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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Coin operated rides at the supermarket.

117 replies

heartmoonshadow · 01/02/2012 00:45

AIBU to object to the rides that are ubiquitous at supermarkets. As a mum of a toddler and also 7 months pregnant I find going to the shop with him is not the most pleasant of occupations at the best of times. In the main I have my shopping delivered as it is more convenient for him to only get access to the shopping once in our home.

However there are occasions when I have to travel to a local town and pop into their stores whilst I am there. Recently my son has become more independent (terrible twos) and has repeatedly noticed and asked to go on these rides at any of our local stores, Tesco, Sainsburys, ASDA or Morrisons. It has got to the stage where I say no and he tantrums - understandable at his age - but this then makes for a very unpleasant experience for him, me and other shoppers.

Does anyone know of any petitions against these machines or have you had direct experience of complaining to the chains/stores direct as I find it incredibly hard to believe I am the only parent who has been incensed by these quite frankly money grabbing wasteful machines.

OP posts:
Feminine · 01/02/2012 00:50

I think that right now, your toddler will be difficult to control (for want of a better word)

As they get older, it much easier to explain how many rides he can have.

YABU but I can see why they would be annoying for you.

WorraLiberty · 01/02/2012 00:50

Are you serious??

I know it can be irritating when children don't understand the word 'no' but believe me they have to learn to get used to it and fast.

I have 3 kids and they're all had to learn the word 'no' and deal with it.

I'm the youngest of 5 kids and even though I'm 42yrs old, there were always rides...not just in the shops but outside them too in the High Street.

Guess what? When my Mum said 'no' I had to learn that's what she meant.

Would you also like to sign a petition asking for all toys/sweets and fizzy drinks to be removed from shops? Confused

BluddyMoFo · 01/02/2012 00:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Feminine · 01/02/2012 00:52

Its great, a store near me ,charges just 1 cent!

WorraLiberty · 01/02/2012 00:52

My DH is a tight bastard and if he didn't have any change, he used to pop the kids on the ride and shake it from side to side Grin

smalltown · 01/02/2012 00:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
heartmoonshadow · 01/02/2012 00:54

No Worra I just feel that a supermarket is not the right environment for this type of activity and that it is blatant commercialism. As I pointed out I find it uncomfortable for others as well as myself as a crying 2 year old is disconcerting at the best of times and bloody annoying at others.

I am quite happy to purchase items from the shop that are suitable for sale such as toys, sweets and fizzy drinks.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 01/02/2012 00:54

smalltown are you my DH? Shock

smalltown · 01/02/2012 00:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

festi · 01/02/2012 00:56

kind of agree, remember it well, however YABU to compalin.

secret is never allow your dcs ever to ride these machines. remain consistand and they will eventually fade into oblivion where he never notices them.

with dd I would say no but I will put a nice shiney coin in your piggy bank when we get home, at his age a 10p in his piggy bank will keep him happy then he can save for a treat and reinforce when he is a little older maybe a year or 2 that saving money and spending wisely on something he really wants is the way forward.

I used this trick on dd with anything I was not prepared to pay out for. still do and this strat serves her well in weighing up how to spend her money and know what is a waste.

WorraLiberty · 01/02/2012 00:56

Of course it's blatant commercialism...it's a shop isn't it?

I am quite happy to purchase items from the shop that are suitable for sale such as toys, sweets and fizzy drinks

But what about when your toddler wants you to purchase those items and you say no?

You can't be happy to buy them every time surely?

BluddyMoFo · 01/02/2012 00:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WorraLiberty · 01/02/2012 00:57

My kids grew up thinking almost every supermarket ride was 'All broke' Grin

My youngest used to kiss Postman Pat on the cheek as he left and tell him to "Get well soon" Blush

festi · 01/02/2012 00:58

small town in my experience even with no money in you risk the tantrum of getting out, just never entertain them.

CumberdickBendybatch · 01/02/2012 00:59

Meh.

Prforone · 01/02/2012 01:00

Grin at Worra!

Original poster
heartmoonshadow · 01/02/2012 01:00

Like any purchase at the supermarket I do not buy it every week and neither do I suspect that others here never buy. My point was that I am happy that those items have a place in the supermarket but what I would consider a seaside ride I feel is not.

OP posts:
pixiestix · 01/02/2012 01:00

My mum never ever let us go on these and we just didn't notice them really. I'll let DD go on them for sure though, now I am older and realise how deprived I was! Grin

TheCatInTheHairnet · 01/02/2012 01:02

Agree with Worraliberty. At risk of sounding like a bad Grange Hill commercial circa 1985, just say, errrmmm, no?!!

Or think, "F*ck it. It's 50p, they've been really good even though the supermarket is the most boring place on the planet, and saying no is going to result in DC going into meltdown and ruining the whole thing".

I am a big fan of the just saying yes method of parenting tbh.

ComposHat · 01/02/2012 01:03

Children need to learn that they can't have everything they want when they want it.

They need to hear the word 'no' from time to time.

If you aren't prepared to do that, it is not the shop's fault, they aren't forcing you to use the ride.

WorraLiberty · 01/02/2012 01:04

OP that's fair enough but I think a petition to stop them is a step to far

Many/most parents manage just fine as if their kids didn't tantrum over rides, they'd tantrum over something else anyway.

Banning these things would just spoil the enjoyment of kids whose parents are fine with them using them.

brdgrl · 01/02/2012 01:04

well, if a supermarket isn't the place for blatant commercialism, what is?

My 20-month-old gets a ride, every Friday, after we do the shop. It costs a pound. We don't buy her fizzy drinks, we don't buy her sweets; once in a while we buy her a book or toy, but almost never at the supermarket.

Sometimes she wants a second ride. We say no. Not an issue.

When she wants something that we don't want her to have, we say no. That's pretty much how things go, isn't it?

YABU. The world is full of things your child won't be able to have. Deal with the tantrums, not the supermarket policy.

festi · 01/02/2012 01:04

thecat Grin

Solo · 01/02/2012 01:06

I have never put money into those things. My Ds knew not to ask and now so does Dd. I did/do let them sit in them though and pretend Grin.

festi · 01/02/2012 01:10

do your cjildren just then get out of them, in my experience it was the getting out without meltdown that would be issue, the no and getting past them wasnt the issue, but dd actually getting out was a picture and a scene, I think I did once or twice and after that never let her in again.