Can you give me some ideas now so I am not posting later about how badly the kids have behaved please?

[FabulousBakerGirl]

As some of you know, I have posted before about my children's less than great behaviour when out.

After school, I need to take all 3 children to the shoe shop to get shoes for DS2. It should be easier and quicker as it is only him needing them and I will have taken fresh water and a choc muffin to have as a snack on the way there.

DS2 can be bribed encouraged to behave as it is his birthday tomorrow but it could go either way with the other 2, aged 5 and 8.

Just asking them to behave doesn't work.

I feel your pain. Shoe shopping is the ultimate worst thing in the world.

Is there any chance at all that you could go over the weekend/at at time when DH is around, so you either go with him to help, or leave the other two at home?

If not, could you bribe them too encourage good behaviour by promising pizza/icecream/DVD night for when you get home?

And lots of praise - Oooh look at you lot all being soooo grown up i'm so proud etc. the shoe lady will think you're all lovely etc. etc. We'll have to have a special treat later - just wait til i tell Daddy etc. all said with rictus grin like this ---> .

........As an aside can i recommend you snaffle the name TripleTroubleMuffin for use at a later date as it's fab.

do you have enough money that you can bribe them with a new dvd or something, or say that the quietest one will get someothing super when you get home.

sometimes works with mine. they are all so super then, and as I can never choose between them, they actually all get something (normally ice cream from the ice cream van). they really are quite competetive with who can be the most perfect

My 15 yr old still behaves like a toddler when it comes to shoe-shopping. He's of the "oh just grab the first pair we see and let's go!" school, whereas I (and the shoe shops) inexplicably favour finding a pair that actually fits his hobbit-like feet... I find threats (to withdraw pocket money in his case) temper him somewhat. I'm not sure that would work on a 2 yr old. How about promising them a trip to a cafe for hot chocolate if they are very very good in the shoe shop, with cake for anybody who was very very good, and no cake for those that weren't, and reminding them if they start to get fractious in the shop of the agreement (at frequent intervals if needs be). That way the behaviour of one shouldn't scupper it for all of them, and they should hopefully be aiming to all get cake. Any other kind of food-based treat would do though at this age, doesn't have to be very expensive.

Normally I would do that but it is DS2's birthday tomorrow and I think he might be busy.

DS2 has chosen to have pizza for tea but am thinking I will have to bribe them with something.

Why can't they just behave because I have asked them too.

because they are children!

well, that is what I tell myself.....

and you know, the ones who claim their children are perfect while out, fail to tell you how horrid they are at bedtime, or teatime, or bathtime.....or something equally stressful.

they lie

Lots of ideas there in cross posted posts. Interesting that lots of them involve ice cream and food treats. I was thinking this morning about how you get by the giving certain food as treats without making an issue of it.

Mine are only perfect at school and when asleep though DS1 fell out of bed last night from his top bunk. Thank goodness he landed on his beanbag. We found him later fast asleep on the beanbag.

PBaR - Thanks for the idea.

Did you see my thread? I only had one post on it last time I looked.

Give them things to do.
Make a checklist of things to find that they have to tick off. So you could have on there:

20 pairs of red shoes (draw it for the little one)
10 pairs of yellow shoes
1 pair of brown womens boots

etc etc

Also tell them that the child who have behaved the MOST gets a treat. Kids love competitions, and to make it fair you could give them all a treat at the end, mentioning one or two positive things they did.

Yes it was lovely - i meant to write something on it, got distracted and lost it.

But i thought next time i see you 'about' i'll mention it.

Actually, I have just remembered I had bought them a new bok each so will take those. Good idea.

How did it go?