Taking a sick child to a supermarket carrying a bowl to be sick in

[Auburngal]

My mum saw this at the supermarket. Child was about 6 at a guess. He looked sick and was carrying a bowl with some sick in it.

Supermarkets are open longer, have food couriers (Just Eat etc) and supermarkets' own food couriers - Sainsburys ChopChop, Tesco Express Whoosh and now supermarkets offer later day deliveries. Plus the mum could have messaged a friend, relative etc to pick up some food items to tie her over til child is well enough. I know the food couriers charge a lot more. We had a customer a few days ago on the food courier service we have ordering one loaf of bread costing 80p in the store and cost them £4.10!

I'm sure the mum wasn't all alone - no contact with anyone who could help. Plus there are local FB groups - Spotted.... I bet someone would respond to her pleas.

Fellow shoppers and my mum were horrified with sight. Not sure if anyone said anything to the mum. My mum was worried that people could pick up the bug the boy was carrying. Mum doesn't know if he touched anything in the store.

Would you drag your DC if they were throwing up in a supermarket?

@Ilovecakey I hear you. I would have been out the door like a shot and putting myself in a chemical wash and probably not able to eat for a week. Yep, my psychological issue trumps everything at that moment in time - we are supposed to be so respectful of everything else that's wrong with everyone else so I feel our issue deserves some respect too.

You can with Tesco, my DH did it today

This. Fucking Hell.

Maybe the child became unwell after they'd gone out? This happened to me once with my DGD about 12 years ago. Was fine when we set off,half way around the supermarket started saying she felt really sick.

I get it's hard to ask someone you don't really know for help.

But that's still your choice - take your vomiting child round the supermarket, or swallow your feelings and reach out to someone.

This thread is full of people saying "but she probably had no choice". I think the number of people who genuinely have no choice is probably really really small (there was a post from a woman in a refuge with strict rules who might fall into this category). It's more likely that they did have a choice, but found they prefered the "taking child to supermarket" option.

Not ideal, but maybe she needed to use cash.

@Auburngal is there a pharmacy in the supermarket?

I wouldn't do it, but I wouldn't judge another who may be at their wits end and have no other choice either. And we don't all live somewhere that Just eat/Whoosh etc deliver.

And a sick bowl magically materialised out of nowhere at the entrance of the store which is where OP's mother encountered them?

She was clearly desperate.

über eats/courier charge a fortune

click and collect often needs a minimum spend of about £25

some ppl genuinely don’t have anyone to ask
and wouldn’t feel comfortable posting on fb that they don’t have anyone and can’t afford another option.

yes it’s not ideal but that’s life. There’s prob grown adults walking round that shop that have sickness bugs/other bugs/been touching all sorts

Well, from that point of you you always have a choice... and "swallowing your feelings and reaching out" does not automatically mean you'd get help. Maybe she did ask and no one was available to help? I don't think you have a crystal ball to know what really went on and what she would have preferred. All I would say - no one would take their vomiting kid to a supermarket just for fun, so lets try not to be judgemental.

I was stopped twice on one supermarket trip to be berated for taking an "obviously unwell child" to the supermarket. In fairness, my daughter did look green. But it was because she'd just had her MMR - she didn't have anything which could be passed on.

Both women who stopped me were full of sympathy when I explained what was wrong with her, but I suspect there were others who were giving me evil looks.

I can only assume she had no help and didn't want to ask random strangers for help

I remember we moved during height of Covid (9 hours drive away) and husband began work immediately as medic. There was no one to call on and I remembered hoping we wouldn’t get Covid as no one would be able to leave things to us/slots were so busy. It’s so lovely you can’t imagine it but i guess it’s always good to try remember others have different situations and life experiences.

As an emetophobe I would be utterly freaked out by this.

No way do you do that. Sorry but you just don’t .

Imagine the germs you’re spreading - and the potential to infect many people, some of whom may be immune compromised and could very well end up very unwell in hospital.

I am shocked by that. Especially too by entering an environment where food is sold for people to consume 🤢

You can at asda

How do you know they were sick from something contagious? There are plenty of children having chemo / have gastro issues that result in sickness that isn't contagious and I find it very sad you expect them to stay indoors.

No- one knows the circumstances but you can guarantee the mother is doing her best.

That’s grim and pretty inconsiderate of people who are elderly, pregnant, have compromised immune systems etc.

I saw exactly the same thing a few months ago. I was repulsed. They were in there ages wandering around browsing.

I’ve been in this situation, @shepherdsangeldelight , vomiting child, needed something from the pharmacy. I texted friends and neighbors, and waited until someone was home who could help me out. I suppose we all have boundaries that we wouldn’t cross and bringing a child with a sick bowl to a shop is one of mine! Totally different if they become ill while out, of course, but as you say, this sounds like a deliberate choice.

Sorry, but you have absolutely no idea whether she had anyone on hand to help or whether she could afford the extortionate surcharge deliveroo et al charge.

She may have been a single mum, juggling a job and sick child and/or be on UC or benefits with no alternative but to bring her child with her. Not everyone has local friends or family. He may also have simply been travel sick. Not your place to judge.

No. You don’t need a car for click and collect.

I've been in a position where I'd have NO ONE to call & no option in those circs.
(rural, poor, 2 disabled kids & husband buggered off) I've never been with a bug but I was once in a supermarket when my toddled projectile vomited all over me from the seat in the trolley. I had to stand still as my specs were covered, & it was just everywhere. Child had a gastric developmental issue but it was BAD...
A kind staff member mopped up & I was given a seat & Tshirt from the sale rail. They were very kind to me. I was worried about my suddenly more-unwell child & so glad no one judged me as well as I was mortified to have soaked Aisle 10.

They give out cars too? Need to start shopping at Asda then!

Maybe the rest of the customers should be glad he didn't have the runs! Mothers do seem to expect to be an exception to all the rules of decency!

My son can go from being absolutely fine to suddenly needing to vomit, think its a reflux thing. He's not got a bug but just randomly vomits at times. There is no way of knowing that this child had an actual bug but even if he did the mum must have had no other option, she's not dragging him out sick for fun