Please Don't Feed the Animals

Why people want to give children candy is beyond me.  Either these people do not have children and are clueless, or they do and they want everyone else's children to act as insane as their own.  Today we stopped at Macey's (a local grocery store.) We don't normally shop there even though it's right across the street.  They don't have much of what I want, and what I do want is over priced.  However, it's fun to scare the polygamists who shop there by just smiling at them.  My mere presence is enough to have them herding their young in the opposite direction and I find that highly amusing.  But I digress.  

Macey's is known not only for their high prices and polygamist shoppers, but for their free smarties at every check out isle. Today I spent our entire (ten minute) shopping trip telling the girls we would not be buying treats.  "No, we are not buying cookies.  It's not a treat day."  "No, we are not buying chocolate."  "Please put the candy down."  We got to the check out isle and the girls zeroed in on a roll of giant smarties.  I again told them we would not be buying candy.  What does the cashier say?  I'll give you five guesses.  If you guessed, "Girls, there are free smarties over here.  If you've been good for your mom you can have some.  Have you been good?" you are the winner!  

I replied that yes, they had been good but that was not the issue and had to try not to show my disapproval too much as I told my girls we would still not be getting candy.  Why on earth someone would tell my kids they could have candy without first asking is beyond me.  I guess it's not uncommon though, because I hear stories like this all the time.  We made it out of the store with a watermelon, a bag of cherries, pistachios and some turkey.  Amazingly candy free!  I think I need to get my kids shirts that say "Please don't feed the animals."