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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed by people who let their kids run round supermarkets 'playing'

669 replies

ProperLavs · 26/07/2018 15:04

Actually screaming and running into people.
I had an interesting 'conversation' with a woman when i muttered for someone to stop them screaming and running around. This woman, who didn't actually have anything to do with the kids, who were roughly 4 and 2, told me they were only playing.

I told her it was a very busy supermarket and they shouldn't be playing here
She then muttered about some people having to take their children shopping. I told her I had had to take all of mine (6 under 8) and no they were't ever allowed to run round screaming whilst I ignored them.
Wtf is wrong with people?

OP posts:
RunMummyRun68 · 26/07/2018 15:30

just because you personally haven't 'seen it' doesn't mean it doesn't exist

hth

SandyY2K · 26/07/2018 15:32

Those saying it's child bashing are likely to be the parents in the supermarkets.

legofansmum · 26/07/2018 15:34

Our local Morrisons has introduced mini child trolleys, they're so dangerous in some hands. It's only a matter of time before somebody frail is injured as kids run around really fast with them , some parents so nothing to correct this. Also young lads of around 12 come in and race around the store with them.
It's an accident waiting to happen ...

Sleepyblueocean · 26/07/2018 15:37

Mine makes plenty of noise ( sn) but is strapped into something so he can't run about or pull things off shelves.

SnuggyBuggy · 26/07/2018 15:38

Not everywhere is safe for a child to run around, lots of hazards in a supermarket and some of the behavior I've seen on moving busses is just scary.

PomegranateFairy · 26/07/2018 15:42

Do people just hate kids during the holidays?

No, I hate the badly behaved ones all the time. They're just more pervasive during the school holidays, particularly in previously peaceful supermarkets. I always go during school hours.

WhentheDealGoesDown · 26/07/2018 15:43

I went to Asda yesterday and there were loads of kids, some on scooters, some running round, toddlers toddling around in front of my trolley, they should leave the kids at home with someone or shop online.

TheOrigFV45 · 26/07/2018 15:43

I told her I had had to take all of mine (6 under 8)

That must have been quite an outing!

CheeseYesPlease · 26/07/2018 15:43

Yes totally hate it! Then when the parent is in sight and the child/ren run into your trolley or pram the parent gives you the evils as if its your fault they ran into you!

LakieLady · 26/07/2018 15:45

I hate it. If there was a guaranteed "no kids" hour at my local supermarket, I'd do my shopping then.

I finish work at 3 and as I drive past on my way home, it's simplest to go shopping then. The downside is it's also school chucking out time so the bloody place fills up with parents shopping on their way home with their stir crazy kids going loopy at being let out.

I've nearly fallen over high-speed toddlers a few times. Because they're so small, they're well below my sightline and they come careering out from the end of an aisle as I'm rushing along. I swear I'll end up landing on one some day. And I daresay it will be my fault, not the parent's.

DGRossetti · 26/07/2018 15:48

I hate it. If there was a guaranteed "no kids" hour at my local supermarket, I'd do my shopping then.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44884183

SmileSweetly · 26/07/2018 15:48

I agree OP....it's the parents fault not the kids.

And libraries! Kids running around in libraries....really unacceptable! Or any public space where there might be elderly unsteady on their feet.

CSIblonde · 26/07/2018 15:49

I don't think valuing & teaching children consideration & social etiquette norms in public is kid bashing (runs & hides from 'you shouldn't crush their spirits' brigade).

FrancisCrawford · 26/07/2018 15:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Knittedfairies · 26/07/2018 15:50

There’s a time and a place for running about; shopping in a supermarket isn’t it.

I was in the shoe dept. in John Lewis’s on Monday. A woman was trying on various sandals and shoes from the sale rack while the boy with her raced around, throwing himself onto the floor and skidding while wearing one black high suede boot also from the sale rack. She didn’t say anything. (Neither did I...)

FairfaxAikman · 26/07/2018 15:52

There's a time and a place to let kids play - and it's not a supermarket (or a restaurant). Not only is it annoying but it's dangerous.

ceecee32 · 26/07/2018 15:52

Reminds me of a time i would rather forget - I fully expect lots of negative comments about this.

A few years ago I was stood in the queue in M & S.

There were 2 young boys battering hell of of each other with rolls of wrapping paper and running around without any thought for anyone else. The salesperson behind the till asked the mother to get them to stop as they had to sell the rolls of paper and if they were damaged they would not be able to. Mum said in a very feeble voice "stop it" and then remarked - they don't listen to me.

In the middle of all this they barged into an elderly lady who was struggling on her feet, she only didnt fall over because someone managed to catch her.

As they ran past me, without a single thought in my head - my arm flew out, grabbed one of them by their coat and shouted 'if you wont listen to your mother then maybe you will listen to me' - They did.

I have never been so shocked at my response as normally I am as quiet as a mouse and never intervene in anything.

An now, when I am out with my mum who is 87 I dance around her to keep kids away from her. It scares me to death when children are running around.

eyycarumba · 26/07/2018 15:53

DS was once spinning around at queue for the cafe and I grabbed him and told him to stop messing about as people were walking around with hot drinks - some old lady told me off! I got the 'he's only playing' card too. I'm sure that wouldn't be excusable if someone had tripped over him or he had scalding water tipped on him. Children are children BUT they should be taught to be considerate of others. Supermarket is not an appropriate place to run around screaming. I bet it wouldn't be the 'child's fault' if someone hit them with a trolley or they knocked something over either.

hairyscarey · 26/07/2018 15:56

When did all this bad parenting start? Children screeching and shouting in public places (supermarkets, restaurants etc). Bloody parents who allow their kids on scooters where they shouldn't be. It's scarey for me and I always think that old, vulnerable people must feel so scared.

Original poster
ProperLavs · 26/07/2018 15:57

It was an outing! In the past our Asda had 4 seater child trolleys, 2 facing out st the front and 2 normal ones.they were unwieldy and heavy but a godsend. I don’t suppose there was much call for them so they were removed eventually. These parents are probably the same ones who let their kids play with my kids’ inflatables on holiday without asking and then call me a spoil sport when I ask for them back so my kids can use them.

OP posts:
Charolais · 26/07/2018 15:58

I live a few miles from a very small town (population under 1,000) with one small grocery store. I have found it interesting that all the kids who were allowed to run around doing what they wanted in the store while the mother ignored, them grew up to be losers. Losers as in did bad in school/dropped out, drugs, crime or unemployed.

I have been watching while I shop this in the store for > 35 yrs now.

Here we clearly see the results of bad parenting. If the children are ignored while they are climbing shelves in the grocery store it obvious they are ignored at home as well.

Sirzy · 26/07/2018 15:59

Its also a safety think.

Children running around in a supermarket risk causing an accident. I have had a child run into me before - if that had been someone unstable on their feet they would have been knocked over.

Some parents seem too quick to not want to take responsibility for their children.

TakeMeToKernow · 26/07/2018 16:00

ceecee that's excellent! So many times I've been tempted :/

hellokittymania · 26/07/2018 16:00

I really don't like running into children on scooters in the supermarket, especially since we only have the mini Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsburys in my area. It drives me nuts. Get creative and let them play shopping. Or include them in the cooking, maybe they will enjoy looking for things that they will need to make whatever it is they're making.

And for those who say shop online, I am may feel old but there was no shopping online when I was a kid. And I'm sure plenty of other people on here can't agree, life did exist before the Internet and you got on and did what you needed to do.

ciderhouserules · 26/07/2018 16:02

Ceecee - I had a friend who would only say 'Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that - oh, you never listen to me anyway'

I did once shout at him to stop kicking a ball at our greenhouse. He bloody well stopped then. He'd never been shouted at.