Shopping with Fifi

I have been busy shopping past few days.
I need to buy all the presents i will be taking to India in first half of 2010.
I changed my wardrobe.Yes, entire wardrobe.
Out with old and in with new.

Christmas season is already here.I am one of those who supports commercialization aspect if it all.
I feel things are bad and good.We need to select what we judge good and leave away the bad.
Yesterday i took Fifi( my elder one by 1 minute, and yes this is her true pet name) for window shopping.She has been a very bad shopper till now i,e i am embarrassed to take her to shopping.She gets stuck with what she wants to buy and i have to pick her up or nagotiate too much or she starts crying if i do not buy what she wants.

So yesterday i had savings coupons from Kohls.I wanted to use them while buying my clothes. Bibi( the other twin, and yes that is her true pet name) stayed back with dad and Fifi came along with me for shopping.
I took her as i felt she needs to be better during shopping. I told her clearly that it was mommy’s shopping time.Mommy likes to have new stuff just like she does.I also told her concept of ‘window shopping’ i,e she could look, admire, even feel and touch but not buy it.Only mommy will be buying.
She agreed.
She stopped at every toy, every presentation wrapper roll they had all over, every christmas tree , she looked through every ornament and Christmas stuff they had for sale.
They even had ‘Abby’ ornament but she had already baught ‘princess’ ornament for our tree from target so i told her no and she agreed.( with out a fight but wistfulness in her eyes).I might buy it for her later it costs only 6.99$.
I even baught a toy helicopter for her cousin in India and she was ok with it.
She was great when i baught my clothes.She did not let me buy few things that i wanted.Like a very cute brown top, she firmly said no.I did not want to offend her so i agreed.
I baught lots of pinks and purples at her recommendation which i would have not baught otherwise.

At the end there was only one accident when she pulled down underwear of female mannequin and said she wants it! I told her no.I was so embarrassed to put the underwear back.One lady saw me doing that, surprise on her face was priceless.
As we reached the counter.She saw a cutsie christmasy bag of chapsticks.She wanted it.It was almost end of shopping and i did not want to make a scene.So i agreed.
I told her to count the chapsticks.There were 6.She agreed to give one to each one in the family and keep 3 with her.
I will keep it on the dressing table, she said.
She was very happy with the chapsticks.
The lady on the register counter was watching her.
When she saw the helicopter, she asked Fifi if it was for her.
Fifi confidently said , no its for A.(her cousin)
So she said, ah! The chapsticks are for you!
Fifi proudly said, yes!
The lady was kind enough to say, oh my! you are one smart little girl..

I can not tell how happy and proud ,Fifi, made me feel.My preemie has come such a long way!
She showed no greed.
She counted the chapsticks.
Knew after giving 3 ,she will have 3 left.
She showed such happiness on getting something as little as chapsticks.
She had a plan, of keeping her chapsticks safely at the dressing table.

In the car i told her, how proud i was.She was so happy to be praised.
When she got up today morning, instead of saying good morning, she whispered, i was very good girl during shopping yesterday.

I know this is such a little thing but i sincerely feel, exposing our children to everything is important.In my prayer group, one of my friends home schools and never takes her son for shopping etc.
I respect her to core and absolutely love her but i feel instead of not exposing our children to all kinds of people and experiences, its more important to teach them good morals and teach them the ability to judge between good and bad.
I have not been the best person all my life but i learnt and am still learning.I would not want to live in a cocoon and say , “Look at me, i am the best.My child should like everything that i have judged as good and that is all there is!!”
(This is the joy of writing under pen name, my friend will never know i feel like this)
Also i do not mean to offend anybody.I do not know many people who home school but i am just talking about this Indian friend of mine who is one of my best friends and is great mom and wife.I have learnt a lot from her.My daughters and her son take music lessons together.I absolutely admire her but can not relate to the homeschooling part and shopping part and other such things.