To think walking around a supermarket with three teenage boys is worse than walking round with three toddlers !!!!

[MagicMary1]

So I went Xmas food shopping today with ds 17 ds 16 and dss 17, they were no help what's so ever. They only came because I promised them I get a burger for them on the way back if they go.

I had them on their phones the whole time and they were so annoying in the Starbucks coffee shop.

They were useless packing they couldn't control the trolley.

Rant over

I toom my teen with me yesterday so she could drive me as id had a drink earlier in the day. Other thzn that, i cant see a reason to take them.

You should have made them help. Not taking them as they wouldn't help is ridiuclous. It's like men being allowed to be useles at laundry so you don't ask them again..

I have to congratulate you on getting them to even get in the car/leave the house at the mention of food shopping.

Mine would just have said 'no' and that would be that. And I would be a bit relieved.

We do need to restrict screen/gaming time for our teens, we should absolutely encourage them to do something else and distract them with other activities. Not sure I'd pick Christmas Eve as the moment or take them with me on a trip to the supermarket as the distraction but hey, whatever works for you.

So, how did that work for you, OP?

Actually, just put it on that list of 'things that seemed like a good idea at the time', then burn said list, pour yourself a glass of whatever and have a lovely Christmas anyway.

Not all teenagers are useless. I have a Niece and Nephew who are both teenage age. My Niece is an absolute angel. She helps out whenever she can, including doing errands for me when I'm poorly. She doesn't even expect money for it but I do give her some when I have it just to say thankyou and let her know how much I appreciate the extra mile she goes. My nephew on the other hand is as much use as a fart in a thunderstorm and would be best left at home. Love them both equally of course but things are what they are and just wanted to point out that not all teenagers are phone zombies.

How annoying!

My dh took 2 sleepy teens to Tesco this am at 7.30 - no phones. They were very helpful, but both asleep on the sofa by 4pm!

"jesus Mary you'd be better off taking a stool - leave the teens at home" 😂😂😂

I'm impressed you even got them to go with you. I wouldn't have even tried. But then I am tall enough to reach the top shelves

In our house, the deal is I do the shopping then the teens/twenties DSes get it out of the car & put it all away while I relax with a cup of tea.

I often take mine. I think it does them good to occasionally do something they don't want to do, to help out and to see a little bit of what running a home entails. They're actually really useful now, but it took perseverance in the early stages. The key is to keep them busy and offer just enough interesting things to make it bearable for them.

I often take mine. I think it does them good to occasionally do something they don't want to do, to help out and to see a little bit of what running a home entails.

I don't disagree ... but Christmas Eve supermaket shopping is not the time to start that lesson! It's stressful enough without having to negotiate aisles filled with bored, disinterested teenagers who are being no help and just getting in the way.

I took 3 teens,13,17 and 18 and dh to the supermarket this afternoon. They were great, helpful and fun. I got 10% off my shopping bill with the 18 year old student card too.

I can't get mine to leave the house with me, so I must congratulate you op.

am still laughing at the earlier comment, "they should have left their phones at home"

ssd I am currently going out an awful lot with Ds1 (17). Driving practice.

Quality time together it is not.

I took a 7 year old with SN and a very tired toddler to the supermarket today. I realised at 7 o'clock this morning that we had run out of bread. I did the big shop earlier in the week when one was still in school and the other was otherwise engaged. It was horrible, but DS1 loves a sandwich so I needed the bread.

I am yet to take teenagers to the supermarket, so I can not judge what that is like. However, was the phone gazing and uselessness worse than having them lie on the floor screaming, wandering off and getting lost, standing in the middle of the aisle jumping and hand flapping, climbing on the shelves and holding a sit down protest when I refused to spend £1.30 on a small bottle of strawberry flavoured milk?

Have a lovely Christmas everyone.

I did the driving practice too, with the obligatory banging headache afterwards

now ds1 drives and tells me everything I do wrong when I'm driving him

the joys

Oh yes the post driving tension headache. He's had a cider now so no Christmas Day driving. Hurrah!

I'm with Patienceandchocolate - unless they all ran in different directions and then had a full body screaming fit because the cat food tins aren't all pink then there's just no comparison. Please, take my small ones shopping just once and then your AIBU will read quite differently, I guarantee it!

aren't some of all those teenagers working in the supermarket?

and am I the only parent who would actually send my 16yo out to get me things while I have a nice cuppa rather than walk him round the shops and worry in case he got bored?

Yabu as nothing could be worse than three toddlers stropping and wandering off in different directions. They can also be left at home unlike toddlers.

As for the phones, I would set ground rules on this. They don't need to be constantly glued to their screens, and that amount of screen time and lack of actual contact is not good for them. I'm I'm my 20s and didn't even get my first phone until I was 17.