Major pet peeve, just me?

My husband used to feel this way about old/retired people shopping on a Saturday. If they have the opportunity to do it on the week day they should. We now shop on a Friday. I don't recall our whole family going grocery shopping ever. My Mum hated food shopping so she would make a list and my Dad would go, his rule was to only take one child, my brother and I would take turns to go shopping with Dad. If we're out in town or city we would split up, me and Mum would do all the fun clothes shops while Dad would take my brother for boys things. Then we'd met up for lunch.

This

Isn't that what trolleys are for?

I hate doing the shopping. The meal
planning. Knowing what’s running out etc making a list. So now DH is involved in all
of that. No way am I going shopping by myself - a chore I hate.

so we have online deliveries instead but anything else needed and we both go to the shop.

if it bothers you so much then don’t go at peak time
or
get an online delivery yourself.

can’t believe you’ve made a post to complain about people out in shops

Doesn’t bother me as long as they’re being reasonably respectful of others shopping - I’d imagine encouraging them to be involved fosters a healthier attitude to food and make them more involved in decisions around diet , they can learn about prices and discounts and how to interact in that social setting - all skills that they’ll need in life.

When my kids were young I had no choice really but it’s the best way to teach your kids life skills. They still come to the supermarket with me - they will sneak things in that weren’t on the list but are often appalled at how expensive things are so it’s been a learning exercise for them ahead of going to uni. They are also much quicker than me at using the self-service machines and running to the relevant aisle for stuff I’ve missed… so I’d say we are quicker with them along with us.

My Mum used to take me with her when I was a kid as my Dad worked shifts and she couldn't leave me home alone. But it was never a family event! I don't tend to see whole families in my supermarket just a mum or dad with feral children charging up and down the aisles. And I totally get that for a single parent there wont be the option to leave the kids somewhere, much like my Mum with me when I was a kid, but FFS try and keep some control.

You’ve read that retired people can do what the fuck they want, when they want to do it without having to run it past anyone else.

Because it's a life skill, and part of parenting is teaching kids how to live in the world - how to grocery shop, meal plan, budget and behave in public.

Completely agree, try living in a holiday town on change over day, you have the parents, kids, grandparents etc wandering around with 2 trolleys trying to decide, you avoid on a Saturday 🤣

This. And all this judgy 'I'm right and you're wrong' nonsense. Just leave people alone. They are not harming anyone and your annoyance is not a reason for people to change their ways.

Luckily ours has the browsing 30 mins! Apparently everyone forgets about that as at 10am it’s like a stampede in the doors

Sometimes we go as a family. My OH works 6 days a week. If I haven't had a chance to do it myself, we go as a family on the day he's off to maximise time together. Sometimes we tie it into another activity, doing it on the way to or from something else. Honestly, the working week is long, time with our other halves or our children is so limited by the time you work, eat and clean, if we have to do a shop together to maximise family time then that's what I'm going to do. We like browsing deals and products so delivery / click and collect isn't something that's for us personally.

Supermarkets are public shops, they aren’t there for your benefit only.

Despite what mumsnet claim families, children, retired people, or non Monday to Friday workers can still go to supermarkets on the weekend.
If you are so bothered by the public then online shop.

I despair of how uptight you are. If a child is in an empty aisle AWAY from shoppers I do not see any issue whatsoever with having a skid for a very brief moment. Nobody would even see them!. Goodness me! Again, you are another poster who did not read my post fully!...or have completely misunderstood it! I have had 7 or 8 "thumbs up" to my post.
My DDs have grown up to be lovely girls who are both very kind and thoughtful so it's an absolute fallacy that have a couple of skids in an empty aisle has done them any harm - in fact quite it's the opposite. They are living proof that your comment is nonsense. If a shopper would enter the aisle they would immediately stop. They are very sensible. On the contrary, I notice it's the children who are constantly shouted out by rough parents "Oi, Lacey, get here NOW!" that are the mostly badly behaved. Poor mites.

You will just have to tell AI what you want.

"It would be fathers more than mothers who’d think it SO cute to sit or stand a toddler on the belt for a little ride"

They're known as Deep Discount Disney Dads.

Can't afford Disneyland so they take the kids to Waitrose for a ride on the checkout belt.

I think it’s absolute madness for both parents to shop along with their kids! My idea of hell and can’t see why anyone would ever actively choose to.

however, YABU to care and to think you should have by right to moan about what others do. If that’s how they want to spend their weekends then let them crack on. It’s nobody else’s choice/business if that’s what they choose to do

You obviously have the opportunity to do that yourself. What about if you dont drive?what about if you cant afford a taxi. Ive often seen whole families carrying their shopping home, or off the bus. One person cannot do that.
It is also a life skill that kids needs to learn. As a foster carer we ensure that our kids understand pricing, where to find things, how to make / follow a shopping list etc because otherwise HOW.do they learn?
Can I suggest so others do not inconvenience you, that YOU choose a quieter time oe 8pm when there aren't loads of.families there ! You'll be much happier!

But I'm saying maybe it's not a question of time, maybe it's how they prefer to structure their week. If you've spent a lifetime doing chores on Saturdays, maybe some want to keep that rhythm. Or maybe it's too quiet in the week and they like being part of the Saturday bustle. Like when you go on holiday off-season and it's weirdly quiet. 🤣

My late dad did go on Saturdays, but he was waiting outside at stupid o'clock for it to open in order to avoid the crowds! You could do that?

Always at least a couple a week I'd say.

🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

My MIL gets her hair done mid morning on a Saturday and always has done. She never worked and it's been 35 years since her youngest was a child, about 30 years since the last child left home. She lived all that time in a suburb with her own car, didn't have much hobbies or friends, no family, so absolutely not a busy woman. I remember her also getting her eye test on a Saturday afternoon. These appointments annoyed me disproportionately for years, especially when I was a FT working mother and had to book weeks in advance for everything.

But you don't know anything about them! For example today we took my MIL for lunch for Mothers' Day as she's away on holiday next weekend. The restaurant is about 25 minutes from our house and happened to near a Sainsbury's where I'd ordered clothes to Click & Collect for my 4 year old. So we went to pick them up. While there we bought tonight's dinner, snacks for movie night with my teens, a birthday cake for my daughter, some booze and some homeware. So a trolley load, could be mistaken for a weekly shop, but it wasn't. There are 6 of us and we shop online mostly with multiple shops per week. Rest assured, I couldn't care less whether you or anyone else finds it annoying that there are 5 of us in the supermarket for the 1/10 times I have to do that. But good luck managing your 'pet peeve'. Maybe get a hobby!

I taught/discovered my then 2yo knew his numbers when I was in the supermarket with him.He was pre-verbal, I had a list and was chatting to him as you do and said " we need flour,I think thats aisle 5". He ran off to aisle 5 after looking at the numbers on the aisles and waited there for me. I thought it was a fluke so tested him. Got them all right. I'm not saying that the many , many hours he spent in the supermarket with me taught him numbers but it sure did help.
Same with spelling and reading and colours. "Get me the red tin please"
Fruit and veg "find me 3 corncobs please?" Always in eyesight and now knows what corncobs look like. Continue with every f&v item over the seasons and your child will know more about food than many people.
A supermarket is a great place to learn. Obviously the behaviour of the child is important..
Although I'm with the pp that the occasional trolley slide when nobody is around is pretty much a mandatory childhood experience.
Also I wouldn't go near the shops on a Saturday morning, but Sundays or late afternoon are fine. Or during the day on weekdays if you aren't working.

I don't have young kids, and I do actually go shopping alone, but I HATE doing the big shop alone. I shop in Aldi, it stresses me out when I have lots of shopping as I'm still unloading when they're ready to scan, then they basically throw the shopping at you, then you have to pack. Wanting another set of hands isn't "pathetic". I have to shop alone for our household for various reasons, but honestly, if it was possible for DP to come then I would want him to - even if that meant bringing a child!