wondering what all these families do in town centres all the time?

[LadyMilfordHaven]

( well not ALL the time but more often than not)

yup - occasionally you all need to go in for something or you are on your way back from somewhere/on holiday mooching.

but IME the best shopping ( for say school stuff) is one parent BOLTS in ninja style and is in and out.

TOday there are endless family groups with tired hot whingey kids ( understandably).... is this fun?

We go to the museum

this was shops

dragging kids

Maybe if they are school shopping, they need the kids to try stuff on?

Or maybe they are window shopping, to get the kids out of the house and away from tv/computers etc?

i think so. HOW DULL

At the moment, my house is a bit messy and cluttered with boxes because we're moving so I took the kids out with DH. It was complete and utter hell- five kids under 6 and I'm pregnant and feeling sick, and I managed to stand it for an hour before we gave up and went home. We took the older ones out for schools stuff a bit later but we did it in record time- kids get whiny and whingy and bored- my idea of a nightmare.

I never understand why the whole family goes food shopping-that is weird.

normally as the mum cant drive ( sigh)

we had one on here once where she couldnt and her H woulnt let her do online

freak a zeak

mind you add to that the mners who wont drove on motorways, answer the door or phone or talk to anyone on holiday

My son, who is four, enjoys wandering the city centre as much as I do. We go to the mall and he rides the rides, have lunch out and look at toys and things in the shops.

If you never take your kids shopping, they will never learn how to behave in shops.

Maybe they're killing time between buses

thats a fair point tee.
If he likes it. I used to like taking one

My DS loves the city, we do boring stuff/fun stuff/ boring stuff/ice cream/boring stuff it can take a whole day, but he loves it!

My DD is just 2 though, and she is an unadulterated PITA!

Maybe like me your on your own a lot and dont have anyone local to drop your children with.

Single parents are like this too.

I like to keep spare times like weekends for family fun time, not chores I can do with the dc in the week.

Taking one is fine. Taking 2 is pushing it. Taking all 3 of mine is asking for a shouty Mummy and grumpy kids. Thank goodness for online shopping!

If you have to buy your kids uniforms and you have no-one to mind the pre schoolers, you have to take them all I suppose?

I'm not sure where driving comes into this though, that's a bit confusing.

oh random ranting

WRT Uniforms, as the great Libby purves used to say, take a tape measure. Not the kids. Tape measures do not fight and whinge all day. Ad surely it can be done online?

I also really don't get the women who drag bored men along clothes shopping. They just hang about in shops, getting in the way of everyone else, knowing that all they can say is, that looks lovely darling.

I don't get the driving comment either Worra. Why anyone would want to drive into a town centre is beyond me as parking costs a bomb.

Taking the bus is also fun for my son.

Granted, I'm one of those non-drivers OP is apparently disparaging. But that's financial and nothing else.

Agree

I have a friend who goes in twice a week with all four kids. No shopping or museums she just goes to town and window shops, then moans kids were annoying.

I map my shop route in my head, promise sausage rolls if well behaved and speed walk the whole thing.

Don't mind uniform shopping. The people that work in the uniform shop only have to look at the DC and they know what size to get out, and they are super helpful.

I don't take my DSs to town together as it's boring for me. CEX, GAME, Sports Direct, Top Man? No ta.

We were in town today, had to buy some birthday cards and go to the library. Just me and boys as husband is at work. I suppose we might have mooched a bit as well. Oh and we got a geocache.

No, I would never take my DP clothes shopping, I hate it anyway, but after Christmas we both had vouchers to spend and had to go to town anyway, I didn't even try and spend mine,it's just too stressful when I know he's waiting and I want to try on a 10, then a 12 then sobbing, a 14.

I've been into town today. 3rd time this year. Made more of a trip of it with the bus as DS1 (2) loves them. He was OK apart from being desperate to own Thomas plates in Boots and Thomas wrapping paper in the card shop. When he got stroppy it was time for a piggyback in a sling. DS2 was great, but 4m is a bit young to kick up a stink. McDonalds was hell. Think it was a sinbin for disaffected, shopped out toddlers. We gained a free fishfinger from the seat behind which was being used as a climbing frame.

Hopefully that's my relationship with town done for another 3 months.

Could have been worse... I could have taken DH. I managed 3 shops before food with DS1. He's so much more patient than his father.

shopping is a method of buying things, not a recreation. Why would anyone window shop, unless needing new windows?

problem is that it is pushed as a reasonable thing to do, because it means people spend money.