What am I realistically supposed to do?!

[Carpetforsale]

I completely understand why shops now feel the need to limit customers and "strongly disencourage" children from entering but what the hell do I do?

I'm running low on nearly everything because I just don't have any spare £s to stock pile. I have 3 DCs and am a single parent so who's gonna watch them so I can get all my groceries? I didn't have any family support before CV and it's literally been me and DCs on our own for so long. I don't have any friends and the earliest I can get a home delivery is the 10th of April. How do I feed my kids???

Leave them in the car?

Check your local councils web page. Mine has a helpline and says:

"Are you struggling to cope at the moment, or concerned about a friend or neighbour? If you or someone you know needs support, then help is available. This could include help with getting food or medicine, online group activities, legal advice or a friendly phone conversation."

It's being run by the council and volunteer groups. I think a lot of councils are doing similar.

Umm... why do you think they are discouraging rather than banning children? It’s because they know sometimes you have no choice, so just go shopping! What’s the alternative? Starve?

How old are they?

As you've not mentioned any symptoms then I'd have to say you all go.
You can not expect to live with no food.
I'd normally suggest a kindly neighbor or one of your DC's friends parents but I realise this isn't appropriate today.
Do you have a neighbor you could ask if your DC ( age dependent of course) could play in their garden for half an hour?
Will you be going in the car?- and is one of them old enough to be left to supervise the others while you run in for supplies?

How old are the kids?

Have you tried different supermarkets for delivery slots?

Book one for 10th April now, I’d say.

Apart from that I can’t think of anything.

Offer some sort of swap on a school WhatsApp groups?

Have you tried “amazon prime now”, if available in your area? Min order £15 and they release slots for the next day at midnight each night. Limited stock but have basics like milk, bread etc xx

I'd make sure they wore gloves and wore a scarf pulled up around their mouths, then just get round the supermarket as fast as you can. There's nothing else you can do.

If they're old enough she can leave them in the car/at home

Don't go to shops with all your kids. You obviously have access to the internet so look for a community support group on Facebook or similar. Or contact local greengrocer etc. as someone said, book the earliest delivery slot you can get for future delivery.

Hi OP, use Facebook, Mumsnet (say your town) and other local resources on and off line to make links with your community.

Volunteer groups are being set up all over the place.

We had a note through our door yesterday asking if we needed help with shopping, anything else, to chat on the phone or would like to volunteer as a buddy to do this for our neighbours. I will get back to them to volunteer as a buddy today (and am very grateful to the co-ordinators).

You say you have no help so try to forge these links. Reach out, find a group, ask for help with shopping. Offer to buddy up for regular chats with one or two people who need company.

Put a note through he neighbours asking for help (if they are not old or frail)

People that are able to want to help.

If all else fails then yes take the kids to the shop. Your need for food takes priority.

Are any of you showing symptoms? If you aren't then go shopping, observe social distancing and wash your hands. Leave the fb groups to help those who are vulnerable or ill.

They're not old enough to be left home (6-9). Im very remote so have to drive 30 mins to the nearest tesco/asda.

No symptoms thank god. Nearest neighbours are in their 60s so not an option. Amazon prime now isn't showing up so I'm guessing not available.

Are there no smaller shops closer?

The nine year old can be left in the car whilst you go in. The others need to go. You need to eat. Never mind Corona, if you cant eat yous will starve so go and do NOT feel guilt.

Kindles/headphones/games/crisps/sweets/bribes - park as close to entry as you can and they stay in the car while you do a trolley dash Supermarket Sweep style? Well aware not ideal but my two have done that for me and are the same age. They get a bonus oreo ice cream sandwich if I return to the car without world war 3 breaking out. They also have access to skype a family member. Needs must.

Check out nextdoor.co.uk and your local Facebook pages. There are incredible people all over the U.K. offering to help people by picking up and delivering shopping and supporting their community in tons of different ways, you are in a difficult situation - round here I know tons of people who would help you. Perhaps if you could give a vague idea on area someone could point you in a more specific direction for help?

Also smaller shops and companies that were distributing to the now closed pubs/restaurants are offering deliveries all over the country?

Just take them, that's why it's discouraged rather than banned. So that people can still get food

I had to leave my 3 in the car outside the shop the other day. I took longer than I'd hoped to grab a few bits but had to be done. Mine are younger than yours.

They were fine, although this is not something I ever would have done before.

If you ring the shop before you go with a list and ask them to do the trolley part, having explained your circumstances, I’m sure they would be able to do something to facilitate your family.

Ages 6-9 I would leave them in the car whilst you go in, you can go to a smaller sort of shop where you'll be closer to car and cab check from shop if needed. But at that age it is fine to leave them in the car as I guess 9 year old is sensible enough. I have a 6. 5 year old and would leave him for 5 minutes

Drive & leave kids in car. If u go smaller shop you can park closer to door.

The 9 y/o can stay in the car. Depending on what the second youngest is like then I might also leave them.

Set a phone up with FaceTime on and leave it in the car. Tell them you’ll be checking it sporadically and they’re not to move from their seats. Tell them you’ll be picking them up a surprise treat for being so sensible.

This very much depends on what they’re usually like though!