Families shopping together

It annoys me too so I just shop online - problem solved for me, a very easy and convenient solution!
I don’t see it as a leisure activity, to me it’s a chore.

For some people without much going on in their lives, a trip to the supermarket is an ‘activity’. Then again, I’d say the same for someone who thought looking yellow stickers was the best bit of shopping.

It depends on the context. Recently, Dh, 2dc, MIL and I were all in town for something and we needed to stop at the store to get food for dinner. It was too hot for anyone to stay in the car. And not really safe for them to run around a busy car park. So everyone came in. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I imagine there are plenty of families who have to drive a family member to the shop and do their shopping at the same time.

Now personally I’d never by choice take the whole family shopping. I order my shopping for home delivery, but 10 years ago, when that wasn’t so much the norm, yes, we did go shopping as a family because the closest shop was 30 minutes away and we would combine it with a day out to save on travel time and costs.

That anyone would thing doing a large supermarket shop with their children would think it's fun. They are entitled to their opinion, obviously.

Putting LOs in the trolley is very fun. People can find joy in life, it's not that shocking. If it was stated as a hobby, then sure, that's over the top.

If you don't like it, go early or late... you are entitled.

Heartily agree.
If someone came on here and moaned that their DH never took part in grocery shopping and the lifting etc required they'd be on it like a shot!

When I was a child we all went shopping together. We didn’t really have much money so the ‘big shop’ was the event.

I think it’s a time filler for people. Would I like this? No. But it’s easy enough to step around them.

YABU

My children love coming with me and I'm certainly not going to stop because of someone miserable like you.

Also agree with others that it's miserable to complain about this.

I’m annoyed by children running around and screaming in supermarkets. I’m annoying by people parking their trolleys in front of the cabinets, so I can’t get to them. I’m annoyed by short dates, especially on online shopping.

Other people are annoyed by older people shopping at the weekend.

I guess we’re all being entitled and doing what we want.

YABU

Shopping is a chore so they take the family to make it less of a chore. Sounds nice to have all those people with you.

It only takes one idiot to clog, an aisle families are not the sole cause.

I just hate busy shops. So I sort of get the reason for the post. So I go when it's quiet, Wed or Thur nights are usually best for me. Got a shopping list, know what I want, where it is (as long as stores haven't fecking moved it). I'm in and out like a ninja. Years of practice.

I'd say... YABU It must be a special occasion.

Families have more time together if they do an online shop with delivery.

i collect the kids from school then dh from station and then, as we’re in town do the shopping together. My kids don’t run off, they don’t mess, yes there’s 6 of us so I get it’s annoying for some people (we do get looks sometimes as we try to figure stuff out- especially in the fruit section (can’t afford to go crazy but everyone wants something different), but it’s our Friday evening thing. I get that it adds to the chaos numbers wise though

No way would I do a shop with my dh or ds. They would drive me to distraction and shop would cost twice as much. Dd on the other hand will suggest dinners and help pack etc.. However, the manner in which other families choose to shop or the reasons why they choose to shop that way has never crossed my mind. I didn't realise there was a right or wrong way to shop, just that it was a necessary part of life and it is up to each individual or family to do it whatever way suits their own particular circumstances. And if I did have an issue, I would assume it was my issue and change my own behaviour if I found something outside my control was annoying me.

Because it's good for kids to sometimes be bored? In life we sometimes have to do things that someone else wants/needs to do

I don’t think kids shopping is a problem. People who let their children just run around the supermarket are a massive problem. I was in Lidl recently and a mum had no idea where her two kids were, as they were racing each other up and down the aisles and generally being complete nuisances.

Some families see it as an outing and it kills the time. For me a food shop is a chore so I'm in and out in 20 minutes (alone).

This one isn’t hard to work out… the kids won’t be any happier in the car park or car doing nothing.

This thread is making me laugh. I was thinking to start one last weekend after I'd been to the supermarket. It occured to me that I think there are 2 distinct types of people - those who see the supermarket shop as a fun leisure activity and those who see it as a chore to be over with as quickly as possible.

They are both quickly baffled by the other group.

I''m definitely in the second group. The thing I really don't understand is when you see 2 parents with young DC where the kids are properly fed up and they all just carry on instead of one parent taking them out.

Well we can't leave the kids at home, I'm disabled so don't drive, DH is dyslexic and won't read the labels in case he makes a mistake, we are a household with multiple severe allergies. That's why if we need a big shop as opposed to just me writing a couple of very specific things on a list for DH and Dd1 then yes we all go. Sometimes we can get deliveries but with the price of groceries we have to get some things from different places so it's not always practical to order a delivery from one place

I was in tesco recently and there was a young girl with a toddler in a pram crying, i thought that kid just wants to be in bed, but i also thought that poor girl has probably been working all day and has no one to mind her kid when she needs to go to the shops.
Everyone has different lives, live and let live.

I always used to think families shopping together were mad but this thread has made me realise some parents hardly see their kids during the week so shopping together is a nice thing for them to do.

But this isn't necessarily families shopping with their children though is it?

You sound pretty joyless to me. We regularly go shopping together, often bring my neighbour who could look like a grandparent. Like others have said, if you don't like it get it delivered but that's apparently not good enough for you either.