The One Way to Win Target with Your Kids

Going to Target can be a wild and wondrous event with your kids. Emphasis on wild.

Last week on Facebook Live, I talked about a mom in Target whose preschooler clutched a medium LEGO pack for dear life.

She ended up taking it out of his hands and he cried all the way out of the store.

How did the moms around me and I feel? Relieved it wasn’t us!

But there’s a bigger lesson here, and one line to put any future LEGO incident to bed.

What can you do when your kid is misbehaving in Target?


It’s not dragging them down the aisle clutching the toy de jour.

And it’s definitely not buying the toy for them.

It’s one line, AKA Target Kryptonite, that you can say to any child ages three and up:

“I’ll be so happy to let you get that toy once you’ve saved the money.”


One of my clients did this with her little son, and when the time came to pay up, he didn’t have the dough (of course). That was likely the last time he’ll do something like that, and it can have a similar effect for you.

This Target moment can also be a money lesson: When they want to buy that toy, help them problem solve.

Come up with a lemonade stand.

Maybe they can rake up leaves.

Instead of getting into a battle, you can teach them lessons that last.

You can have a great shopping trip.

Just let them know what your expectations are.

Oh, and here’s something I don’t want you to miss: The last chance to sign up for Happy Parents & Thriving Kids starting TOMORROW!

Learn more about the program here.

When you’re ready to dive in, register here! I promise more winning phrases like Target Kryptonite. So don’t wait too long.

Hope to see you there!