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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:
Chubfuddler · 01/02/2012 09:40

I was never allowed on them so ds is, usually. If I have no change or we don't have time I say no. If he gets mardy about it he gets The Look.

Lol at blatant commercialism in a shop. Who'd have thunk it eh?

Gribble · 01/02/2012 09:43

YABU these rides are DS's little treat when we do our big shop if hes been a good boy (and I used to take him when I was also pg and he is/was still very much in his terrible twos / nearly threenage years). Id be very bemused if my local Tescos removed them because someone cant say no to their child, infact id start a counter petition to get them installed back again Grin

I know its hard when you're pg, but seriously, they are rides for little kids who enjoy them, dont be such a grump wanting to spoil it for others Sad

nizlopi · 01/02/2012 10:05

Wow, you're mean!

Just tell him its broken if you object so much to them. Wow.

bibbitybobbityhat · 01/02/2012 10:08

PMSL!!!

"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."

Yes, and I bet he doesn't enjoy going traipsing round the supermarket with a grumpyguts like you much. These little rides are perfect for treating toddlers who have been good on the way round the shop. Can you really not spare 50p to treat him when you rarely go to the supermarket anyway?

bibbitybobbityhat · 01/02/2012 10:11

My word, I can't believe some of the sour faced meanies on here.

"Never let your kid go on them, never EVER NEVER YOU HEAR ME?!?!?!" you sound like utter loons.

MeltedChocolate · 01/02/2012 10:13

I reward my DS for good behaviour in the supermarket with a ride. He knows that if goes goes round with me and behaves well he is rewarded. Bad behaviour would mean no ride. It took one time for him to realise you get a go AFTER the shopping. When I don't have a spare coin I let him go on anyway and he spins the wheel and 'brums'

YABVU Don't ruin it for other kids because you can't deal with a tantrum.

Chubfuddler · 01/02/2012 10:13

Are you reading the same thread bibity?

Beamur · 01/02/2012 10:14

YABU.
They are the perfect reward for good behaviour in the supermarket - DD can have a ride after shopping if she has behaved nicely. Except at Morrisons because the ride is rubbish. She also asks for the £1 dispensing things, which she has learned nearly always gets a 'no' - but she asks anyway!

kreecherlivesupstairs · 01/02/2012 10:15

Another who thinks YABU.
My DD was another who only found out they worked when her Nan put a pound or whatever it was in the machine.
Until then she'd understood that the flashing lights were to call the maintainance man!

twolittlemonkeys · 01/02/2012 10:15

I never put money in them either. I just said no for a while, and now the treat for them after shopping is just to sit in it whilst it's stationary. Grin I don't even know if DS2 realises they move - he thinks it's great fun just to sit inside and press the buttons and laugh hysterically when the machine randomly makes a noise to attract passing children!

feedthegoat · 01/02/2012 10:20

YABU.

If you want to start petitions about everything you encounter your dc ask for because you disagree with being forced to say no, I suggest you make time in your life for it to become a fulltime occupation.

Squitten · 01/02/2012 10:25

YABVU OP!

Your son is 2. He'll have tantrums about a lot of things: toys, games, sweets, the colour of the sky, etc. You can't insist that the whole world remove your child's tantrum triggers so you can have an easy life. It's ridiculous!

You just have to ride it out like the rest if us!

Hedgeblog · 01/02/2012 10:27

I think after you say no a few times they soon get the message. The trick is never to let go on them Grin

I do however think that supermarkets such as M&S which make you queue in a maze like corridor full of sweets and cakes at toddler height are unreasonable. The one in Covent garden is particularly bad with literally 2 widths of the shop to walk down packed with sweets and cakes. No matter how well behaved your toddler is they I will always be suckered into putting something I didn't want into my basket.

loopydoo · 01/02/2012 10:29

Just tell her it's not plugged in today. It worked for both of our children.

Then, on a calmer day, tell them it's plugged in today and let them have a go.

They get so much joy from the rides that perhaps you'll feel less mean stressed if you let them go on it occasionally.

Katiepoes · 01/02/2012 10:49

My toddler loves them, especially when it's car she can 'drive'. If your precious is getting upset though then by all means have them removed. Sometimes she gets a smurf from the vending machine, better take those too. Blatant commercialism selling stuff in a supermarket, the cheek of them trying to part me and my cash.

chunkythighs · 01/02/2012 11:07

URNBU
I hate them! Yea yea my DS gets to sit on them and I am shocked at how many of them are broken Wink. He doesn't tantrum over them. But its the sheer amount of them and the fact that the route to the toilet in my local shopping centre has about 5 of the bastard things........I nearly wet myself Blush

Also I refuse to spend ?2 on them my poor country is broke as am I!

TakeYourScaffoldingWithYou · 01/02/2012 11:10

YANBU. I will probably out myself here but whilst in your position, heavily pregnant, I threatened to set our local ride on fire. Would I have got away with it? Many locally would have cheered. Some other activist used to wrap the power cord round the neck of the Koala Bros.

It's not about teaching your child about 'no' or rewarding an everyday event, it's about getting a pint of milk, some binbags and something for tea before your bladder explodes.

I did n't want to spend the day at the supermarket, bribing, rewarding and distracting, I want to go to the park.
sitting on the rides for ten minutes - having a tantrum when it's time to leave
finding toy cars next to the baked beans and saying no to that purchase
finding 400 calorie sprinkle covered cupcakes next to the bananas
sweets at the end of every row and check out
My toddler is not an unexpected item in the bagging area, he's a toddler, they always do the unexpected, it's expected, that's why I'm exhausted keeping him safe.

My top tips are:

Belt him in the trolley and rush past waving & saying hello to the rides from a safely tethered distance.
Go without instead of doing top up shops. You can eat cereal without milk, no ones going to starve.
Do a big shop in the evening/early morning/anytime you can get someone else to watch the child. Then you can spend more time doing toddler approriate stuff.

Go to Waitrose Grin then you can play 'spot the fruit, can you see something that's red, help mummy pack the shopping games without spending a fortune on toys, sweets, and style over substance bakery products.

WhatIsPi · 01/02/2012 11:15

I think the trick to letting them go on is when they DONT ask - that way they know that sometimes they will be allowed but just not when they whinge and whine at you.

Its good anyway you get 3 minutes of leaning on the buggy looking wistful and knackered.

marge2 · 01/02/2012 11:16

Op, I do sympathise with you. I HATED the frigging things too. I almost never put money in either. Thankfully my lads are too old for them now.

boredandrestless · 01/02/2012 11:19

My DS was always told no. He soon learnt he was never going to get a penny to put in these kind of rides. If he was good I'd let him sit in it for a minute. [evil mother]

Sarahplane · 01/02/2012 11:21

Funnily enough worra all the rides near us are broken too.

WorraLiberty · 01/02/2012 11:26

Belt him in the trolley and rush past waving & saying hello to the rides from a safely tethered distance

I think belting him for wanting to go on a ride is a bit harsh Grin

Chubfuddler · 01/02/2012 11:27

I did interpret belt in the way my mother would have meant it too, for a moment.

Kayzr · 01/02/2012 11:29

YABVU my boy love those rides. If they've been good then they get to go on a ride.

I'm not having a few minutes of fun spoilt for them because you can't say no

longjane · 01/02/2012 11:31

Amazing when my kids where little they were often broken when they wanted a go so they could sit on them but where never able to money as they were "broken".
My grown up kids are still amazed at how often they were broken when they were little..