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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to let my 16mo old walk around sainsburys with me?

282 replies

Ozfrazror · 31/01/2013 13:17

Only needed 2 things and ds recently loves walking everywhere so thought he'd enjoy wandering about with me in the veg aisle. He was indeed overjoyed at getting freedom from the trolley, but by the horrified looks more than one person gave me you'd have thought I was giving him knives to carry around!

Even though he was at the top of the aisle while I was in the middle at one point, of course I had a constant eye on him. However one particular older lady just kept looking between him and me with an obvious disapproval. So WIBU?

OP posts:
Cantbelieveitsnotbutter · 31/01/2013 18:01

My ds did from 9 months. Can't see any harm in it.

Cantbelieveitsnotbutter · 31/01/2013 18:01

But he was walking with me not running round

Pandemoniaa · 31/01/2013 18:03

My ds did from 9 months. Can't see any harm in it.

I've been waiting to use this all day, so....

Did you mean to sound like a gf?

Pandemoniaa · 31/01/2013 18:03

Dammit. You've now posted a perfectly reasonable second comment.

Original poster
Ozfrazror · 31/01/2013 18:12

Interesting comments and like some have said, pos it was annoying for other shoppers. BUT hey guess what people?we both made it home unscathed and no unsuspecting trolley pushers took the side off a head/mangled a leg or squashed a toddler today so I must have been more careful and observant than a lot of you have decided to give me credit for!
Think I might carry on doing what I feel comfortable with concerning my own dc and not lose any sleep over what anybody else thinks - Thank you and goodnight Grin

OP posts:
goldenlula · 31/01/2013 18:12

YANBU to let him walk with you, as in holding your hand, on reins or holding the trolley if he can be trusted not to run off, but he should not have been allowed to wander as he could have been hurt. I let dd 20 months out of the trolley for a short while the other day but she held my hand or the trolley the whole time. I would not have done the same with ds2 as he was a bolter and still is!

minibmw2010 · 31/01/2013 18:20

So why bother asking then if all you're going to do when you get a majority of answers you don't like is to thumb your nose at us and run off? What a surprise ... Angry

YouOldSlag · 31/01/2013 18:23

So you ask us what we think, then tell us you don't care what we think?

Well that was a waste of time...

Kalisi · 31/01/2013 18:25

Well that was lucky Op, it's a shame you haven't taken anything else away from this thread but yeah you just keep doing what you're doing then Hmm

Goldenbear · 31/01/2013 18:25

YANBU- people should look where they're going and then they wouldn't push their trolleys into small people. How about if the small person was a very small adult, is it acceptable to plough into them because it has irritated you that people who aren't average have dared to walk around in public? If you don't want to look out for people you could potentially injure by walking into them- stay inside!

Anyway, how hard is it to steer a trolley, you don't exactly see people belting around the aisles with them at 30 mph!

I knew there would be lots of use of the word 'entitled' on this thread. Here's another couple of words that come to mind regarding some comments on this thread- miserable and grumpy!

maisiejoe123 · 31/01/2013 18:26

Sadly I think the OP has a sense of entitlement to using the supermarket as a playground for her child. And of course if anyone trips, or her child trips or pulls something off the shelf or god forbid starts stuffing something inappropriate into their month it will be 'someone' elses fault.

Goldenbear · 31/01/2013 18:28

How many 'entitled' remarks Is that now?

Kalisi · 31/01/2013 18:31

Hey, if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck......

crunchbag · 31/01/2013 18:34

If I had been in the aisle I would have looked around for you too, maybe even have that look on my face, I don't know. But it wouldn't be because I was disapproving of a toddler walking around but more to check that he wasn't lost.

Just keep him close for all the reasons mentioned before.

kinkyfuckery · 31/01/2013 18:36

If you only needed two things, why did you need a trolley?

Wallison · 31/01/2013 18:39

It's not entitled but it is a bit precious and also a bit dangerous. He wasn't hurt, but that was down to luck. I still go a bit hot thinking about the time that a (badly-supervised) toddler ran into the bottom of the shopping basket I was carrying one time in Waitrose. Her mother probably thought that it was all charming and an enriching experience for her to handle the kumquats or whatever as well, but really in a crowded environment with lots of hard surfaces, glass bottles and stuff that can be pulled off shelves, you need to be supervising your child properly, not nodding fondly on as they sprint down the aisle away from you.

MamaBear17 · 31/01/2013 19:17

I take my 18 mo to the supermarket on reins. I hate the idea that she could suddenly run off and get hurt. I dont think you we bu to let your baby walk, but I do think you should have had a tight grip on his hand.

FunnysInLaJardin · 31/01/2013 22:06

I'm with Hully RRRRRRaaaaHHHHHH. I am going to let my children loose on you all, RAHHHHHHH.

FunnysInLaJardin · 31/01/2013 22:07

I nod fondly as my DC run away from me because, hey, I don't have to look after him. I just expect everyone else to do it for me. So it's win/win for me

HeadfirstForHalos · 31/01/2013 22:22

"I must have been more careful and observant than a lot of you have decided to give me credit for!"

Or maybe the other shoppers were the ones being more careful and observant, making sure they didn't squash your child. That shouldn't be their responsibilty.

I let mine walk at that age, but always held a hand or made them hold the trolley. It's a busy shop not a playground.

HeadfirstForHalos · 31/01/2013 22:24

How would you react if another shopper crashed their full trolley into your child while they were wandering down the aisle from you?

If I did that I'd feel awful, but if the parent started having a go I'd give them both barrels.

NapaCab · 31/01/2013 22:35

It's not so much 'YABU' as 'how the hell did you do that and not end up with a £100 worth of damaged goods?!? If it was my DS who is the same age, half the supermarket would have been destroyed with every glass jar on a low shelf smashed to bits. So I don't think you are BU as such, just very brave! Either that or your DS is well-behaved and holds your hand, unlike mine.

Tertius · 31/01/2013 22:42

YANBU - I do this.

JollyRedGiant · 31/01/2013 22:47

I don't get why you asked.

I make ds walk as much as possible. If we are out around the village we usually don't take the buggy. He is 21mo but we've been doing this since last summer.

He ALWAYS gets strapped into the trolley in the supermarket. Until he is sensible enough to stay by my side and not touch things I'm quite comfortable with him thinking there are no other options.

wiltingfast · 31/01/2013 22:49

God sometimes MN is pure cracked. Can't believe the preciousness of posters. Unreasonable to let a toddler walk about a supermarket on his own 2 legs?! Unreasonable to expect adults in the vicinity might watch where they are going (as they should be anyway) and not bang bump into others including small people such as toddlers?!

God forbid anyone would be put out even a small bit by a child seems to be some people's attitude. It's amazing any kid ever manages to grow up and disentangle themselves from some of the apron strings around here! [Hmm]

I do the same OP, no one's seemed put out never mind hit them with a trolley. I see other parents do it too. I don't think anything of it. YANU, MN is alas.