Christmas shopping is already incredibly time consuming and stressful, but if you’ve got to bring the kids with it can just seem impossible. The parking lots are full, the malls are packed and you’ve got to keep your eyes in all directions at once. Well it is to say the least, a daunting situation albeit manageable. Follow my tips and you’ll have a smooth Christmas shopping experience even with a few kids in tote.
First you should have a sit down with your kids. Explain to them that you are going shopping for the day and that it’s important for them to be on their best behavior. If you’re certain the mall is going to be a madhouse, you may want to ensure that your children have their phone number and address memorized in case they are separated from you.
Before heading off to the mall, make sure you’re stocked with plenty of distractions for your kids in case they become fussy or irritable. Equip your diaper bag with toys and a few snacks or any other trinkets that you feel could diffuse a potential meltdown.
Make sure that you are organized at the mall. Know where you are going and what you are planning to purchase. This will dramatically reduce the amount of time spent fighting the crowds. So make a detailed list. If you know your brother Paul wants some new poker books, make it a priority to stop in at Barnes and Noble right away. Browsing around will no doubt make even the sweetest little angles turn into raging monsters, so be time efficient.
Drag a friend along with you. If you’ve got more than one kid, it may be too much for you to handle at the mall all by your lonesome, so enlist the help of a shopping buddy.
When all else fails, you will have to bribe your children to get through the whole ordeal. Offer them sweets, a movie or some other activity to kept them calm. You really don’t need a screaming child throwing themselves on the floor when you are rushing around trying to get last minute shopping taken care of.
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August 8th, 2008 | 
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Posted in Shopping