Going to the grocery store with kids is like signing up for an extreme sport you didn’t train for.
You think, How hard can it be?
Then two aisles later, someone has spilled applesauce, someone else has dumped a basket of bread on the floor, and the baby is screaming like the world has ended.

☁️ The chaos in real time

Last week, I decided to brave the store with all three kids in tow.
By aisle three, my toddler had managed to open a jar of pickles.
My middle child was negotiating candy like a seasoned diplomat.
And the baby… well, the baby discovered that screaming gets results.

A woman in the next aisle stared at me and whispered,
“You need a vacation.”

I laughed—but inside, I felt every ounce of exhaustion and frustration.
And then I realized: this is parenting in its purest, most chaotic form.

🌿 The strange rhythm of shopping with kids

Trips to the store aren’t just about buying food.
They’re about:

It’s messy. Loud. Unpredictable.
And yet, if you pay attention, it’s full of tiny victories you’d never notice if you were rushing through solo.

💛 What I’ve learned about parenting in public

You can prep snacks, create checklists, bribe with stickers.
You can even try to plan for every disaster.

But the truth? You can’t control the chaos.
You can only control your reaction.

I’ve learned to take a deep breath.
To let the spilled applesauce go.
To whisper encouragement rather than frustration.
To laugh when the baby throws a container of grapes across the floor like it’s confetti.

Because these little disasters aren’t failures—they’re lessons.
Lessons in patience.
Lessons in flexibility.
Lessons in presence.

🏡 The quiet truth

Parenting isn’t about having perfect grocery trips.
It’s about showing up.
It’s about resilience.
It’s about connection—even when surrounded by mess, noise, and judgmental looks.

And sometimes, it’s about noticing the small moments:
The giggle when your toddler hides in a box of cereal.
The pride when your middle child carries a bag without complaining.
The calm satisfaction when the baby finally drifts off in the cart.

So now, when I leave the store exhausted, sticky, and a little frazzled, I remind myself:
I didn’t fail.
I survived.
And in the mess, we learned a little more about each other, a little more about life, and a lot about patience.

And yes… next time, we might just order delivery.

Love

Rochel

A mother of 4 of the cutest children. I have seen the ups and downs in motherhood. Subscribe to this newsletter to hear my raw and honest thoughts on the joys and chaos of motherhood.