The Annual Shopping Trip

Last year, Kevin and I started the tradition of a father/son shopping trip and continued the tradition again this year with great success. I know that he doesn’t remember last year’s first outing but I hope that he’ll remember much of this one.

This year’s goal was to find a present for Kevin to give mommy. Thankfully, my shopping was completed so all we needed to do was go in, have some fun together while shopping and get out. Our journey took us to a local mall with a carousel which did add another task to the list - ride the horses.

Once in the mall, we first checked out the video games before heading for the Discovery store to see what neat things they had. We looked around and Kevin indeed found what he thought was the perfect present. “I want to get mommy a dinosaur.” After a small discussion, Kevin realized my veto would stand. “I’m hungry” he said so onward we traveled to the next stop.

After eating a ‘cheese and burger meal with the toy in it’, Kevin thought it was time for the horses. We had another discussion and the decision was made to accomplish what we came for before heading to the carousel. Now we were fed and completely focused on the task.

We checked out a few stores and then found a store that neither of us usually ventured into but it held the perfect gift for mommy. We spent a little more time in there looking at the different things than I had wanted and got more than a few employees asking, “Can I help you with anything?” Why is it that a father and preschooler are seen as helpless shoppers? Although I’ve never been in the store, I knew the different types of things they had, what they were used for and what went together. Anyhow, we finished our shopping and then allowed the store to return to it’s 100% feminine state.

While in the store, Kevin picked a gift that I wasn’t exactly thrilled with. I struggled with letting him purchase it but after some reflection thought, “It’ll be a better gift from him because he picked it out”.

Once our shopping was done it was off to the horses, get some ice cream and then head home. But the shopping this year led me to several thoughts:

First: Despite how much I think something else might be more appropriate, allowing a 3 year old to pick the gift will make it a better one within reason.

Second: My mantra is again confirmed – “Slow Down!” Having a preschooler in the house has reminded me how much adults miss because they hurry from ‘to do’ to ‘to do’. There are many amazing things to be seen and much more enjoyment to be had if you talk to your children and help them see why the dino is a bad idea and why we can’t ride the horses right away. They’re people too and not just one more thing you have in tow.

Third: Dad’s need to step up. We let too many things happen while we’re spending excess time at the office. That leads to being seen as (and sometimes feeling) helpless when we’re alone with the children in a foreign place.

Fourth: A day of shopping is much more special when it ends with an unsolicited “You’re a good daddy. I love you the best.”