Absolutely right - the goal is to get the kids to accompany you uncomplainingly. My kid wears her Heelys in the Park Slope Food Co-op - it is the ONLY way to make that trip tolerable for her, and she loves the floors there.

While I'm sure you watch your child carefully, not all parents do so. I cringe when I think of what would have happened if Heelys had been around when my frail Grandma was still with us. Imagine, if you will, a person who is frail but still needs to shop for groceries. She walks to the end of an aisle, only to be flattened by a child trying out the Heelys. The one place Heelys should not be allowed is in stores. While your child may be able to dust herself off after a tumble, a fall with a bone break can be a disaster for an older person. So please, please do not let children zip around stores on Heelys. Parks are for play. Supermarkets, malls, and department stores are places of business, and should be reasonably safe for all who choose-or need-to shop there.

While I appreciate your difficulties, it's far more valuable to teach children patience and learn how to deal with unpleasantness. The earlier they learn the easier your job will get over time.

So you'd rather bribe your child into good behavior instead of teaching her that sometimes she has to do things that are tediuous and boring? It's a shame that the other people at the Park Slope Food Co-op have to avoid your free wheeling daughter. Were I to complain when my parents dragged me along on tedious errands, I would lose privledges. While the method wasn't always perfect, my sisters and I learned how to deal with stores in a nondisruptive manner and with a minimum of complaining.

Who doesn't bribe their kids cause usually more than half of the u.s do bribe their kids.If u do have kids honestly tell me that u haven't bribe them once or twice.Go ahead tell me.I know and so does every one reading this right now will say or think that you're gonna say no you haven't cause you know how to take care of your kids and blah blah blah. Well my kids earned the money to buy the Heeleys and are very responsible with them so I think they teach them responsibilities and care of the things that they buy.Yes you are right the method isn't perfect cause that child might always act bad just to get attention from you and what child doesn't act bad in the grocery store or mall or any other place for that matter.

(P.S. Im not trying to tell you how to raise you future kids or you kids but someone had to SNAP you back into reality)

(P.S.S. I guess that person just had to be ME !!!)

cheergirl - what you were saying might be a little more persuasive if it wasn't written like a teenager texting her friend. Are you sure you are old enough to have kids?

Case in point.

Didn't your mother ever teach you that something isn't necessarily a good thing to do, even if "everyone else does it!" Even if "half the US" bribes their children, that does not make it a good thing, especially if that bribe interfers with everyone else around the child.

Secondly, I suspect your statements regarding your children. As the poster above stated, you sound like you are 13. If you are truly an adult with children, I pity those children. How on earth are you going to teach them to speak and write properly if you can't do so?

Many children don't act badly in the grocery store or the mall. Perhaps you should spend some time observing the quiet children in the background. It's the few bad apples that make all children look bad. One thing that you may notice if you spend time with families who have well behaved children is that the children's behavior isn't moderated by bribes. That's not to say that they don't get special treats once in a while. But bribing them into good behavior does not work in the long term. Well behaved children happen when children are taught proper behavior, not when they are temperarily shut up with a toy.

I bribed my kids when they were growing up. I bribed them with privledges. Not material items.

You can go to Cindy's house after you clean your room & put your laundry away.

If you help do the dishes after dinner, you can watch tv for 30 minutes.

You can ride your bike after your home work is done.

I never bribed my kids with the promise of candy, new toys or the latest fashion.

oh, ps. cheesygirl, you sound like you are 12.

You are such a push-over.

I don't pity her children... I pity her cats. Wow.