Target Gift Card/ Saying Mean Things

            
On Sunday I picked up my oldest daughter from her sleepover and I sent her straight upstairs to clean her hell-hole of a room. "Clean it good, don't just throw everything in your closet like your mom does." Do as I say, not as I do. Bad Mom Award. She was up there for a long time. I heard the vacuum going and everything. She came downstairs afterward and was very excited. She was holding something behind her back.

"Guess what I found in my room, mom?" I looked up at her, "Iran's nuclear weapons?" She laughed, "No. The Target gift card that I got for my birthday." I asked her how many months ago her birthday was. She counted on her fingers, "Seven!" I shook my head. "That is sad." She begged me to take her to the store to spend it. I went upstairs and verified that her room was clean and off we went.

I should have known it would be the longest trip ever. My daughter is the most indecisive person on the planet. It's very annoying. She wanted to get a skirt, so we went to the clothes section. She went through every single item. Something was wrong with everything. "Too ugly, too expensive, I hate it." Then she wanted to walk through the toy section. She examined every one. Then she wanted to look in housewares to find something in her room. We looked at every blanket, mirror, and basket. She couldn't find anything she wanted. Then we went in the shoe section. She hated everything.

I am not kidding when I tell you that we were in Target for an hour and twenty minutes. It was mind numbing. I was just picking up random things and trying to sell them to her in an attempt to get the hell out of there. "What about this pillow? It's Chevron. You like Chevron and you love pillows...." We would have been there longer but I finally lost my mind and told her that she could save the gift card for later. We were walking out and she saw the candy section and decided she wanted to buy $8 worth of candy. I'm making my husband take her next time.

We got home and my youngest was personally offended that I didn't get her anything. I explained to her that her sister used her own gift card but that didn't matter. I still got berated.

The next day after I picked my youngest up from gymnastics she asked if we could go get slushies. I told her no. It was cold and I was tired and money doesn't grow on trees. She told me that I never get her anything and I always get her sister things because I love her sister more. I told her to give me three examples. She does this to me all the time to try to guilt me into getting what she wants. It's not going to work

 She said, "You got her tic tacs at the store the other day." I replied, "She went to the grocery store with me and I offered for you to go and you didn't want to." She huffed, "Well you just bought her 3 new shirts." I sighed, "Because she grew out of her clothes. When you grow out of yours, I will get you new ones." She was frustrated and mad. "You are so horrible. You just hate me. You are the worst mother in the world."

I shrugged and ignored her. She sat in the passengers seat with her arms crossed. Then she began to sob. "Why are you crying?" I asked. "I'm sorry.I always say mean things to you and hurt your feelings and you are going to hate me one day." Lord in heaven. "I will never hate you, but I know a good solution." She looked up at me, hopeful. "Just stop saying mean things to me." She threw her hands up in the air, "That's impossible! I don't know how." Then she started sobbing even harder. I had two words for her: Bed Time.

She was better in the morning. The kids had off from school today due to bad weather. My oldest went to the neighbors house and avoided us, as she does. My youngest wanted to play card games. She was so happy and excited. I dealt the cards and I was whooping her behind. She was getting so frustrated. She began to sing a song. She opened her sweet little eight year old mouth and sang, "Black hole sun won't you come and wash away the rain...." I lost my mind. I was laughing so hard that I was crying. She was confused. "What?" she asked. "How do you know that song?" She rolled her eyes at me. "I know all the 90s songs." Other parents expose their kids to Beethoven and Mozart. My kids = Soundgarden. It could have been worse. She could have bust out with: Rally round the family with a pocket full of shells. Bad Mom Award.