Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Whole families going food shopping

746 replies

Shiningstarr · 18/09/2022 15:01

Just came back from food shopping, there were a couple of young families in there, one in particular, the mum was pushing the trolley, her two young children walking near her and the dad was following with a pram and carrying another toddler.

Surely it would be easier for just mum to go and do the food shop, or just dad? Why bring all those children plus pram? I can't think of anything worse. Both mum and dad looked stressed.

OP posts:
Original poster
Shiningstarr · 19/09/2022 14:25

TheFrustratedRedhead · 19/09/2022 14:23

God forbid you actually enjoy the company of your husband/wife/partner/kids and have no bloody money to do anything else at a weekend 🙄

Please get a life and don’t be so bloody miserable!

Not miserable at all and wasn't irritated in it in the slightest. I was baffled and then interested in opinions.

OP posts:
LastWordsOfALiar · 19/09/2022 14:27

We go as a family. We prefer it. Less stress on either parent. Teaches kids about food, money, choice. We often do something fun directly before or after so it's more convenient too.

So stop judging and mine your own business!

Burgoo · 19/09/2022 14:28

Can't think of anything worse than taking my partner and kid into a supermarket. All the messing around, trying to find stuff, comparing items, mowing down old people, idiots standing in front of the shelves chatting, double wide buggy friends who can't walk behind each other...ergh. In and out, no messing around.

JoieDeLivres · 19/09/2022 14:33

Again this is not a post about taking your kids shopping it's about whole family going shopping so the Mum the Dad and however many children you have got

Strawman. The people who are telling you you are BU are saying it in full knowledge of that you're talking about the whole family: nobody thinks you only mean the kids. I found this thread funny at first but your repeated doubling-down OP is just depressing. Christ alive families are up against it enough right now without fearing being judged by the sour-faced person next to them in the supermarket - for the heinous crime of simply being there.

AYearOfCushions · 19/09/2022 14:42

I saw a couple yesterday walking around a very stressful and packed Aldi store HOLDING HANDS!!!

That's worse than a family.

piegone · 19/09/2022 14:45

Well the family in my opening post did not look like they were enjoying the 'learning experience', with newborn baby in pram, and toddler being carried. Not sure what exactly they were learning. The older child wasn't being shown anything, just ignored while both parents huffed and puffed, and mum looked very fed up.

So based on this one family no 'whole' families should go shopping?

There's no benefit whatsoever to whole families sitting and waiting in a&e.

I did t say there was. Your thread is about shopping which is not comparable with a trip to A&E because for the most part shopping is an every day part of life.

Ilikepinacoladass · 19/09/2022 14:49

Yes you can learn in the supermarket, but you can also learn in the park / woods / library / farmers market and hundreds of other places that are much more enjoyable to be at than a supermarket, not saying never ever take them in there, but to have it as a weekly family event is quite sad in my opinion.. but each to their own. It's a one person job, like mowing the lawn.

mountainsunsets · 19/09/2022 14:53

Ilikepinacoladass · 19/09/2022 14:49

Yes you can learn in the supermarket, but you can also learn in the park / woods / library / farmers market and hundreds of other places that are much more enjoyable to be at than a supermarket, not saying never ever take them in there, but to have it as a weekly family event is quite sad in my opinion.. but each to their own. It's a one person job, like mowing the lawn.

It's not "sad" to include your children in normal parts of daily life. Doing the food shop as a family doesn't mean you see it as some kind of "event", either.

Children need to learn to be bored and how to behave in all sorts of boring situations - in fact, it's an excellent life skill to learn.

piegone · 19/09/2022 15:08

Yes you can learn in the supermarket, but you can also learn in the park / woods / library / farmers market and hundreds of other places that are much more enjoyable to be at than a supermarket, not saying never ever take them in there, but to have it as a weekly family event is quite sad in my opinion.. but each to their own. It's a one person job, like mowing the lawn.

But OP doesn't know how often people take their children, and let's be real, nobody is only going to the supermarket. I'm sure pekoe who take kids to the shops also allow them to learn other things.

People acting as if a supermarket trip is the all.

70billionthnamechange · 19/09/2022 15:16

It's odd they want to but not sure how you (PP) can get annoyed about it, it ain't that deep, it's just a shopping trip

LastWordsOfALiar · 19/09/2022 15:20

Ilikepinacoladass · 19/09/2022 14:49

Yes you can learn in the supermarket, but you can also learn in the park / woods / library / farmers market and hundreds of other places that are much more enjoyable to be at than a supermarket, not saying never ever take them in there, but to have it as a weekly family event is quite sad in my opinion.. but each to their own. It's a one person job, like mowing the lawn.

I must be amazing, I take my kids to parks, friends houses, soft play, walks, trampoline parks, swimming, holidays.

AND they come to Tesco with me.

Get me, doing more than one activity per week with my children. Which activity do you do? It's a bit sad you obviously only do one, but I won't judge 😘

Iwantmyoldnameback · 19/09/2022 15:40

Did the op not mean the multi generational families?

Floogal · 19/09/2022 15:49

Used to work in retail. And it certainly seems people use grocery shopping as some sort of substitute for days and evenings out
Even seen 3 generations of family mooching about. Sort of boils down to fact leisure activities are expensive and thin on the ground

aSofaNearYou · 19/09/2022 15:49

Ilikepinacoladass · 19/09/2022 14:49

Yes you can learn in the supermarket, but you can also learn in the park / woods / library / farmers market and hundreds of other places that are much more enjoyable to be at than a supermarket, not saying never ever take them in there, but to have it as a weekly family event is quite sad in my opinion.. but each to their own. It's a one person job, like mowing the lawn.

Why is it a one person activity? It affects everybody. There is literally nothing that makes this a one person activity other than the fact that's how some people tend to do it.

UndertheCedartree · 19/09/2022 15:50

I used to shop with my then DH and our DC. I couldn't have managed to carry all the shopping on my own.

PooWoo · 19/09/2022 15:54

I stopped taking the kids shopping during COVID but now I'm starting to take them again (just got the two though). It's just another way of spending some time together, you can talk about food and they can get involved with selecting things which helps picky eaters. My DD absolutely loves it especially since we haven't been doing it often in the last few years.

PooWoo · 19/09/2022 15:56

Ilikepinacoladass · 19/09/2022 14:49

Yes you can learn in the supermarket, but you can also learn in the park / woods / library / farmers market and hundreds of other places that are much more enjoyable to be at than a supermarket, not saying never ever take them in there, but to have it as a weekly family event is quite sad in my opinion.. but each to their own. It's a one person job, like mowing the lawn.

So? These places aren't mutually exclusive. Just because you take.your kids to the super market doesn't mean you can't take them also to the park, etc what a strange idea.

piegone · 19/09/2022 16:16

Did the op not mean the multi generational families?

No, OP meant 2 parent families...

Surely it would be easier for just mum to go and do the food shop, or just dad? Why bring all those children plus pram? I can't think of anything worse. Both mum and dad looked stressed.

Curiosity101 · 19/09/2022 16:34

The best way to learn how to do the grocery shopping is to go grocery shopping. Also, how do kids learn to be out in public without practicing 🤷

I can think of loads of reasons you might take everyone to the shop. We do 99% of our shopping online but occasionally we go to the shops. Sometimes it's all of us, me, DH and 2 DCs. Sometimes 1 adult, sometimes 1 adult and one child. Depends who needs what and what we've got planned that day.

It never occurred to me any one would have an opinion on it.

NonGardener · 19/09/2022 17:29

I wouldn't rush to judge; their home may be horrible/cold/cramped. Although it may seem strange to you, this may count as a rare day out.

Ilikepinacoladass · 19/09/2022 17:29

Yes taking kids to the shop every now and again is good for learning, but just can't imagine doing a weekly family shop.. of course it doesn't need to be a one person activity, but I just don't have any idea why you would turn it into a group activity when one person can easily do it themselves.

Ilikepinacoladass · 19/09/2022 17:35

@LastWordsOfALiar
Lol of course you can do more than one activity a week.. the point I was making was that just because kids can learn stuff in the supermarket it doesn't mean you have to take them there, they can learn everywhere. I mean I'm sure my son would learn loads if he came to work with me, doesn't mean I'm going to bring him (at least not on a regular basis!)

EllietheElephanti · 19/09/2022 17:38

Agree with you OP

5128gap · 19/09/2022 17:40

There are a number of things that would potentially be easier and more pleasant for adults if parents didn't take their children to them.
Pubs and restaurants. Used to be adult centred environments. Now full of crying babies and bored children. Why can't they get a babysitter or eat at home?
Public transport when you can't get a seat due to children everywhere and your peace is disturbed by 'oh look there's a cow!' every time you pass a field. Then moving at a glacial pace up escalators holding you up. Why can't they just drive?
Museums and NT properties. Families crowding round, blocking your view of the exhibits while the parent loudly lectures the rest of the room (the child isn't listening.) Why can't they stick to soft play?
What do you reckon OP? Shall we start a campaign to get families banned from everywhere other people might prefer to be a child free environment?

Liquoricelolly · 19/09/2022 17:58

I go with my partner and our son. We like to go together as I have anxiety and shopping is 10x easier with them.

If you don't like seeing families in supermarkets, shop online lol