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.

How else are they going to get kids used to shops without taking them to a shop?

It's our business if it routinely blocks aisles, creates unnecessary noise and fuss in busy places, and makes shopping for necessities a regular problem.

If it's a regular problem for you, shop online.
A supermarket isn't a yoga retreat. Instead of wasting your energy getting annoyed about people going to a place they have every right to go, solve your own problem by not going yourself.

I'm with you OP, never understand why whole gangs of people choose to do this. Particularly during my trip to the supermarket this morning... cue a family trapsing in with their screaming toddler about 5 minutes after I had arrived. This toddler could be heard throughout the entire supermarket and continued to scream and scream it was unbearable. Both parents were there, why one of them couldn't have taken him out I've no idea. Not pleasant for anyone including the toddler!

Ah, yet again... Somebody who lacks the empathy and imagination to understand why some 'healthy, functioning adults' may not drive. And your deliberate use of 'doesn't' instead of 'can't' makes not one jot of difference.

Me: a person shopping alone. Them: a family of four or five, most of whom don't 100% need to be there but are anyway. The impetus is not on ME to run home and hide.

Run home and hide? From what?

Come on now, have you really got to the point where the presence of other people in a public place is so intolerable to you that you would even think in those terms?

If the answser is yes, then I don't think a quiet, efficient, soothing supermarket shopping experience is going to make a dent in the problem.

Look around you - there are people everywhere. Most of them have no business being wherever they are at any given time.

Strange isn't it. I did this with a partner every week for a few years but I suffered DV and we had to do things together so he could keep an eye on me 🙄

This gives me the rage,who the hell wants to go to the supermarket as a family

If someone is not neurotypical then I understand there are reasons this might be stressful. I think the "quiet hours" thing was a great idea. I have an autistic friend who found this brilliant, but unfortunately our local supermarket stopped doing it. I think it should be a necessary accessibility accommodation tbh.

But aside from those exceptions, I truly don't get how this is annoying. It's just people in a shop - ignore them and crack on! Supermarkets are hardly renowned for being calming sanctuaries.

YANBU. We have a baby and we never take her with us if both me and my DH are home. It winds me up so much!

We always do it together DD is 9 so normally assists as well as DH. DD has started staying at home while we pop to the supermarket. I don't like unloading and packing at the till alone , carrying heavy bags into the car, emptying the car or choosing all the stuff. I've started using scan as you shop which is better but I still prefer if some one comes. If no one comes with me I will just get an online delivery. It's personal preference our Sainsbury's is right next to the town centre so we normally go into the centre we well.

I can't say I notice what groups other people are in when I go shopping, couldn't get worked up over it either.

We were in the supermarket today as a family on the way back from an activity. I prefer it if everyone comes along so that i don't have to be responsible for all their wants tbh. I'm veggie, DH isn't - I haven't got a bloody clue about what fish / meat he wants and I don't see the point of multiple trips

I think the "quiet hours" thing was a great idea. I have an autistic friend who found this brilliant, but unfortunately our local supermarket stopped doing it.

Of course they stopped doing it - online shopping eliminates the need for restricting public access to the supermarket.

We did this. We were poor so the supermarket was our outing for the week. My mum couldn’t drive and my dad couldn’t be trusted to know what to shop for so they both had to go. They also didn’t want to separate at the weekend having spent all week apart. It was a great 2 hrs on a Saturday followed by Saturday afternoon TV.

Maybe some people don't want shopping to be quick and efficient. They might be happy to take their time.

@Shiningstarr -YANBU. HRTFT. I posted similar yonks ago about whole family shopping expeditions and got my arse on a plate. Apparently it is educational for DC to learn about budgeting, there may be hidden disabilities or some families just like doing things together. It’s baffling why people do this.

Families who enjoy spending time together, who have children who enjoy doing the shop and being helpful, who don’t see shopping as a mundane activity to be rushed through.

Instead of having rage over other peoples behaviour, look at your own. Find pleasure in the little things. How do you expect children to know how to behave in society if they are never given the chance?

We all went to Asda today 😅

I wasn't food shopping though. Went in for some autumnal clothes for the kids, Dp was keeping an eye on the kids whilst I looked around.

does it really matter?

maybe they've been out and decided to make the stop rather than make another trip out?

maube one of them suffered from anxiety and struggles to shop alone - I'm a bit like this.

I started to shop online when mine were babies.
However they then started to consider going to the supermarket a huge treat and quite exciting!
Sometimes if I'm shopping alone I sometimes feel envious of those couples who do things like shopping together, it seems so companionable.
DH considers it a waste of his time but sometimes I think it would be nice to do things like that together!

I can't see why people get annoyed about seeing children in supermarkets.

My kids always enjoyed shopping with me and DH. Lots of lovely and usual food. Nice deli, bakery and fish counters. I'd send them off to fetch things and they can choose pudding/ice cream. I'd make the compare prices (and whether it was a worthwhile saving) for different pack sizes and the prices of items in multipacks. Treat at the end, like a magazine. That lovely of driving home with a heavy boot of food for the week and snacks for the film later on, happy days.

If anyone had dared to look askance at my kids, they would have been very sorry.

I don't mind families. It's the people who are hunched right over the trollies, practically sprawling on the handle who drive me mad. One guy last week drove it into the shelf because he was leaning so far forwards 🤣

Just stand up and steer properly 😁

Lots of people do baffling things in my world view. But I tend to keep my views to myself

DD bloody loves going in the trolley. I'm sure we would have caused many a Mumsnet rolled eye today with one in trolley (and she's 3.5 so perfectly capable of walking, she just finds going in the trolley hilarious) and one in a pram

I probably go shopping on my own 80% of the time but the other 20% it’s with husband and 2 children.

husband loves browsing (I hate it) the toddler loves shopping and things it a day out or something and the teen says we get rubbish food and she’s coming too.

I have never once thought it was weird seeing a family, I don’t think I’ve even given it a passing thought before.

Thinks