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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Standing in trolley

168 replies

Wordsareimportant · 08/09/2024 23:11

after a debate with another parent this week, it got me thinking. AIBU to put my child ‘in’ the trolley?

I have a nearly 1 year old and a 2.5 year old. There is only one supermarket close to us that has trolleys with two seats.

If we have to go anywhere else I will put my youngest child in the seat and my 2 year old will walk. However, there are times when putting her in the trolley behind my other child is just 1000x easier than dragging her around the shop.

Discussion with another parent made me wonder if I really am ‘disgusting and spreading germs’ for letting her sit in there.

For context:

  • on the odd occasion this happens, she always sits, doesn’t stand.
  • I can’t ‘just go shopping without them’
  • Yes, she can walk. but she’s 2.5 years old. She likes to touch everything, ‘explore’ the shop and just be an average 2 year old.

so, AIBU? Or am I just an average parent trying to food shop with toddlers?

OP posts:
Stepawayfromthefridgenow · 10/09/2024 00:32

@blacksax Jesus…😳They’re 2..they can go in a bloody trolley

nocoolnamesleft · 10/09/2024 00:16

Nasty head injury waiting to happen.

sandgrown · 10/09/2024 00:13

At what age does it become unacceptable? At my local supermarket there are kids that look about 8 being pushed around in a trolley while they are on their phone . Surely they can walk next to their parents . As a kid I had to walk round numerous shops with my mum ( no supermarket) and help to carry the shopping home.

blacksax · 10/09/2024 00:06

A 2 year old can't be expected to walk round a supermarket

Oh yes they can. You teach them to do it. It might mean dragging them round screaming on reins until they get the hang of it, but they will learn to behave and do as they are bloody well told eventually.

Ariela · 10/09/2024 00:00

Please please please don't put your child in the trolley itself. When they stand up and they do this just as your back is turned, they reach out of the trolley, over it goes head hit shelf, heads bleed lots....

Italia89 · 09/09/2024 23:30

People get worked up over such ridiculous things

My littlest goes in the seat and my 4 year old sits in the trolley. He loves it.

Trolleys are not clean, whether or not there's a child in them.

DancingPhantomsOnTheTerrace · 09/09/2024 23:08

Ive never put my children in the trolley, and wouldn't do it.

But to be honest I've never considered the bottom of a shopping trolley to be particularly clean anyway so I don't know how much worse it's really making it.

Uptheflagpole · 09/09/2024 23:04

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Cryingatthegym · 09/09/2024 23:03

LongTimeReading · 09/09/2024 23:01

I remember when I worked at Tesco, it was well known that you should avoid any in-store bakery produce in that shop, as we all knew who was responsible for making it & how that person was a stranger to hand washing, to say the least of it.

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And just like that you've cured my post-nursery run M&S pastry habit.

LongTimeReading · 09/09/2024 23:01

Cryingatthegym · 09/09/2024 22:53

GrinEnvy

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I remember when I worked at Tesco, it was well known that you should avoid any in-store bakery produce in that shop, as we all knew who was responsible for making it & how that person was a stranger to hand washing, to say the least of it.

Cryingatthegym · 09/09/2024 22:56

TheDogsMother · 09/09/2024 22:51

Why not just get a supermarket shop online ?

Do you never just need to pop in for a few bits? I get a weekly online shop and always inevitably they substitute something/something is out of stock/not available on the website even though it was last week/they definitely have it in the store.

I'm almost 100% sure that anyone who has a baby and a toddler or two toddlers would much rather not go into a supermarket with them unless they really really had to. It's certainly not my idea of a good time!

Cryingatthegym · 09/09/2024 22:53

HandsomeJack · 09/09/2024 13:18

I work at a supermarket and the bloke who changes the sanitary bins uses a trolly to take the bags out.
Let your kids stand in the trolly the whole place is disgusting anyway.

GrinEnvy

TheDogsMother · 09/09/2024 22:51

Why not just get a supermarket shop online ?

Cryingatthegym · 09/09/2024 22:46

I have two toddlers and do this from time to time. I don't like to, and I do try to shop without them/shop online as much as possible, but on the odd, desperate occasion I do need to pop to a supermarket when they're with me, I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to do.

I just wish our local supermarkets had trolleys with double seats to be honest. They seem to have loads with x2 newborn baby style seats, but none with x2 normal child seats. It makes no sense.

Going into supermarkets with small children is stressful enough without this to factor in!

janedoe56 · 09/09/2024 22:34

My toddler regularly goes in the trolley. I wouldn't even think of it as a hygiene issue. She stands up a lot which I tell her off for but from a safety perspective more than anything else. I really do not understand why anyone would be upset to see someone else's child in a trolley. You are putting packaged goods in there and I'm fairly sure they are minging anyway.

First world problems.

Mooneywoo · 09/09/2024 22:28

Oh no toddler shoes will make the lovely supermarket trolley dirty that I put all my unpackaged food into!

rainingoutsideagain · 09/09/2024 22:18

I always put mine in the trolley! Never thought about it and wouldn't think of it being a thing - but he always soars down on his coat/jumper/shopping bags just do what's easiest for you

Sunplanner · 09/09/2024 22:18

I really don't like to see children standing or sitting on the floor of the trolley. Logically I'm not sure why. Just see it as a bit rude and thoughtless towards other users. It's one of those social markers I guess - crossing a boundary.

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 09/09/2024 22:12

Jifmicroliquid · 09/09/2024 22:04

Oh that’s good. I don’t think I’ve seen 2 seat ones before (but I might not have noticed in fairness).

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You sometimes have to rummage for them.
Op maybe email your supermarkets customer service email and put a request in. If they think they'll lose you as a customer they should order some- and if its an issue for you it will be to other customers.

User0311 · 09/09/2024 22:11

Yes I would put my child in the trolley. The shelves and store floors are probably just as dirty

Jifmicroliquid · 09/09/2024 22:04

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 09/09/2024 21:56

The seats in Asda by us fit 2 toddlers

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Oh that’s good. I don’t think I’ve seen 2 seat ones before (but I might not have noticed in fairness).

LongTimeReading · 09/09/2024 22:02

HappierTimesAhead · 09/09/2024 20:59

I'm genuinely suprised at all the stories of toddlers getting seriously hurt. I've put my DD in the trolley before and she just sits there. Her weight and the weight of the shopping is fairly heavy, I can't imagine it just tipping it over.

I had a trolley overturn on a Homebase car park. The wheels we on the stiff side as it was, and I had some floor tiles that had made their way to the side at the front. They were no where near as heavy as a child, and the whole lot went over.

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 09/09/2024 21:56

Jifmicroliquid · 09/09/2024 21:42

I’d be more worried if they leant over and tipped the trolley and hurt themselves. They are safer in the little seats but obviously that only houses one child.
Maybe they need to try and make trolleys with a seat front and back to take 2 little ones.

The seats in Asda by us fit 2 toddlers

Jifmicroliquid · 09/09/2024 21:42

I’d be more worried if they leant over and tipped the trolley and hurt themselves. They are safer in the little seats but obviously that only houses one child.
Maybe they need to try and make trolleys with a seat front and back to take 2 little ones.

Stepawayfromthefridgenow · 09/09/2024 21:42

My just turned 6 year old sometimes still
wants to get in, I see it in the supermarket all the time where we are 🤷🏻‍♀️( not U.K.)

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