Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Shopping. Blech.

Shopping.

I hate it.

But my kids love it. And often they want me to do it with them.

I am not the kind of mother who bonds with her daughters by squealing over adorable pieces of trendy outfits. I leave the squealing for the girls to do with their peers. And we find plenty of other fun things to bond over. Like scraping nails down a chalkboard.

My girls know that I view shopping as a necessary evil. For example, I wouldn't have done it today, but I couldn't very well let Orli go to school in flip-flops(which used to be known as thongs, which are now known as skimpy underwear. But that's for another post). The kids all need closed shoes or boots, because after all, sometimes the temperature here dips down to 50 degrees!

Of everything I hate to shop for here in Israel, shoes are by far the worst. They are fairly expensive at the cheap stores; at the more expensive, higher quality shoes tranlates to a huge increase in price. But shoes it was. Oh, joy.

Luckily, I managed to score a pair of boots and two pair of shoes. For the price of half-a-month's rent, but still I was pleased to get this done.

And in the nick of time, too. I had just about had it. Which was confirmed when Tali said to Orli, "You better choose which pair of boots you want. Mommy's getting cranky."

How do you feel about shopping?

17 comments:

SuperRaizy said...

OMG, I hate shopping, particularly with the kids. I just took my girls shoe-and-boot shopping on Sunday and I got cranky REAL fast. You have my sympathy.

Anonymous said...

It's the opposite here: I love to shop, but my oldest child is wearing shoes held together with masking tape and refuses to even look for another pair ... at least I'm saving a few $$

Risa Tzohar said...

A post like this will attract many many bitter-laughs. I couldn't agree more.

Rachel said...

Hated in in the states, hate it more here. Don't know where to go, everything is expensive and poorly made, and the clothes seem to come in 2 styles, trashy and frummy.

Commenter Abbi said...

Rachel- excellent analysis of Israeli clothing styles!!

I'm starting to hate shopping because my girls, 4 and 6, are starting to not like my taste in clothing for them. :( I ordered some really cute dresses from Children's Place on sale that my mom brought on Succot and I have to bribe them to put them on, even though I think they're adorable (and 100% cotton, nothing itchy or scratchy or uncomfy)

bashful said...

A trick you can use when they're still young: ask the salesperson if they've got any "leftover" shoes from last season. They are MUCH cheaper, and the little ones don't know the diff but still get to "pick one".
You are in good company, Baila -
I HATE SHOPPING too!

JJ said...

What Rachel said. :-)

Actually, I didn't used to hate it in the US, but I do now, because whenever we're there I'm pressured into buying everything in a short amount of time, and the selection overwhelms me- since I'm used to the overpriced crap we're forced to choose from here.

I'm with you on the shoes- I absolutely HATE taking my kids shoe shopping. And we're due for one of those trips to the shoe store- I'm dreading it.

Anonymous said...

Abbi, your kids are clearly still young, but you are learning an important lesson: never purchase a child something that cannot be easily returned (or worse, is "final sale"), even if it's the biggest metzia on the planet. The child will inevitably reject it unceremoniously.

Commenter Abbi said...

Yes Tesyaa, a corollary to that rule for Israelis is "Ordering from Children's Place ends at around age 3".

The joke is I even asked them if they liked the dresses from the pics online, and they said yes. :/ Guess they're a bit too young for online shopping.

RivkA with a capital A said...

I HATE shopping, and shoe shopping is definitely THE WORST.

I have posted extensively about my shopping-with-my-kids traumas!

Check out these Shopping Posts, especially the posts about shopping for shoes!!

You will laugh, and you will understand.

This reminds me, I need to post about our most recent shoe shopping excursion.

For kids, I recommend Gali Odafim. Gali shoes are not great quality, but for kids who are growing so fast that the shoes don't fit next year anyway.....

We got two pair of really nice boots for 150 NIS.

RivkA with a capital A said...

ps. and the outlet is just five minutes from my home, so you can come over afterwards for coffee!!!

Ilana said...

I hate shopping for clothes, shoes, etc. But now that my daughter goes with her friends it's easier in some ways. Although I'm not crazy about her selections.

When I call her flip-flops thongs, she always corrects me. Hey, I grew up calling them thongs.

For my younger boys, I buy them sneakers on sale at a local sporting goods store. The price and quality are tolerable. For my oldest son, we have been buying very good quality sneakers for the last few years, and it has worked out well. They are expensive, but they last at least a year -- and this is his only pair of shoes (besides crocs knock-offs). I have had bad experiences with Gali shoes -- they are too fashionable, overpriced, and don't hold up more than a few months. The outlet store is ok, but they rarely have anything we like in a size that fits.

I buy my daughter boots at the end of the season for cheap at an inexpensive store in our local mall. Works for me.

Anonymous said...

does Zappos deliver to israel?
sz

Anonymous said...

I wish Zappos delivered to Israel, Anonymous. They do NOT, but I just have Zappos deliver my shoes to the U.S. and wait for family/friends to come bring them to me :)

I hate clothes shopping too. Now Bed, Bath, Beyond shopping, that's a different story; that's the kind of shopping I could really sink my teeth into!

Shari

RivkA with a capital A said...

Square Peg - At which store to you buy boots at the end of the season for cheap??

Also, what do you consider cheap?

I paid 150 for 2 pair this year? Can you get them for cheaper than 75 NIS a pair?

Anonymous said...

Living with just men and boys who would rather do anything but shop, it is really quite funny that no matter what I bring home they say miraculously everything seems to fit. until i see them wearing it and ask them why they would have cut the tag on that wen it clearly doesn't fit.
nw

westbankmama said...

I also hate shopping, but at least it is a bit easier with boys - except for sneakers. I have reached the point where I know my taste and theirs will not match, and I give in to them, as long as its not TOO crazy.