To think that Xmas food shopping isn't a sodding family day out?

[loveawineloveacrisp]

Just been to M&S for final food shop and the bloody place was over run with entire families shopping together. Just why? If the kids are old enough to be left then they shouldn't be traipsing around and getting in the way when the place is crowded as it is at this time of year.

And as for people who can't drive the right way round a one way car park: kindly fuck off and don't drive if you can't follow road signs.

That's all. Now can someone please pass the 🍷

I'm a single mum who dosdn't drive. My teenage boys come with me to help me carry the shopping home. They are also old enough to have a say in what we buy. We enjoy it esp the Christmas shop. I won't start doing 3 shops alone just to please the op. We don't all have cars you know

I don't care who is in the shop. It's not a big deal. No point getting stressed over something so trivial, order a delivery if busy supermarkets get on your nerves.

Yes, another reason why OP is BU is what a car centric take this is. I too would've been needed for lugging when I was a teenager!

Maybe it was you 'in the fucking way'. How sad to be moaning about who is in the shops at Christmas.

Very, I would imagine.

I think it's ridiculous taking kids Christmas shopping if you have an alternative.I always went with my mum as she was single mum and my older brothers were useless.

@Grammarnut the capital of England, so very much so.

People standing in groups chatting cause the most 'hold ups' and these tend not to be families with children.

3 adults and 4 kids under 10. Why can’t one of the adults look after the kids instead of let them whinge through the shop?

Yes of course but I'm saying it doesn't bother me and I think your reply was rude and snappy

My friend who still works at my former workplace said the store opened at 6am and one of the first customers was a family of 5 - both parents and 3 kids - she was guessing the ages - 5, 7 and 10.

There was no need to drag the kids out of bed at least 5:30am. They are going to be grouchy later on.

It used to be for my gran, mum and I when I was little. It was a big part of her Christmas. We would go and get the turkey from M&S, look round town and have a coffee, then on to Tesco for the veg. Miss those days, gran isn’t here anymore.
But then I always behaved. Doubt anyone would have opposed our family trip.

I don’t see the issue. I sometimes take my children with me so they can help find/carry/load things. I think it is important they see the work/money/organisation that goes into feeding them!

I just popped to Sainsbury's for a few bits at 8am it was HEAVING! Kids running around, getting in the way...not sure why you would inflict that on your kids unless you had no other option!

I was in the supermarket at 6am this morning when it opened. It was full. There were many families with small kids there and I did think to myself why bring them, unless of course there is a reason such as only one parent drives etc. One family I kept bumping into had 2 children, one was about 2 years old and was crying and the other was about 5 and was holding on to the trolley half asleep in his nightwear. Dad was standing there just holding the trolley with the kids while mum picked the things up they needed. Did feel for the kids and Dad as they looked totally miserable.

Shopping with the children was normal life, still is for many. Fine with me, if you hate it then shop online and your kids can be in their rooms scrolling on their phones..

We used to take the children shopping as did our weekly shop on a Sunday on the way home from visiting the in laws. It’s a learning experience, children learn so much about language, numeracy and the cost of living by participating in a food shop.

its a vital life skill being able to budget, collect correct ingredients for a meal etc.

However dh and I went to Tesco shopping yesterday approx 4.30pm and couldn’t believe how quiet the place was.

I went to the supermarket at 6.45am, I'd think about half the people in there were shop staff picking for online shopping and there were hardly any whole families, it was a lot less hectic than I anticipated

What on earth part of that reply was rude and snappy 🤔

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I'm sorry OP but our food shopping day yesterday was in fact referred to as 'a family day out'. My DH looked so shocked when I said I was going in person to the supermarket he suggested he and our DC6 go too. DC is actually very well behaved though and that's not my delusion speaking.

It wasn't a big shop, it was an extras shop. We are doing a big breakfast for Christmas as it for dinner so everyone was choosing their favourite bits.

YABU. I went to Tesco at 5.30 am this morning and it was already rammed. Quite a few families with their poor kids still in their PJs having obviously been dragged out of their beds. One poor little girl was sobbing her heart out.

Well I avoid bringing the kids to Asda/tesco for our basic weekly shop or the main bulk of Christmas shopping but our M&S food shop before Christmas is one of the highlights of Christmas for us all we all love going and picking what goodies we want as we don't go there very often.

Forcing kids out of bed unnecessarily to shop when there are options to have them at home is awful.

Even as a kid, my parents didn’t shop together or all three of us. DF didn’t work most XEs so he looked after me.

Only times we shopped together as the three of us was when we were on holiday - UK and abroad.

I remember this age with DD - she was a pandemic baby (well, she was born dec 2019 so just before) and coming out of lockdowns around one, the supermarket was full of colour and activity and she just loved sitting in the trolley and being wheeled around.
Enjoy it (now she is five and must choose to get in or out the trolley every five minutes or we can only go to Lidl with its tiny trolleys and once we have a pink donut we couldn't possibly have any other business in the shop 😂).

My kids are up at 6. What makes you think they're all being forced out of bed? 😂