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Covid

DD, shopping and 2 meters

224 replies

Jourdain11 · 30/05/2020 22:07

So, my DH took DDs (8 and 6) and DS (4) to the supermarket today. He was trying to whizz round quickly and keep the children occupied, so he was doing a bit of a "game" with DDs, asking them to go to the shelf and pick up a bag of red apples, punnet of strawberries, loaf of bread, etc. while he and DS "steered" the trolley. He had told them to be careful not to touch the other packets and so on and apparently they were being very careful.

DDs were apparently picking out the breakfast cereals they wanted (the most sugar-laden ones incidentally...this game nay not become a habit 😕) and a lady came over and told them, "You little girls really shouldn't be playing together, you know." To be fair, she probably didn't realise they're sisters - they are only 16 months apart in age and almost exactly the same height, plus don't look that similar, so she might have thought they were friends.

DD1 (apparently politely) said, "We're sisters." Whereupon the lady changed tack and said, "Well, you shouldn't be playing with the food, don't you know that you could be giving people the virus and making them very unwell?" DH came across the intervene, but before he managed to get in, DD2 began whirling her arms around and shouted, "Please GIVE ME TWO METERS!"

As you can imagine, it didn't go down well! DH apologised and got DD2 to say sorry and the lady said they were rude little girls and DH eventually got a bit fed up and snapped back at her.

On the way home, DH asked DD2 why she said that and DD2 said "because she was an annoying old bat and I bet she says it to everyone else". (Disclaimer - she did not pick up that expression from me!)

DH thought it was funny and wasn't inclined to tell her off. So - should I tell my child that shouting "GIVE ME TWO METERS?" at strangers isn't polite? I think she already knows that, but I don't want her to turn into a total brat!

And should the kids be left at home when shopping since they (quote) "obviously don't know how to behave themselves?"

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WantToBeMum · 30/05/2020 22:12

I don't see the problem with shouting for two metres if people are in your space. But I would definitely pull her up on referring to someone as an old bat, that's just plain rude. Besides, the woman was raising legitimate concerns. Maybe leave the kids at home when shopping at the moment, it's hard to get around a supermarket when trying to keep a distance from other shoppers, a group of four takes up more space.

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NuffSaidSam · 30/05/2020 22:16

Yes, they should be left at home unless there is a absolutely no other choice. We're trying to keep numbers down in the supermarkets, it's not currently a place to take children for a day out.

The 2m thing is fine. The 'annoying old bat' comment is not. It's rude. And ageist. And not very empathetic. I know she's only six, but if you haven't already explained that to her, then you should. Also, maybe explain it to DH who I assume is an adult and should know better.

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Greggers2017 · 30/05/2020 22:17

Why on Earth did your partner take 3 children shopping? That's just ridiculous right now when it would have been possible for one of you to go alone.
My 3 children haven't been in a shop since before the beginning of lockdown.
I understand single parents with no childcare but you are a two parent family.

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wtftodo · 30/05/2020 22:21

Your DD is my hero and I am going to start wheeling my arms around shrieking PLEASE GIVE ME TWO METRES!! myself.

(Though yes, ideally don’t take them shopping rn)

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NannyR · 30/05/2020 22:21

I agree - leave the children at home next time and one parent does the shopping. There are some circumstances where parents have no choice but to take children shopping, but having several people walking around with one trolley makes trying to maintain social distancing very difficult.

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Jourdain11 · 30/05/2020 22:22

To be fair, I don't think she really knows what "old bat" means. But I did explain that it is not a polite way to refer to someone (she didn't say it to the woman's face).

I do think that it was a bit rude that she automatically assumed that they were messing around and being naughty, when they weren't. And I think it is harsh to tell a child that they're going to be responsible for making other people sick by picking stuff up off the shelves. (Which is, after all, what everyone else was doing.)

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Nixen · 30/05/2020 22:23

Ridiculous taking 3 kids shopping. The woman was right, they shouldn’t have been playing a game or touching stuff. I assume you’re sending them all back to school happily on Monday?

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Elouera · 30/05/2020 22:24

I agree. Unless there was absolutely no other choice than to take the kids, why did he? And to then play a 'game' in the shop??? Confused I'd want to be in and out as quickly as possible. Its not a place to play games!

It wasn't a tescos in London was it? There were 3 kids this morning running about, grabbing stock and giving no thought to the 2m rule at all. Even bumping into my trolley and and me! I wear a knee brace due to arthritis, and this really wasn't appreciated.

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Jourdain11 · 30/05/2020 22:25

They were only touching the things they were picking off the shelves to put in the trolley! Is that not what everyone does?

And DH had got them to do it as a "game" precisely so that they wouldn't all be cluttering up the aisle and making it impossible for people to get past.

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DoIneed1 · 30/05/2020 22:25

Were they playing with the food?

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user1519475227 · 30/05/2020 22:26

Keep the children at home, honestly! That's why there are queues to get into the supermarket as your darling children have taken up 3 places! Less people in the supermarkets shopping can be done quicker and people can get home without coming into contact with more people especially if children are playing a bloody game in a supermarket

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Jourdain11 · 30/05/2020 22:28

I wasn't there so I couldn't say for definite. But I don't imagine so - DH told them (and was watching) that they didn't touch anything except what was going in the trolley. They understand that it's important not to spread the virus. DS is too young, which is why he stayed with DH the whole time.

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Quartz2208 · 30/05/2020 22:29

Yes tbf it is not the time to take 3 children shopping and make it a game to touch stuff (even if they ended up putting it in the trolley).

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Fedupmum13 · 30/05/2020 22:29

He shouldn't have taken them shopping.

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NeutralJanet · 30/05/2020 22:30

Where were you when your DH was shopping with the children? If you could have kept them at home you should have done that, there is no need for 4 people from one family to go shopping together unless it's totally unavoidable.

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Playdonut · 30/05/2020 22:31

Kids have no joy in their lives at the moment. The lady in the shop did sound a bit horrible well done to your dd for sticking up for herself.

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SouthWestmom · 30/05/2020 22:32

Surely a wind up, naughty op? Grin

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VimFuego101 · 30/05/2020 22:32

Why did he need to take them shopping?

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PinkDaffodil2 · 30/05/2020 22:34

I can’t really see past that you presumably choose for him to take 3 young kids to the supermarket! (You don’t mention any extenuating circumstances which necessitated this).
Lots of people in the supermarket are going to be vulnerable and anxious and understandably not impressed to be around little kids running around playing games.

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AnnaSW1 · 30/05/2020 22:34

I wouldn't bother saying anything.

Don't think I'd have taken aIl 3 to the supermarket at the moment though.

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Jourdain11 · 30/05/2020 22:35

@Noeuf

Surely a wind up, naughty op? Grin

No, honestly not!

It was not a Tesco in London - it was not a busy time - and there was a good reason why he took them all, although I'm not going to go into the details since it is not really relevant!

My main reasons for posting was to get the response to (a) children in shops (I'm getting that loud and clear...) and (b) children shouting "2 meters" at random strangers, which I do not personally feel is to be encouraged!
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Orchidflower1 · 30/05/2020 22:36

What were you doing op that was necessary to make him take 3dc shopping?

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Nixen · 30/05/2020 22:39

Your DH obviously wasn’t close enough to the children if they had time to have that conversation with the other lady without him intervening immediately though eh?

Admit it, your husband fucked up

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CherieBabySpliffUp · 30/05/2020 22:40

@Noeuf

Surely a wind up, naughty op? Grin

I agree, otherwise the OP would have answered the many questions why her DH had taken them shopping! Hmm
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CodenameVillanelle · 30/05/2020 22:43

He really shouldn't have taken 3 kids shopping and had them scampering around the aisles. It was irresponsible and selfish to be completely honest - they would have been taking up space that other people needed to be able to shop safely. Your DH and 2 kids going back and forth from the shelves to the trolley combined must have taken up a good 6 square metres of shop floor space which other people couldn't safely use without getting too close to one or other of you. Shop online if you can't shop without the kids.

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