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Original poster

No children allowed in supermarket

678 replies

flashbac · 25/03/2020 11:52

My sister went to Tesco with her toddler and was told no children allowed from next week. Understand this is wise for infection control but what if you're a single parent with tiny kids and can't do online shopping?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Wannabangbang · 25/03/2020 23:49

Hear hear pothole

Pixxie7 · 25/03/2020 23:55

Obviously difficult for single parents but can you guarantee your kids won’t run around touching tins etc?

BeetrootRocks · 25/03/2020 23:57

This is the policy in IOM with manager saying yeah might be tricky for single parents they'll have to find a way. I linked the article upthread.

Justanotherworkingmom

  1. Single parents are disproportionately in poverty in the UK
  2. Not everyone has support networks
  3. Other people on the thread who need to take their kids include key workers who are single parents, key workers who have a partner on different shifts, and a woman with a spouse in the armed forces
  4. As this virus gets going there will be more single parent households as people will die

Questions.
Is it all supermarkets you want them banned from or just Tesco, theoretically?
If you think that supermarkets can stop people entering, which they can and are, why do you prefer a blanket ban on children rather than just groups with more than one adult, as an example?
Why do you feel it is good to bar a group that is disproportionately in poverty from accessing the cheaper food available in the supermarkets?

I'm finding this very interesting.

ALeapOfFaith · 26/03/2020 00:10

If you don’t think Tesco is being put down here then you obviously haven’t read the many many replies saying how they will boycott Tesco from now on!

Disgraceful under the circumstances

Nekoness · 26/03/2020 00:11

Any Italians on MN?

I thought this was exactly what the lockdown in Italy was, which we have been reading about. One person allowed to go into a grocery store. Waiting outside one meter apart and only a certain number of people total in store at any one time. Police/guards at the door operating one in/one out.

I don’t know any single parents in Italy, but those I’ve spoken with all said only one adult is allowed to go out for the house.

I assume single parents take turns with neighbours watching their kids.

AnotherMurkyDay · 26/03/2020 00:16

@Pixxie7

Yes. Two in double buggy. One old enough to bribe with chocolate (once home and hands washed). Or one in sling, one in buggy, one cooperative walker. One in buggy, one on Reins, one helper. You get the picture. Various ways I can manage them because as a lone parent with 3 kids that's what I have to do all the time. Unfortunately I think now anybody can just see my brood and refuse my custom regardless

PumpkinP · 26/03/2020 00:19

What a horrible thread. I am a lone parent to 4, their dad is absent, he does not see them and doesn’t want to, he walked away 3 years ago And hasn’t had contact since. My parents both fall in the extremely vulnerable group as does my sister so they are not in a position to get my shopping, my neighbours are all elderly and quite frankly unfriendly, I have no relationship with them. The little friends I do have don’t live anywhere near me and are also lone parents so are not in a position to do my shopping for me, none of them drive and neither do I. People really do live in a bubble, not everyone has a huge support network. I am no way asking for help on fb, I am not comfortable with that. I would rather leave them alone tbh if worse came to worse, but my oldest 2 have autism and can’t be left alone. I knew there was still a huge stigma towards single mums, no matter how many times people try to deny it, there has been a lot of nasty comments on This thread to prove it.

AnotherMurkyDay · 26/03/2020 00:20

Which I will have to find ways around as it's in the best interest of all right now. But it is a worry and it is shit on top of shit that hasn't been thought out or their aren't answers to

SeperatedSwans · 26/03/2020 00:22

Nekoness and that's probably why we are still seeing infection numbers rise, because households are still sharing contact.

I'm infected but don't know ask my neighbour with 2 children to watch infected DS who is asymptomatic.

Neighbour is infected. Neighbour asks her sister to watch 2 asymptomatic but infected children whilst she goes to the shop.

Sister is now infected, sister is not displaying symptoms yet but goes to visit elderly mother and drop off shopping

Elderly mother is infected.

Viruses don't spread, people spread viruses. Households should remain socially distanced.

BeetrootRocks · 26/03/2020 00:42

Nekoness someone posted stats about single parent households in UK Vs Italy upthread. We have many many more. There are millions of single parent households in UK.

'I assume single parents take turns with neighbours watching their kids.'

This breaks the social distance protocol massively.

Willow2017 · 26/03/2020 01:38

Obviously difficult for single parents but can you guarantee your kids won’t run around touching tins etc?

Its a bit more than 'difficult' at the moment!
What do you suggest people do with thier children?
Contrary to popular belief its not only all single parent kids running around shops. I work in retail and even with 2 parents many kids are still running around! If they both cant keep thier kids close tben wtf are they both doing there with 2 or 3 kids?

Willow2017 · 26/03/2020 01:40

I assume single parents take turns with neighbours watching their kids

That is sort of against all the current rules re social distancing isnt ir?!!
Why would anyone do that?

Biggles398 · 26/03/2020 03:28

Looking at that quote, is this not "just" in the isle of man store?

crazydiamond222 · 26/03/2020 05:51

It is a very difficult position for single parents. They should be prioritised for home delivery along with older and vulnerable people. Failing that is it worth checking online groups e.g. Next Door to see if community support is available for food delivery. In our area I know some local people are posting offers of help on this site.

Rosebel · 26/03/2020 06:44

No supermarket is going to ban children as a policy. They.are asking people to leave children at home WHERE POSSIBLE. Honesty, it's been said enough times and people are still whining it's not fair.
I'm interested as to why single parents should get priority. NHS workers and the vulnerable yes but why single parents?
At this rate supermarkets will have to go back to 24 hours to allow the whole population to have their own special shopping time.

DivGirl · 26/03/2020 07:05

Because asking people to do things "where possible" has had so much success so far. Everyone will think they're exempt from it. "I couldn't leave them home because their dad is having a shower" etc

I kind of agree with no kids in shops, especially ones who are too big for the trolley but too little to listen properly. Kids are dirty. But I do think if you're going to ban kids from shops single parents have to be able to book online shopping.

Ragwort · 26/03/2020 07:52

Pumpkin & others - please don’t just ignore the Community Schemes as some sort of ‘FB scam’, I do understand that people might be wary of such schemes but the vast majority of community schemes will be honourable ... our town has a very organised project, all details on line but we have also personally delivered leaflets to 9000 homes so that people who do not use social media are not excluded. (We are allowed to deliver as this is classed as supporting the vulnerable in our community).

People who need shopping, medication, other support or just a friendly chat can phone a number for help.

The volunteers then deliver I the shopping, ideally payment is made over the phone, (to a specific bank account, not straight to the volunteer) but if not possible money can be left outside in an envelope. Quite honestly the volunteers are more ‘at risk’ than anyone else but are doing this to help people.

I know it’s not ideal but in the present situation it is proving a great help to the isolated, key workers, single parents etc, I am sure that many communities, neighbourhoods etc will be trying to set up similar schemes.

Bathroom12345 · 26/03/2020 07:56

DS works in a medium size ‘posh’ supermarket. They are of course not banning children BUT...

Advice from him:

  1. Don’t got to a supersize store. Find a mid size one
  2. Avoid mornings. Go after 1500. Deliveries coming in all the time i.e huge delivery of toilet rolls at 1600
  3. Don’t take your kids en masse. It’s selfish to take a slot in the queue because the store is only allowing 35 at a time. If you really really must take them, very strong control on them PLEASE. This is not the time to have excuses ready as to why you are special. The aisles of the supermarket are not a playground.
  4. In and out as quickly as you can. This is not the time for general chit chat in the aisles. Move through quickly.

Good news is that the shelves are in a much better state now.

Wannabangbang · 26/03/2020 08:10

I don't see why a single parent is any less capable of controlling their child/ren. Infact we are a damn sight better at keeping our children in order than couples as we have hands on experience alone 24/7 unlike couples who have to quite often seek some help from dad to discipline their kids.

I agree if you have other options brilliant, i for one do and wouldn't bring my kids anywhere near a supermarket but for a lot of single parents there is NO option but to take them, ie having youngsters under 10 and no older kids to babysit.

Also couples with kids should be turned away, a whole family does not need to shop together, so maybe focus more on these people. The family outing type. The one where dad or mum can bloody stay at home with the kids. They are the true twats in this scenario.

MiracletoCome · 26/03/2020 08:23

Only one adult to be in the supermarket, leave children at home if you can, if not make sure they are under control at all time - maybe a good time to invest in a pair of reins for toddlers.

Wannabangbang · 26/03/2020 08:24

I agree with the reigns idea, i used them with all mine when they were little

lilmishap · 26/03/2020 08:39

@ALeapOfFaith The OP is not on the I O M, the ops supermarket was in Yorkshire.

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 26/03/2020 08:41

is this genuinely ALL tescos?

I have just read (I was going to say re-read, but retrieved it from deleted items unopened) the email update from Tesco sent yesterday afternoon.
It goes into a lot of detail, to the extent of reminding you to take an umbrella in case you need to queue outside to get in.
There is NO mention of banning children - the closest it gets to this is Try to shop with no more than one other person, which will help to reduce the number of people in-store at any one time.

I can't see anything in the news, or on Tesco's website.

cleverclogs4 · 26/03/2020 08:43

I think it makes sense unless the child is able to be restrained in a buggy or pram.

Trumpton · 26/03/2020 08:46

@EveryDayIsADuvetDay
No just here on the Isle of Man

Copied from my previous post

This is Tesco in the Isle of Man . We have one on the whole island ( population 85,000)
They are horribly overstretched even in normal times .
Our Co-op shops are wonderful but tend to be small .
We have 5 Shoprite stores and 3 Little Shoprite shops and then we have independent small scale shops and suppliers and a M&S food hall.
All freight comes in by daily boat .
We are blessed with a huge community spirit and many help groups have sprung up .
I am in quarantine after chemo and a mastectomy last week and as a family we are self isolating . It’s not easy for anyone and my heart goes out to all .