AIBU at being surprised?

[Bumble1830]

I'm sitting in a supermarket carpark waiting for my friend, and I am so surprised at the amount of parents here with young (2 + year olds) surely they should be in bed? Or at least at home?

I would agree but be prepared to be flamed

As the PP said - I agree, too, but you'll go up in flames here. (And no, nobody is talking about a parent on a shift who has to run out to the shops, taking their child with them. It's those who go on a bloody evening out to the shops that I object to. Why can't just one of the adults go? Why a party?)

Yeah that sounds weird!

Maybe because it's light so late?

Hot weather, where possible people will self regulate and sleep during the heat of the day. This would not be abnormal on the continent or Latin America

Mine is up at that time as she is autistic and currently sleeps between 4-5 hours a night, about now is ideal as it’s still lightish and supermarkets are quiet so reduces her sensory overload, I wouldn’t judge anyone shopping with children, you don’t know why they are out at that time

My children would come into that age bracket and it is so hot they are struggling to sleep, so I can see the appeal of going somewhere with air con to cool them down before attempting bedtime again.

I think it is pretty normal, clearly it is if you are seeing many parents doing it. I took my toddler out for a walk at 8.30pm because he wouldn't sleep and called into the shop for milk.

I'm not just talking about hot weather. I know that's different, as is the summer holiday. I've seen it again and again at 9 pm in winter. I used to be coming home from work at that time and would run in to get something to eat, to find whole families there. I know that they might be there because some goods are sold off cheaply, but why take the whole family?

That would be my DD’s natural sleeping habits if I did not have to get her up earlier. She would naturally have a lay in, a long afternoon nap and a late night. She is a proper night owl.

2 year olds will often have a nap in the afternoon and then go to bed later than an older child.

I understand some families have a reason why they need to go supermarkets at this time of night, but I'm still surprised by the amount of both mum and dad (2 adults anyway) and a whole group of young kids that are out, doing a big shop. I saw what I'm assuming is both parents with 3 kids, youngest must've been 2, and the other 2 maybe 4,5. Just think they should be at home settling down for the night. Don't need to take the whole family to a supermarket to do a big shop, I couldn't think if anything worse.

At that age, DD slept 11pm - 8am, then about 2 hours in the afternoon, which fitted well with my/DH's schedule. We got plenty of comments about it, which I've never really understood - if she'd been in bed at 7pm, she'd have been up at 4am, and I really, really, really didn't want to be getting up then.

DS is being a little bugger about bed time this last few weeks, a mix of heat, light nights and wanting to drop his nap. Going out and doing something fairly mundane but useful has actually helped me cope with it!

So whilst ordinarily I'd have thought it odd, I can also see how it happens!

I don't feel the need to be judgmental about something so trivial. It's a Friday night, it's a lovely summer evening and I have no idea what each individuals circumstances are, so why would I judge. I find it's a good rule to follow generally but then maybe I'm judging you for being judgmental...it never ends!

School holidays here in Scotland so possibly you are seeing families who have maybe just arrived at there holiday destination or are driving through the night to get there etc. We used to arrive later in the evening for our UK holidays and got to nearest supermarket for a few bits and pieces

I've seen exhausted, crying kids going round the supermarket at gone 10pm at all times of the year. Usually it seems to be family groups with 2 adults shopping so potentially they have the option for 1 to shop and 1 to stay home.
It always baffles me as I don't particularly like supermarket shopping with my children during the day let alone late at night when they are tired and playing up. A late night, all family shopping trip is my idea of hell.