids won’t really believe you will leave them there and walk away. But trust me, persevere on and do not give up. Every time you attempt the walking-away, make sure you really walk away. Do not turn back and look at them >> The moment you do that, BAM! you lost it. Your kiddo will come running after you in under 10 seconds.

At times, you might leave behind a train of ‘Nooooooooo!! Mummmmmyyyy!! I WANT TO BUY THIS!!!!!!!” but believe me, it’s well worth the effort. In any case, you’re walking away from that embarrassing situation, so yeh, it’s all good.

This, by the way, is the LATEST thing that Joey has been bugging me to buy for her:

She’s been forcing asking our neighbour’s son to let her play with his scooter everyday, and I tell you, watching her play makes my heart jump out! It’s so scary and if she’s not careful, she may hurt herself when she falls down. Should I even agree to buy her such an accident-prone toy??!

Well, it all depends on who gives in first! =D