What’s the deal with whole families going shopping together?

[Enfys1982]

Is it just me who find this really odd and slightly codependent? My mum hated us coming shopping with her as I think she partly enjoyed the peace quiet and we’d get under her feet. As would my Dad! Even now she won’t take him shopping with her. Yesterday in Sainsburys I was struck by how many families there were doing their shopping together. Both parents and kids. I saw one family with a mum dad and three kids plus a baby in a buggy, and another with parents kids and even grandparents. A few weeks ago I was in Primark and there was a family of four shopping together, mum wanted to buy something and instead of the dad and kids waiting they all went through the tills together. I mean surely they didn’t all need to do that?

Is this a new thing?

When peoplle complain that their kids don't have a clue how to look after themselves when they go to uni/leave home, maybe they should have involved then on this stuff?

At one point I used to do the shopping on my own in the evening for a bit of me time. At other points we shopped as a family. The kids loved helping and finding things, just as my granddaughter does now, when I'm looking after her and we go to Tesco.

When we went as a family, I doubt that anyone even noticed us. Our kids were well behaved and we weren't performance parents. We just got on with it.

As previous posters have said, you only notice the annoying people. Whatever the age or combination.

Why do people care so much 😂

my three littles come to the supermarket with me, I watch to make sure they don’t get in peoples way and tend to go in the evenings or something when it’s not so busy. They love Asda/Sainsbury’s.

some people can’t help but take their littles too.

If we are doing a big shop in the car we will all go as both DH and I want to get certain things, like he will want to stock up on beer but will see what's on offer on the day, and I might want to browse the clothes if we are in a big tesco, and the DC might want to spend some pocket money. Other times DH or I will go on our own. I don't get why other people's shopping habits are an issue for you OP.

A baby is a bit different from kids running around. It’s pretty much the same as going as a couple

We also ALL put our shopping away together when we get home! 😃

I take my children shopping, it teaches them how to shop for themselves, let’s them see different foods they might like that I’d not usually buy, teaches them how to handle interactions with people in public places etc. I don’t understand why that’s frowned upon.

This thread comes up time and time again! I don't know where ye all shop but at least 95% of the children I see in shops are well behaved. You are teaching children how to meal plan, how to budget, maths, social etiquette....

We don't have a set routine for the shop but sometimes we do go as a family. It takes the "chore" element out of it for me and we get to spend time together which can be scarce in our household because of working hours!

I can honestly say I have never looked around and thought "why is that person on their own" or "why did that entire family come to do the shop".... It has never bothered me nor is it something that concerns me.

A whole family? I have one child and we are a whole family and we go shopping together of course. Or do you not think that single parents are an entire family? Must there be two parents in order for it to constitute a family? So sick of people thinking a family means two parents and a child when it is very rare for children to still be living with two parents or their original parents and of course for just two adults in a relationship without children to be a family. Please think very carefully about how you phrase things as it's extremely discriminatory. Imagine if a child thought they weren't part of a family because they only had one parent!

dh collects me from work and we all go together on a Saturday evening. It’s our ritual. The kids all help and myself and dh can choose what we want (otherwise I forgot healthy stuff for dh, he forgets unhealthy for me😅). It’s enjoyable!

Agreed, just weird. Why would you do that, unless a single parent?

I have the food shop down to a fine art. Early Saturday morning, drop DS at swimming class, straight to Tesco, whizz round, 25 mins max for a whole week's food, load it all in the car and back to collect DS from class in 40 mins total.

I’m getting very close to a full house on the MN bingo card here
oops bingo is “lower class” too isn’t it

Give me co-dependency over someone who finds men shopping "effeminate" any day.

Although I do know some people seem to find supermarkets genuinely hellish, whereas it's not something I give much mind to. Sometimes we'll all go, sometimes just DH, whichever suits the shape of the day. It's just not something we'd really think about either way.

My husband, I and our 4 kids went to the supermarket together today and I had no idea anyone would consider this odd! 🤷🏼‍♀️ We are a loving family who enjoy spending our weekends together. The kids helped pick out ingredients for a meal we could cook together this evening. I don’t understand how anyone would find that weird.

I have seen a similar thread about this "issue" in the past on here and I still can't work out why anyone would find it odd to see a family do a food shop or go clothes shopping together.

I think this thread establishes, beyond all shadow of a doubt, that it is the people who find it weird who are the weird ones.

@GreenWheat
Honestly local supermarket is a bit daft... never got over the time they thought that tea and coffee should go in different aisles. And the signage is different on either sides of the sign. Like one side says meat ... ham ... sausages . The other side says meat... chicken

I find it totally bizarre too, but I also grew up going to the supermarket with my sibling, mum and dad, this is because my mum couldn't drive and I'm guessing my dad couldn't be trusted to do a weekly shop. I never take my children to do a big shop, I wouldn't be able to concentrate and would end up spending a fortune, it's also a break!

Supermarket I never understand but primark is a different place. We recently went summer holiday clothes shopping for dd 1,2 and 3. Dh came to help as we needed to sort all 3 and that meant splitting occasionally when dd1 who wears adult clothes wanted adult stores but then other stores were great for all 3. It was expensive but needed them to choose clothing they all liked and fit. Dd3 is almost 12 and age 9 new look clothes swamped her. I needed her with me to find stuff that fitted.

The next OP will be about how men don't pull their weight and leave food shopping to their wives.

It will be closely followed by "How come my teenager has no idea how much things cost?"

We all go as a family because DH wants to choose what's going in his lunches/snacks for the next week, whilst I want to choose mine, plus since I care for the DCs full time I'm the only one who can pick out their food etc. Especially now stock levels are so shitty - I know what substitutions the kids can accept.

The kids are too young to stay at home alone.

Why is this a problem for you? Is it a rule in your home that only one person may choose which fruit looks nicest? Can I not pick out my own deodorant from the frankly confusing display which intimidates DH? Must I wait til a time DH doesn't want to pick his own treats?

Ffs. Mind your own flipping business and get over it.

Plus it's a vital life skill for the kids to learn.

For some of them I assume she's not allowed to spend money.
Everyone laughing about it has clearly lived a sheltered life. There's lots of SAHM's who are treated like shit and controlled.

Me and DH work all week and don’t have very little time together with our DD and DS during the week so want to take every opportunity to be together at the weekend. We are both foodies and enjoy shopping together and our children are entertained too. As long as the children are behaving, does this affect your life in any way?

Of course some people are financially controlled. But given how many people shop with partners, it is a stretch to think it about all of them.

This! It's a day out for my kids 😂 both under 2 so it helps us break up the day and my toddler absolutely loves helping and putting stuff in the trolley. Sometimes we shop in the way back from a trip away or out. Otherwise if it's just to get particular food items only one of us will go. The bigger question is why do you care?

I totally agree. What is bought is monitored.