Fern Michonski / Fern’s Music
Pre-School Music Education Expert: The Children’s Advocate for Love and Kindness, Inspiring Creativity and Joy.
February 22, 2012—Choosing a “One Thing!”
Every parent in the world knows what a challenge it can be to take their children with them while doing the family grocery shopping. The grocery store managers seem to know the absolute best places to put items that will intrigue our children and inspire them to beg, such as at the check-out counter where rows of candy, gum, etc. wait for us to grab them at the last second. Like every other parent out there, this used to drive me crazy. My three children would start the minute we entered the grocery store with, “Mom, can I have this?” This question would be repeated a million times throughout every single isle of the store, including the infamous check-out line. Finally, after dealing with this for some time I got smart. I came up with a solution that worked miracles, allowing me to shop peacefully while at the same time, allowing my children an opportunity to “shop” and make decisions.
I called it the “One Thing” rule. I told my children that each of them could have something from the grocery story, but the deal was—it could only be “ONE THING.” Once they had chosen their “One Thing”, that was the end of it. No more requesting at all. They had made a decision. They were delighted, until the first time we tried it. I had to work out the snags, but very soon the kids got the idea and it was wonderful! When you first attempt this, beware that the second you enter the grocery store your child will shout out, “That’s my “One Thing!” The problem is, there are many more isles in the store where other tantalizing items will be found. Therefore, I stopped right at the beginning of the store, squatted down to my children’s level and said, “Now remember, the store is full of great things. You may only choose ONE! Perhaps you should watch what each isle has to offer and then, at the end of the shopping trip, make your choice. Remember, once you have made your choice, you cannot change your mind!”
Bingo! I had figured it out! My children felt so grownup because they felt like they were actually shopping, just like Mom or Dad! Indeed they were. They would point to various things and wonder out loud what they should choose, opening up a great conversation about whether it was a good choice or not and if the item was too expensive or not. I was no longer harassed out of my mind. Once we reached the last isle, I would go back to whatever item each of my children had decided upon and add it to my cart. Together we learned a lot.
To this day, my children talk about getting a “One Thing.” Try it—and enjoy shopping together!