AIBU to be fed up with screaming children in the supermarket?

I do food shop online, get it delivered. Sorted.

They're about the right size. Maybe knock two of them together? You could definitely fit a kid or two in each.

Maybe they are escaping their screaming children leaving them home with their partner for a break 🤷🏻‍♀️

lol I often think about ppl like you when I am at the supermarket with my screaming children but then I tbink at least when they leave the supermarket it stops for them I’m stuck with it ! It’s not pleasant for anyone tbh but everyone needs shopping at the end of the day ! Maybe try going later on in the evening or buying ear plugs

Like the trolly storage lockers by the cafe in Morrisons 😂

I mean, maybe there is a case for little padded 'soft play' boxes with toys that you could lock your child in and collect them at the end? There could be some sort of cloakroom system, where you're issued with an electronic ticket that unlocks your child's box.

My kids would love to be locked inside a box like that, they'd think it was great.

They should be chained up outside the supermarket

I remember thinking the same thing many years ago, then a few years later it was me with a screaming toddler! It really was a case of unregulated, meltdown behaviour and it was bloody hard every time it happened.

Knowing that was the only time I had I would try my best but on several occasions I've had to drag out, literally by the feet more than once.

I do agree however that some parents do let their kids run around and don't pay attention to them or people around but most are desperately trying to get through the nightmare so they don't have e to come back again.

It's rare enough for me to comment on it, but yes, there are times when screeching children in the supermarket seemingly uncontrolled by parents draw my attention. Whether it's due to the mental health of the child being unable to control itself or a lack of interest of the parent(s) in the child's behaviour, I honestly don't know. Maybe if the child is like that 24/7, then the parents are now at the "thousand yard stare" stage.

To be honest, there's an element of "there but by the grace of God go I" when I see this. I only get mildly irritated when I see

• full sized children 9-11 sat in a trolley (apparently ALL autistic children do this (they don't))
• children running up and down the aisles or attempting to pull goods off the shelves
• children (and adults!) eating food they've not yet paid for - usually biscuits or chocolate - never fruit
• parents attempting to barge in a long queue "'cos I got kids, innit"
• children attempting to "assist" me at the screens when inputting the car registration into the Aldi screen for free parking and (parents) kicking off when I block their way

I'd never intervene or pass judgement on them publicly - why would I?

Have you ever had a toddler?

It depends whether I think their behaviour is ok or not. If I think it's objectively ok, then it doesn't matter if they're annoying anyone because they're not doing anything they shouldn't be doing.

For example, kids talking and playing at a reasonable volume on a commuter train will get lots of dirty looks, not because there's anything wrong with it but because commuters prefer sitting in grumpy silence. I sympathise with them (I preferred it too when I commuted) but my kids aren't doing anything wrong so I'm not shutting them up.

Likewise, people should really look where they're going and I'm not going to apologize to people who walk straight into my toddler because they can't be bothered to look below their eye level. But incredibly a number of people seem to get annoyed that I've not magically anticipated where they were going to move and removed her from their path.

It's implied surely from op saying a trip to the supermarket has led her to drink as she can't cope with a couple of upset children?!

Where exactly has anyone said they want a child free world? 🙄

But presumably you try where possible to make sure they’re not annoying anyone?

You're entitled to a child free life but not a child free world

Small children scream when they get overwhelmed; you feel like you have to get drunk when you get overwhelmed.

How on earth do you expect a tiny child to control their emotions in the supermarket when you can’t either?

It's a supermarket not a church! Parents can't do right for doing wrong.

Do you mean having a tantrum or screaming for the sake of screaming? I absolutely hate parents that just let their kids just scream and squeal for new reason.

Part of parenting is picking your battles.

I don't hurry to remove my children from the path of anyone who might potentially be annoyed by them because I don't see that as being part of my parenting role.

I work in retail, I have done for 20 years (allowing for breaks for pregnancy and that crazy time when I worked in mental health)

Also I have 3 children, I am definitely finding children in the store(s) screaming much easier mentally to deal with that my own screaming toddlers

Or maybe parents could, y’know, parent?

Yes, it's absolutely impossible to differentiate between a temper tantrum, and a child just grinning and screaming while the parent does nothing about it. Impossible.

I find it impossible to distinguish between a child having a temper tantrum in a restaurant, or running around getting under the waiting staff's feet too.

It's a shop. Middle of the day, adults enjoying some retail therapy. It's just inconsiderate.. I've brought up 2 boys and to be honest I never would have allowed them to be so loud for that long in a shop. The playground. Yes. At home. Yes... Why are children allowed to do what ever they feel like doing? It's not realistic, it doesn't prepare them to conform when ever they need to.. they are a nightmare for teachers and they generally can't cope when faced with some of the rules that exist to help society run smoothly..
You won't agree with me , but it's how I see it

I don’t mind kids shopping because duh why would you ban kids from shops.

But it’s the screeching and screaming when a parent seems totally in their own world about it.

Chatting, even maybe singing to themselves. But not screaming. I quite like the little trollies they have for small children when they are used with a supervising parent who actually supervises.

There just isn’t a need to scream unless there is an emergency.

Same parents likely have the children that scream constantly when in their gardens ruining any kind of relaxing for their neighbours.

This. If being exposed to someone else's overwhelmed child for 5 minutes is enough to drive you to drink then the problem isn't the kid.