Whole families going food shopping

[Shiningstarr]

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.

Loads of reasons. Maybe they were already out in the car. Maybe they don't have a car, and one adult wouldn't manage all the shopping by themselves on the bus. Maybe the kids like to go to the shops, because they know they'll be able to pester for better junk food that way. Maybe neither parent is willing to be the one stuck at home by themselves with the kids for 2 hours.

Maybe only one of them can drive, and the other adult doesnt trust them to remember everything...

Omg we’re you in Sainsburys in Dorset? I had exactly the same thought today whilst shopping alone!

I do most of the time, but I was in London all day yesterday and hadn't had time to do my usual online shop.

I'm not sure why me being interested in the reasoning behind family shopping seems to upset some people so much. Perhaps it touches a nerve. 😂

Fuck me, people are allowed to go to the supermarket in whatever numbers they like.

We go as a family because we enjoy it. My daughter loves scanning all our items and putting them in the bottom of the pram.

I don’t really care if it bothers anyone else 🤷‍♀️

Lol no, in Tesco in South Wales 😂

I only came on here to see if you were saying "a friend on FB keeps moaning about this" because it's me moaning! seven actual humans around one trolley in Morrisons the other day! absolutely no need and makes it so stressful for everyone else 😤

No thanks, I don't know where you've been.

Sure they are, I didn't say they weren't. Just interested in peoples opinions on the matter.

Ah. You're the kind of shopper who spends 3 hours taking up the aisles handling and inspecting all the fruit and veg 🤢🤮 (with screaming kids in tow, probably!)

Oh yes the dawdling and blocking drives me insane

@seperatedmum If you find it “so stressful” then shop online. Nobody else should have to change their behaviour because you can’t cope with more than one person per family shop.

My dc used to love a trip to the supermarket when they were small! I often used to get ready on a Sunday and say I’m just popping to the shops and the kids would jump up all excited saying ‘Can I come?’. Which then meant that all of us had to go as there was no way dh was getting a morning off while I’m dragging the kids round the supermarket on a weekend.

In the end, I started doing the shop on my way home from the gym so they couldn’t ask to come. That was the only way I managed to get out on my own!! Strange little things they were.

Putting a 'crying with laughter' emoji after your own 'joke' is never a good look...

This.
I opened the thread and expected it to be from the Covid lockdown days.

My mum always dragged my siblings and myself shopping as my dad refused to "babysit" his own kids.

YANBU
I also find it odd that parents drag their kids around our local town on a Saturday. I would only take the kids if buying something for them that they needed to choose or try on. I wouldn't take them if clothes shopping for me or household things. Baffles me

I expect there are large families shopping together in many different locations in the UK...

Can you seriously not work out why someone would take their kids into town on a weekday? Are you OK?

Totally agree OP.

At least they don't bring the dog as well (although no doubt they'll whinge and cry and say they need the dog as a "support" and the supermarkets will be bullied into letting them in - I give it another year or so).

As for men not being able to shop, of course they can. And online shopping exists if they are really that useless (I don't think they are). The delivery charge is often much less than the petrol cost would be.

OK sometimes you might need to do some shopping on the way back from somewhere, but you still don't need the whole family to pop in for a bottle of milk.

So children under 3? As that's the age these children were.

All the children mentioned in the OP were under 3? Really?
Sorry OP, I think you're being unreasonable. It's none of your business, surely. Different families have different ways of doing things, and it's good for young children to go shopping sometimes. It's certainly a benefit by preschool age.

When I was a non-driving single parent who couldn't afford internet I obviously had no choice 😂 but it was, as many posters have already mentioned, a way to get out of the house without spending money we didn't have. I can see how it could be similar for other families. The walking to the shop part was the main purpose, rather than being at the shop as such. I can see how families might choose to walk together.

Now that we're a family of four, and are out and about a lot, there are times when we will all pop in on the way home. Usually when I'm buying food and one of the children need a new pair of shoes or one has birthday money etc. I don't see the problem really?

We take our autistic son along every few weeks as a family to give him experience of going to shops, choosing groceries, paying etc etc. And DH comes too because he's sometimes a 2-1 job. So shoot us for getting in your way.

Also Dh works work hours mon- Fri. If every Saturday one of us went to town alone (it’s a fair drive, plus food shop, plus buying other random things) then that basically 6 days a week not seeing each other or Ds seeing us together.

All shops close Sunday here.

I'm not sure why me being interested in the reasoning behind family shopping seems to upset some people so much.

Because, OP, no reply seems to be good enough for you. People have given plenty of valid reasons and you've stubbornly replied with things like "maybe they are crazy"... And if the reasons weren't vaild it's their choice to shop as they please!

My kids get quite excited about going to the supermarket. Novelty value as I did Tesco deliveries when they were small. Can’t be bothered doing a full shop with them. More for clothes then choose something nice for tea and back out again.

😂😂😂😂