Child in the supermarket?

[Whipituntilitpeaks]

Just curious, do you take your child/children with you when you go food shopping?
I’m currently a Sahm to my toddler Dd and always used go go early on a Monday morning, when barely anyone was there.
During the first lockdown, we stopped going and Dp would go on a Saturday morning.
Dp works Mon-Fri and often was there for hours queuing up etc, but back then he was the only one of us that went out (aside from walks in our field)
When it calmed down a little, I went back to doing it with my Dd, do you take yours?
For us, it helps dp as he obviously doesn’t mind at all, but after a long week at work, it’s not fun to do the big shop. It’s also some kind of normality in mine and DD’s life, but I’ve started to feel a bit worried about it. We’re not in the U.K. but cases are around the same number one more or less and some of my friends don’t take theirs into any shops
Aibu to still take her shopping or should dp or myself go alone on the weekend?

[BalladOfBarryAndFreda]

No but some people don’t have a choice, no one to leave them with / unsafe to be left alone.

[Iminaglasscaseofemotion]

Why can't your dp stay at home with dd and you go at the weekend?

[RedskyBynight]

Based on your updates I'd say taking a non-mobile child at a quiet time of day is preferable to your DP going alone when the shop is busy.

[SquigglePigs]

In theory it would be better not to but I think quiet Monday morning with child is better than busy Saturday without child. Far less exposure.

[smoothchange]

No I don't take mine. I didn't take them pre covid either.

[Flippy87]

I think that’s fine. I was confused this weekend as I queued for the supermarket a family of four arrived, mum, dad, two young kids. The mum proceeded to put masks on the small children and joined the queue whilst the dad stayed outside with the kids bikes. Why in earth didn’t the kids stay with the dad?! Why unnecessarily take two children in to a supermarket at the moment.

[Poppet17]

I think it depends very much on the age of the child.
If I can’t get a click and collect slot I take my son with me. We do it early on a Tuesday morning and it is normally very quiet. He is 14 months so sits in the seat. DH works away some weeks and is on call other weeks so can’t be left with DS as he may get a call and have to leave within 10 minutes. Maybe one week in four he could watch DS while I do a shop but we don’t do it this way. I think we are having contact with a lot less people by being the two of us at 8am on a Tuesday than one of us at 10am on Saturday. I’m in and out quicker and there are less people for us to be in contact with. If DS was of an age not to be in the trolley I would try to work out a way that didn’t involve taking him as he is then taking up space and more likely to be touching lots of things. I would probably have more options when he is older.

[Ellieboolou33]

I take my kids even though I could leave them at home with dad at night, it's a treat for them to go with me, a chance to get out of the house.

[MyNameForToday1980]

If I've got no choice (need something, DH unavailable) then I take DD4 - but only if it's a quick 'pop in, get the thing, get out' job, and only off peak when it's quieter.

The rest of our shopping is delivered.

She doesn't sit in the trolley because: covid, she holds my hand, and on strict instructions that we're in, and out.

[letsmakethetea]

This is crazy! Of course it's better to go on a Monday morning when it's quiet, rather than queuing with the masses on a busy Saturday morning! Why on earth would you contribute to that busy, risky situation when you could go at a quiet time? Where I live, you can't leave small children home alone so yes DD comes too.

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

I'd be chucking dd at dp on a Saturday morning and going myself if he gets to go out all week and you don't. Don't you want a change of scenery and some alone time once in a while?

[Weebitawks]

Just go yourself instead of DP if you don't think it's fair that he goes. In the case of single parents it's unavoidable but for you this would just be more convenient, which isn't a good enough reason imo.

[Whipituntilitpeaks]

@crimsonlake It’s hardly a family outing, just me and my two and a half year old sat in a trolley with less than 10 people in a supermarket.

Where we are, masks are mandatory and have been since the start, we use the gel too and on the trolley handles

[Marzipan12]

To the poster who said I'm using taking my teen as an excuse to carry shopping what a load of rubbish. I don't drive, I have several teens and I go once a week to cut down on risk. I cannot carry what potentially counts of food for 3 adults because that's what they eat, on my own once a week. I use to struggle alone but ended up doing my back in, I'm over 50. So I can either increase my risk by going twice a week and risk putting my back out again or I can take my very sensible teen with me to help.

[blahblahmeh]

Yes i take my 4yr old, we go first thing in a morning, there is usually about 5 others in the store plus staff so very quiet (small town). Of course normally she'd be in school which is why we go on a weekday, so she isn't normally with us.

[Whipituntilitpeaks]

@KatieKat88 I know, I feel the same as you in lots of ways, there’s literally no other contact now or chance for her to see or do anything different.
Parks etc not even open here

[RedskyBynight]

@Ellieboolou33

I take my kids even though I could leave them at home with dad at night, it's a treat for them to go with me, a chance to get out of the house.

Have you somehow missed the "stay at home" guidance?
And all the major supermarkets asking you to come alone unless you absolutely can't?

[Beautiful3]

Yes still go on mondays, its quiet and more space to socially diatance. If you're worried, do click and collect? Single people have no choice but to bring their child(ren) with them.

[callmeadoctor]

But why risk your toddlers health (let alone yours), just for her to have a change of scenery?

[TiggeryBear]

I take my almost 5 year old & 2.5 year old during the week when DP works. I work evenings/ nights so he can't go after work as he has to get home so I can either sleep or go to work depending on my shifts. We shop at Lidl, delivery isn't available. I don't see what alternative I have. 🤔 🤷‍♀️
It's the only time we leave the house - bar me going to work (quite quite at work and very few staff on shift for the majority of my shift) & taking the children for walks very locally to where we live.

[LizFlowers]

@FelicityPike

No. I get a delivery.

So do I. That seems the most sensible option.

[Shmithecat2]

I have no choice but to take DS with me (only one supermarket delivers to where I live and there are no delivery slots for weeks) and it's just me and DS at home. He's only 5y, and I believe it's still frowned upon to leave children that young unattended at home. I'd LOVE to go by myself. It's my current favourite dream - leaving the house without ds.

[newmumwithquestions]

I haven’t taken them since last Feb. I go alone in the evenings or weekend if I have to. I find evenings quietest.

[Whipituntilitpeaks]

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz I do, but not really alone time to be squashed into a shop with a load of other paranoid, stressed people rushing around to make it out by 1pm 🙈

[newmumwithquestions]

^^ just to say single parents are obviously in a different boat but if there are 2 parents I don’t see why you need more than 1 person to go.