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Original poster

How do you do a shop if your toddler hates sitting in the trolley?

63 replies

munchkintrouble · 21/10/2020 17:01

No one to look after him and no chance of an online shop.
He hates sitting in the trolley and screams when I try put him in. I used to wear him in a baby carrier but at 2 stone now at 21 months he's just to big to be able to do a shop carrying him.

What do I do??

OP posts:
nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 21/10/2020 22:03

Wrist strap, a mini trolley and a bad back so they have to get all the bottom shelf stuff for me and put it in their trolley so mine wasn't too heavy. Got to the point they would be very concerned about me managing without them 😂

Toddlers love a job, especially one that only they can do. Just make up something. Tell them you can't stand beeping things so they have to do the scanning for you.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 21/10/2020 22:32

Handheld scanner?

OverTheRubicon · 21/10/2020 22:41

Can't you book an online shop for later (or sort out childcare for a slot where you can go for a proper shop), then do a brief shop to tide you over with him in the buggy and use a basket balanced on the hood (or with my little buggy that doesn't fit that, I've even used my canvas bag as a emergency shopping basket and put things in very obviously as I go around so they see I'm not shoplifting!)?

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SarahAndQuack · 21/10/2020 22:44

Just get him to walk?

Unicorners · 21/10/2020 22:49

Do any supermarkets near you do click and collect? It's a good compromise.

Will he sit in a buggy? I used to have to do frequent short trips pushing my oldest with one hand and lugging a basket around with the other.

Maybe put something on your phone for him to watch? People will give judgey looks but what can you do.

porridgecake · 21/10/2020 22:50

If only online shopping had existed when my DC were little I would never have entered a shop for years.
Why can't you do an online shop? Could someone help you/do the online order for you? Take the delivery for you?

catnoir1 · 21/10/2020 22:52

I put dd in the big bit of the trolley with my phone and a snack.

Notnownotneverever · 21/10/2020 22:53

Online. Either delivery or click and collect. Sainsbury’s click and collect is very efficient.

Ohalrightthen · 21/10/2020 22:58

[quote ohnothisagain]@Ohalrightthen i preschool carrier (getting a bit small, but he‘s mostly legs), a ringsling or a shorty wrap[/quote]
My mind is absolutely blown by this. My MIL is your size and my 3yrold niece is up to her waist already, i can't imagine it being possible for her to carry her in a sling! Don't his legs get in the way of yours as you walk? Also doesn't he hate it!? I can't imagine being OK with that at 7.

Dontstepinthecowpat · 21/10/2020 23:04

@Ohalrightthen I’ve had my 7 year old in a standard tula, it was just for a bit of a joke on holiday one year when her brother was walking but you wouldn’t have known she was there, she is petite though and only 3 stone. I have a toddler tula now for her 3.5 year old brother but she hasn’t tried that one yet!

billy1966 · 21/10/2020 23:05

Upon entering the supermarket, I always went straight for the bakery where my son was given a fresh roll and he would happily chomp on. I didn't do big shops but certainly a small trolley.

The distraction of eating worked.
Flowers

delilahbucket · 21/10/2020 23:06

If you really cannot get an online shop then get him to "help". Any job will do, from scanning for scan and pack, to spotting specific items (how many blue things can you see etc). And snacks, lots of snacks, that he chooses from a healthy selection you offer!

Ginfordinner · 21/10/2020 23:12

Not everywhere has online shopping readily available. My area is going into tier 3 on Friday, and online supermarket deliveries are as rare as hen's teeth right now.

Babdoc · 21/10/2020 23:15

I was a kid for ten years before we had a supermarket in my town. There were no trolleys in shops. Kids in those days had a foot on the end of each leg, and they walked beside their mother into all the various shops. Grin
It took much longer than an all under one roof supermarket too!
When I had my own kids, I put them on reins and got them to help choose vegetables, identify different fish and fruits, put things in the trolley. It’s much less boring for them, and they get some exercise walking round the store rather than stuck in a trolley.
Have a look at your own kids legs. You might find they have feet on the ends too.... !

Changethetoner · 21/10/2020 23:20

online shopping.

Ginfordinner · 21/10/2020 23:21

Cancel the cheque

IHaveBrilloHair · 21/10/2020 23:54

@Ginfordinner
Exactly!

OverTheRubicon · 22/10/2020 08:37

@Babdoc

I was a kid for ten years before we had a supermarket in my town. There were no trolleys in shops. Kids in those days had a foot on the end of each leg, and they walked beside their mother into all the various shops. Grin It took much longer than an all under one roof supermarket too! When I had my own kids, I put them on reins and got them to help choose vegetables, identify different fish and fruits, put things in the trolley. It’s much less boring for them, and they get some exercise walking round the store rather than stuck in a trolley. Have a look at your own kids legs. You might find they have feet on the ends too.... !
Well aren't you a charmer! Presumably you were also a child and had your young children during pandemics, when everyone was trying to socially distance in supermarkets and people gave your mum the evil eye any time you wandered away from her leg, touched anything or slowed her down? Give the op a break. Hmm Hmm Hmm
SqidgeBum · 22/10/2020 08:56

I involve her, so basically she holds my list and "helps" me put things in the trolley, which equates to her flinging things behind her into the trolley, but she is so proud of herself. In a while I will try do a bit more with her out of the trolley, so she will get jobs like 'get 4 carrots' or 'put this in the trolley for me' and I will be teaching her to hold the side of the trolley, all things my mom did with us as kids (she used to take 4 under 6 food shopping. Brave woman). I will probably bribe her too with chocolate at the end of a shop if she behaves.

Mylittlepony374 · 22/10/2020 09:00

Food. I feed him all the way around. Crisps mainly. Sometimes chocolate. Whatever keeps him quiet.

MotherPiglet · 22/10/2020 09:13

You can get toddler carriers. We have the beko toddler carrier and wear my 2 yo on our backs

Babdoc · 22/10/2020 09:17

OverTheRubicon, wow, somebody has a sense of humour failure this morning!
If you’d read my post properly, you'd see that my DC were on reins. So they couldn’t “wander away” and wouldn’t have breached social distancing if that had been an issue in those days.
I was making a light hearted point that many modern mums keep their toddlers in buggies or trollies far too long. They need exercise, they need to walk, they need access to the world to learn about it.
Do lighten up. Coping with the current situation is tough enough, we need to be able to laugh. When I use a grin emoji, it is meant to show I am tongue in cheek or joking. Perhaps you missed it.

Mischance · 22/10/2020 09:23

Mine used to have a treat for good behaviour in supermarket. The one I used had a 5p-in-the-slot sit-and-ride deer after the check-out and this was the reward.

TikTakTikTak · 22/10/2020 09:25

Drive the trolley from the other end so she was facing forwards.

Emmacb82 · 22/10/2020 09:27

I used a trolley seat right from the very beginning so he was always used to sitting in it. He really loved going shopping and used to ask to go to Tesco or ASDA when asked what he wanted to do! I think you’ve got to be strong and put him in the seat and if he screams, so be it. Easier said than done but unless he gets used to the new routine and that’s where he goes when you’re shopping, he won’t ever settle. Once he knows that he has to sit in the trolley, he should get better. Give him the scanner to hold, or give him pictures of food like apples, bananas etc to look out for. Distraction is the key! And if he screams to get out again, don’t give in to him. Maybe the first few times you go, only go for a couple of items so he’s not in there for long. You have to make it fun. Good luck!

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