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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Hitting the sales with your bored family members

59 replies

Menora · 27/12/2019 13:18

Was in M&S. shopping on my break. Can’t get to the rails in the women’s sections as bored husbands/adults sons are standing in front of all the granny pants and leggings, blocking the aisles, blocking doorways, walking slowly through shops with no awareness of anyone else around them. One zombie husband holding the bags wandered aimlessly into at least 2 women and didn’t even apologise to them. Women were holding up knitted items for husbands opinion - one made a kind of grunt in approval. Some of them managed to escape by yelling IM GOING TO COSTA DO YOU WANT A LATTE and as I walked back to work, all the coffee shops are inhabited by lone men with bags on the seat next to them. I went upstairs to the home/men’s section - home was packed, men’s was deserted.

AIBU to think it would be a good idea to have like a holding pen area in shops with peg hooks in shops where men/your bored teenagers can stand? Or am I jealous as I am single and I have no one to hold my bags?

The only bargain I got was some £10 leggings which I managed to carry myself

OP posts:
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 27/12/2019 13:20

I hate family shopping. I never do it and I suffer it whenever I venture to the shopping centre. Its the same people who all do the BIG food shop together and ALL go to A&E together.

Ragwort · 27/12/2019 13:21

I can’t bear going shopping with anyone else, I too hate the bored husbands trailing along with their wives, I wouldn’t dream of expecting my DH or teenage DS to accompany me shopping, just as I would go with them to Sports Direct or wherever.

GinDaddy · 27/12/2019 13:21

"Or am I jealous because I am single"

...

...

heath48 · 27/12/2019 13:22

Only shop with females,daughter,granddaughter and best friend.No men ever!

Original poster
Menora · 27/12/2019 13:23

If I am jealous because I am single I think this is certainly one area I don’t have any envy over. Maybe some others but not this one Grin

OP posts:
Whatsforu · 27/12/2019 13:24

Ha ha ha this is so funny. I agree there is nothing worse than the hanging about!!! Put them out of their misery and leave thrm at home. Mind you I avoid the shops at the best of times.

LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 27/12/2019 13:25

I would much rather shop alone or with friends. The men get in the way.

Moominfan · 27/12/2019 13:26

I shop alone so I can browse at my own leisure. Mine won't suffer quietly

Original poster
Menora · 27/12/2019 13:28

I went in H&M a couple of weeks ago and there was a man who had kind of arranged himself leaning against a rack outside the changing room. It had loads of underwear on it and women were kind of gingerly trying to browse the rail AROUND him. I was trying on shoes opposite and watching these women, no one would say ‘excuse me’ and he was completely oblivious to the women trying to pull out pants from behind his back

OP posts:
Biscusting · 27/12/2019 13:29

Just to balance out the unabashed sexism, I have some DDs who would equally be blocking aisles and obstructing access to the granny pants. Luckily for you all we’ve boycotted the sales this year!

ManonBlackbeak · 27/12/2019 13:30

Haha I had this just now in River Island! Some bloke standing in the way whilst his wife/partner browsed the sale rail. Why on earth do some women have to do everything with their OH’s?

Original poster
Menora · 27/12/2019 13:32

I didn’t see many teenage girls today but this is because it was M&S. if I had been in another shop it is a different demographic of shopper. The demographic of shopper here is retired people 😂

I went into Dorothy Perkins - only had women in it. H&M - whole family outing including children, lots of buggies and I left immediately

OP posts:
pigsDOfly · 27/12/2019 13:32

I think the holding pen/hook idea is brilliant. It would keep them all in one place and they could stare at nothing to their heart's content.

I never took my husband shopping with me when I was married, doubt he would have come tbh, so it suited us both. I'm happy shopping with my DDs, but that's where I draw the line as far as shopping with other people goes. I'd far rather go on my own.

Perhaps that's the reason I'm divorced: the family that shops together, stays together. Maybe it's a sign of a close relationship when you want your spouse with you at the sales. And as for going to the January sales? Never do it. All the crowds and pushing and shoving, just to get a few pounds off.

TurquoiseDress · 27/12/2019 13:33

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

Ha ha yes you're especially right about the A&E bit!

Onewardsup · 27/12/2019 13:33

Yeah I hate the “bored looking partners” thing, if you want to do the hell that is shopping don’t make others suffer with you!

What really bugs me though is the pissed off toddlers who have clearly had a day out stuck in a pushchair browsing clothes.

Blacksackunderthetreesfreeze · 27/12/2019 13:34

Wouldn’t take men, teens or kids shopping for clothes for me.

Only a few selected friends do I ever go shopping for myself with, but I generally prefer to shop alone.

TurquoiseDress · 27/12/2019 13:35

This has reminded me of family shopping trips as a child, looking for clothes for holidays or a special occasion.

I remember being so bored once I lay down on one of the display beds and fell asleep- my parents were not impressed!

Blacksackunderthetreesfreeze · 27/12/2019 13:35

Buggies in the shops is a right pain too! I get that people have to bring their buggies in if they need something but I’d never shop with a baby or toddler as a leisure activity!

NerrSnerr · 27/12/2019 13:37

My MIL suggested we went sale shopping yesterday. It would have been her, my FIL, my husband, me and our children aged 2 and 5. Couldn't think of anything worse. When I suggested she went today when so she could go by herself she told me that she didn't actually want to buy anything, she just thought it'd be fun for us all to go.

We didn't go...

Jobseeker19 · 27/12/2019 13:38

In Westfield Primark. There are several areas where you can charge your phone and sit down.

Original poster
Menora · 27/12/2019 13:39

I have 2 Tesco’s near me. One is pretty good to shop in, don’t often see browsing large family shops going on. Usually pretty easy to get around.
The other one is horrendous and notorious for husband/wife combo shopping and aisle blocking, so much so that people complain about it on Facebook (but I doubt the offenders would ever see it) 😂

OP posts:
Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 27/12/2019 13:42

Whole families in supermarkets at busy times

Whole families taking up the waiting area in A&E or outpatient clinics, or visiting an inpatient en masse

Why? Just why? Maybe I'm antisocial but when my children were young I went to the shops on my own. I relished getting a bit of time to myself, my children were delighted not to have to trail along behind me and my husband loathes shopping so it was win win all round.

Useful22 · 27/12/2019 13:43

Hate to buck the trend, but just back from shopping with 2 toddlers and husband!! Kids love going in the shops and up the escalators, choosing a snack. Husband loves picking clothes for me and is very good at it. Doesn't stand around at all. Think it depends on the person, not the gender!!

Useful22 · 27/12/2019 13:45

Also its winter, there is NO where to take kids on some places! Yes, they LOVE the supermarket, so it's a family affair. Nothing wrong with doing things together in the holiday period.its precious time. Maybe I love family time too much...sigh

Original poster
Menora · 27/12/2019 13:46

I don’t know, I do want a shopping family to come on the thread and enlighten me - is it fun? Is it just a tradition?

A&E families I kind of understand if mum and dad both want to be there. I’ve been before and it was an older lady brought by her own grown children who had also brought their adult children and they had brought both their partners. They obviously were worried about her but there were like 7 people with this one lady!

OP posts:
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