to wonder why the whole family go supermarket shopping?

[turnipfarmers]

I tend to shop without my children as it's easier; I get that lone parents have to take their children with them but what I can't make sense of is why you see two adults with several children in tow at the supermarket?

Shopping with children for the weekly shop doesn't seem to be much of a pleasurable experience to me and it's probably not that fun for the children so why do people do it?

Strugglingtodomybest exactly!

And you have a right to feel smug.
These early experiences teach children lots of things.

Since the age of 10 my kids have been able to plan and shop for a family meal, cook and serve- and do it within a set budget.

And that's because we took the time when they were younger.

We have to go otherwise there would be no food in the house. I shop for myself, hubby and baby. DS(10) and DD(7) are given their budget for the week and are required to by one dinner that they will make in the week and their school lunch box meals. They also have to get any treats they want from their budget. It is a learning experience because I want them to be able to shop and budget when they are older and not call me crying from uni because they have no money after 2 weeks.

I love grocery shopping. I always have and even when I was little if my parents went shopping without me, I would feel disappointed. My daughter does enjoy it as well. It's time we spend together talking, laughing and just enjoying being a family.

I think being able to enjoy your family while doing the mundane things is just a sign of a happy family who genuinely likes each other, isn't it?

At least they're engaging in this as a family instead of 'little wifey' being lumbered with it all. I suspect it's also a generation thing.

My mum did all the shopping by herself (on foot almost every day - no car, no fridge until the mid-60's) when dad was at work. We children went with her sometimes to help bag carrying.

Dad never set foot in a supermarket until he retired and he even helped sometimes with the housework then.

@steuggling ha good for you. I've delegating packed lunches for holiday club to my 6yo. She's run off delighted with this "chore" and I'm putting my feet up. Win win

Only time we tend to do this is if using the cafe for lunch or picking what we want for a picnic or holiday food. Tends to be something we do while away on holiday and all out together anyway.

I used to love going shopping with my mum and dad when I was a kid, it was like a wee family adventure!

Now I prefer to do it myself but I often have to bring my 18 month old and if we are out and about and have forgotten a few bits my husband and dd both come in with me.

Also my mum didn't drive so my dad drove us and they couldn't leave me in the house so that's why everyone went ..

Can’t believe he said ‘that’s her job’ when are these men going to grow up!

The big advantage of taking either dh or ds with me is that they can lug all the heavy stuff for me like the large bags of cat lit or crates of beer (live in Belgium, cheaper to buy crates).

turnipfarmers - me & you are on the same wavelength. I'm married and have 4 children (grown up now) but I love to go shopping on my own. My husband wouldn't dream of coming with me as he doesn't do shops and it was hard work when the kids were little, but each & everyone to their own I suppose.
Bear this in mind, I have to take my mum in law shopping every week so that's torture enough!

Dh is really good at doing the food shop as he sticks to the list as I get distracted if one of us does it he goes but if I want to look at something specific such as clothes or something I’ll go with him and ds

Dh’s parents suggested we go in on a food warehouse membership with them and share it I politely but firmly declined. I couldn’t think of anything worse than going shopping with them and waiting to go on their terms no extended family shopping trips for me (I have a shorter fuse since having ds.)

We only have one DC who sits in the trolley but we do it because DP works a lot so its an hour or so we can still spend together. We also live on 3rd floor with no lift, so I can't carry stuff alone or with DC but it means I can carry one thing to help DP who would struggle alone.

I don't understand why you care about other people doing this. We occasionally all end up in the supermarket together if we're all out anyway or coming back from holiday or something. It's fun, we sometimes end up getting new things to try and don't end up with kids complaining that we don't have any of x,y or z because they ask for it in the shops.

I really enjoy doing the shopping with the kids - they help with the list, finding stuff and ticking it off. I genuinely think it's educational for them and I don't think they get under anybodies feet.

Maybe its the only family time they get together?

Life is very short and memories are very long. Try to enjoy your life with your dc. They will be gone soon enough.

I just read the very depressing thread about disliking your grown children. I realize that we are individuals, but maybe sharing time with dc doing mundane things and having fun doing them helps bind them with happy memories and a good, common foundation?

When mine were younger, It was tradition to go to the store and I would let the dc pick out any item in the fruit and veg aisle they wanted at Christmas. Giant apple, star fruit, prickly pear. We couldn't afford exotic every week, but they loved looking that day and then we went home and enjoyed it (Or not!) But it was an adventure.

If we wait until specific time or place for fun, we'll not have very much fun will we?

My grandmother was very poor with several siblings growing up and when i was away, on my own, every week,she would call me and ask, "what did you do for fun this week?"

I try to find something that takes the edge off every unpleasant task if possible.

I've already been bashed here bc some people want to rush in and out but, we also have good manners, so we're not forcing anyone to dawdle.

Maybe because they enjoy it.

My teenagers still love a trip to Costco.

I don’t see an issue with older kids going, but when the whole family including toddlers / babies traipses out to the local tesco, I can’t see how that’s fun. Babies screaming, toddlers screaming, I wanna get out of the trolley, I wanna get in the trolley, I want that, why can’t I have that etc etc etc... my ex always wanted to do the local shop as a family, and when I suggested he go by himself and take the kids, he didn’t like it. I’ll never understand why he saw family shopping with a miserable baby a treat.

I usually shop on line, and only end up going with my DD (or DH and DD if we are on the way home from somewhere) for a top up shop or if we want something for dinner once home that we don't have in. I wouldn't dream of all of us going shopping - what a waste of time for us all, and how boring for the children.

I can’t see how that’s fun. Babies screaming, toddlers screaming, I wanna get out of the trolley, I wanna get in the trolley, I want that, why can’t I have that

That is not my experience.
Taking young children shopping teaches them how to behave in public places.
Constant demands for stuff are often the results of previous bribery.

Thank you for the reminder@AbbyLee. If nothing else this thread has reminded me that much as dd1 can be bloody hard work and has been the subject of many a thread asking for tips on curbing her excess, her enthusiasm for the world continues to delight me, and seeing the world through her eyes does help make a mundane task into an adventure!

Some people are forgetting that all families/kids are different. My kids are in no way perfect (driving me nuts as we speak...) but my two get this air of calm about them when we leave the house. In the supermarket the 1 year old baby sits happily looking around and 4 year old loves putting stuff in the trolley, doesn't get upset when we say no to stuff. Me and DP joke around together, enjoying choosing meals together. It's just a fun trip out for us. No stress involved at all. Then we get home and they go back to being loons and I want to drive myself off a cliff!

Because the couple like different foods and so both want to be there to have input on the weekly shop ... thus meaning the kids have to come along.

Also I love the supermarket - it’s one of my favourite places. All the choice and deciding on the weeks meals is fun to me. ( and no I’m not boring I also love rollercoasters, bottomless brunch and axe throwing, I just like supermarkets too).