YEP! I am THAT Mom. I am buying my kid a Leash!

As Parents, being judged can be really hard to deal with.  

Before kids, I judged a LOT!

I remember one time specifically I saw a mom down the cereal aisle.    A toddler – 3 or 4 years old, sat in the cart screaming and crying and making a huge racket.   And I thought – Why doesn’t that mother do something!  I don’t need to hear this! 

Little did I know that a few years down the road, I would be THAT mom! And I would come to realize doing nothing – is all you can do in that situation.

I am the one with the Toddler in the cart screaming and doing my best to get the grocery shopping done.   And as I pass another mom in the store, instead of judging – I give a knowing smile.  The smile that says:  Yep!  I’m that mom, too!

One of the things I had a hard time with –even after my oldest was walking – was the child leash thing. 

  I mean really? You are putting your kid on a leash!?!?! 

My oldest NEVER ran far, and to this day she STILL holds onto a hand, the stroller or the cart when we are out and about.  She is NEVER more than a few feet from me.  Even at the playground, if she can’t see me she gets upset.

#2, on the other hand!

  DAMN!  I can’t keep the kid in the stroller, much less holding my hand.

 And she has super powers - she runs faster than a cheetah! 

Last weekend we had a picnic at Dance.  I turned my back for literally 30 seconds and when I turned back she was GONE!  

The panic set in, the tears started and I could feel the paralyzing fear slowly creep through my body!

Scared me to death. 

Luckily, another dad in the group caught her before she ran into the road! 

First thing I did when we got home… I went on Amazon.com and bought my daughter a leash!

So yes, now I am THAT mom!  

I let my kids scream through the store while I am shopping. 

And I WILL be that mom, the one with the kid on the leash at Disney World next month. 

But you know what I won’t be?  

I won’t be the mom at Disney sending out a search party to find Bekah.