City Dads Group

Navigating Fatherhood Together

  • About Us
  • What is City Dads Group?
  • Contact
  • Meetups
  • Boot Camps
  • Start a Group
  • Join A Group
  • Podcast
  • Outreach
  • Press
  • Blog

Kids Teach Dad Lessons in the Doughnut Aisle

November 13, 2014 by Trey Burley Leave a Comment

bag of donuts

“Once freed from the racing cart buggy, he went straight for the doughnuts. On the way he yelled in the same frequency dog trainers use to get their student’s attention. He also laughed in that childlike yet maniacal way that makes me thankful that they’re on our side. Sort of.”

I’ve learned that brothers manipulate each other like salesmen. If one of them wants something, all they have to do is feign not being interested in it and the other one will back off. This rule holds true unless it’s something that has an attraction so undeniably strong that neither one can fake it.

Enter the doughnuts.

Our grocery shopping trips always starts in the far right of the local Publix supermarket. That way we can pop by the bakery and get a free cookie. Free cookies, especially when the kids need a snack or you’ll be in the store for a long time, help keep daddy sane … keep daddy sane … keep daddy sane.

On this day, the kids were OK. They weren’t the angels they portray themselves to be on our annual Christmas card, but they were behaving in an acceptably manic way. This is a moving and gray behavioral target for a 3- and 5-year-old. It can go from normal to delirium in the matter of one shopping aisle. That is why we navigate Publix like Indiana Jones in the Temple of Edible Treats.

Some treats offer acceptable levels of enthusiastic outbreaks while others released the kraken of childhood crazy. That is why we skipped the frozen foods section: it contains ice cream and offers a direct view to the doughnuts.

The doughnuts. Oh, the doughnuts. See, sometimes I let the kids get a bag of powdered doughnuts as a treat. Not in the plan today, though.

So, we went straight to the fruit to get some bananas. That’s when our youngest wanted to get out and do something. “Do something” is his Jedi mind trick. He placated me into thinking that he was sleepy, well-mannered or calm and not the 3-year-old doughnut-loving fiend he is at heart.

Once freed from the racing cart buggy, he went straight for the doughnuts. On the way he yelled in the same frequency dog trainers use to get their student’s attention. He also laughed in that childlike yet maniacal way that makes me thankful that they’re on our side. Sort of.

His older brother was apparently in on the ruse, too, because he was cheering him on yelling “Go, go, go!” Once at the doughnuts he grabbed a bag, yelled with glee and tried to hide on the other side of the packages.

“I can see you, come here please,” I said. At the same time an older couple rolled up in their scooters.

“Excuse me, can I talk with you,” the older gentleman said. “Never forget this. Never forget this time. By the time you blink, they’ll be older and you’ll be putting them in college. They’re running around the store now, acting like children, but this is the only time that they’ll do this. Enjoy it.”

“Never forget this”  — that was this older man’s Jedi mind trick on me.

I hadn’t intended to purchase doughnuts that day, but I did. I also gave them each one in the car, even though it was close to dinner time.

A version of this first appeared on Daddy Mojo.

Related

Filed Under: growing up, sons Tagged With: Daddy Mojo, life lessons, Publix, shopping with kids, supermarket, Trey Burley

About Trey Burley

Trey, co-founder of the Atlanta Dads Group, is originally from Greensboro, N.C., and has lived in Atlanta since 1999. He has worked for various radio stations and newspapers on, been a Walt Disney World character actor, and been office manager for an ESL school in Japan. In 2010, Trey started Daddy Mojo to write about parenting, children, life and poop culture from the perspective of a stay-at-home dad.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to our newsletter

Privacy


City Dads on YouTube


Join a City Dads Meetup Near You

BLT
Feb 16
Baltimore Dads Group - Saturday morning Playdate
ABQ
Feb 17
ABQ Dads Group - Let's go hiking ( Winter Edition)
STL
Feb 18
St. Louis Dads Meetup - Urban Fort
ANC
Feb 18
Anchorage Dads Group - Indoor Child Sports + Dad Fitness Training!
MAD
Feb 19
Madison Dads Group - Winter play time!
Join a Group

Popular Recent Posts

  • Not Collapsing into Other’s Emotions Shows, Builds Courage in Kids
  • Why My Daughter Has Her Mother’s Last Name Instead of Mine
  • Anger Management for Parents: Prepare for Before, During and After
  • Virtual School: ‘Almost School’ or Online Lesson for the Future
  • Life After Being At-Home Dad Gets Squirrelly for This Guy
  • Friends and Family Plan: Bedroom Edition
Visit the Blog

A Word from our Sponsors


B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat

As seen, heard, and read in:

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Join City Dads Groups in these Cities
  • Resources
  • Media Kit
  • Advertise
Copyright 2018 City Dads Group | Privacy Policy