Moral Dilemma

(This blog, in general and unintentionally, has a target audience of moms, sorry if you're sick of mom/kid stuff, but such is my stage of life...)

Nearly every time I take my children anywhere that requires the use of a shopping cart I am forced at the end of my trip to make a choice: Abandon my three children and return the shopping cart to the designated corral, or leave my cart by my car insuring the safety of my children but feeling like a inconsiderate slacker who doesn't return shopping carts properly.

I know, I know, this is so lame that I even think about such tiny little details in my life! Here's why I do... I'm daily trying to teach my kids, If you take something out, put it away. If you borrow something, give it back. If you made a mess clean it up. If you can help make someone's job easier by say, throwing your trash away, carrying your tray to the tray place, PUTTING YOUR SHOPPING CART IN THE SHOPPING CART STATION, then do it.

So everyday in the parking lot of Targets, Costcos and my Happy Places everywhere, I am plagued by this decision. Safety? (God doesn't want us to live in fear) or helpfulness? (God wants us to protect our children).

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!

I think too much.

Comments

Jessica said…
I go through this same thing. I try to park near the cart return so that I can have my eyes on the little one the entire time. Of course, I have a car that can be right next to cart return because it already has so much "character" that I'm not so concerned for it. I am always so grateful when a cart runner will take it from me when I am done or another shopper passes by and asks for the cart. I pray that you will always find yourself being blessed by a kind stranger that offers to return the cart for you.
2:05 PM
Wendy said…
I do not have kids yet and so this may be a bad idea, and you can tell me if it is... But... Can you just lock your kids in the car and run it over to the cart return? Then you get a 30 second cardio workout too :)
2:51 PM
Lisa Gomez said…
I always park right next to the cart return if available, but if it's not I do what Wendy said and lock them in and run, run, run. :)
3:45 PM
Carrie P said…
Yeah, I hate leaving my cart somewhere - not put away. Occasionally I have to due to the circumstances but usually I leave the kids as I run it back...OR...leave Violet in the seat and the boys sitting in the back as I pack the groceries in, then we all return it together. Takes a little more work, but if I have time, I like to do this.
4:01 PM
Hippo Brigade said…
screw it, park the cart in a planter and be done with it. Those cute boys in the neon vests would have nothing to do if it wasn't for you.
5:15 PM
Joanna Reynolds said…
I'm kind of a combo...I try and park near the shopping cart return...if that is not possible then I leave the cart. I totally understand the turmoil you go through though...been there!
7:36 PM
Julie Snell said…
I don't even have kids and I would say 50% of the time I do what Becky said...park that sucker in the planter, being considerate of the other cars it may have run into if you just leave it in the lot to roll around. :)
11:10 PM
Anonymous said…
I have the SAME dilemma!! What I sometimes do, if they 'return shopping cart' place isn't too far away, is unload the cart of the groceries and put my two older kids in. Then I push the baby with me in the cart to the return place and take him out (leaving the cart and carry him back to the car). But I feel funny doing it!! Also, I have to say that last weekend I for ONCE said "yes" when they asked if I wanted help to my car. And it was REALLY nice. While I was buckling the kiddos, the clerk was helping with the groceries AND returned the cart for me!! So maybe we just need to accept help during this phase?
1:41 PM
Anonymous said…
so funny cause i did this today. with one it's pretty easy still i will probably never have 3 but i could imagine the debate. I hate when people are lazy and just leave their carts mostly cause i at one time in my teen years what the person paid to go get them. today i had a worker guy appear out of nowhere and help me which was great. Usually i get everything in the car and then put it back, oh and now i always try to find parking right next to the cart place.
8:10 PM
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