Getting creative with kids

This is part of an email to one of my friends asking for advice, thought you might enjoy the story.


I have fun taking my boys places. They know if they are disobedient it stops for a while. Places like the grocery stores can be stressful, so I came up with this train idea to keep the younger ones entertained. I get two carts and put one in front of the other, both facing the right way, I sit Sam (because he is the one that most likely will cause problems) in the seat of the one in front, and he hooks his legs over the cart facing him. I put Whyett in the other seat , Payton in the main area of the cart, and the groceries in the other big area of the other cart. So its a train through the store, they love it! I hope you can get a picture off my description. You would not believe the looks I get (good and bad), but as long as I'm not running over people, the kids are staying out of the food on the shelves, and everyone is accounted for its been a successful trip to the store. With six kids they can scatter and cause chaos faster than you can react, I know Ive been there. In fact just last Thursday I had the younger four with me at Winco, and Payton got lost, I was looking down one isle and saw him zip past the other end of it. I new he was looking for me, and the only way to catch him was to leave the cart behind (with the baby, and 4& 6 year old), and run down the isle to catch up. So I told Evan, and Sam (the 6 &4 year old) to stay right by Whyett (the baby) till I got back, I ran down the isle yelling Payton's name, he stopped when he heard me. I grabbed him and ran back to the cart. Luckily there was hardly anyone there (which is why I go on Thur.). Moral of this story...if I had the train system up I could have avoided the whole thing. So to heck with what people think, I'm pullin doubles when I go to the store from now on. Heidi