Major pet peeve, just me?

[DaisyChain505]

It really bugs me when I see whole families doing the weekly food shop in supermarkets.

The aisle are jam packed with whole families doing the food shop. Why is it necessary for both parents and the kids to all be there to do it?

They take up more space, the kids are ultimately in other shoppers way as they don’t have any spacial or situational awareness and are just wondering around aimlessly and it must be a more stressful trip for the parents compared to if one parent stayed home with the kids and the other went and did the food shop solo.

Honestly. 🙄
Shut up. You sound bitter. You’ve no idea other people’s circumstances, and why they do the things they do. Let them be. And just get on with your day.

Uh oh, you wouldn't like me... I demand that at least one child comes shopping when I go so they can help out. And we can spend time together which is tough with school, work, homework etc. It's nice walking around and planning the week's meals together and makes them more part of the running of the house. It doesn't mean they're running around or getting in people's way. It's a chance for them to practice listening and behaving in public, so you don't have to dread being out with your own family. Same with taking them to normal restaurants and giving them practice at being patient and eating and behaving at the table in public

You could go really late at night, or during school hours if you truly can't bear seeing families at the shops... If it's about little getting in your way, blocking the aisles, etc, that's really not limited to families... Arseholes can be childless and single too

As an aside, something that is a pet peeve of mine is when people say ‘is it just me?’ Yes Doris, in a population of 8 billion people it’s definitely only just you who gets annoyed by this 🙄

The world is devided into people like you and I (group A) who look for efficiencies and want to get out of that hell hole asap..
..and then the other fuckers (group b) who see an afternoon in Morrisons as entertainment, thereby getting in the way of people who want to do their shopping and move on with their lives.
Group A will also have loaded the washing machine at 8am, taken the bins out on the way to the shop and already have an idea for dinner. They will be on a family walk by 2pm sharp. At 2pm group B are still unloading the shopping.

No childcare?

And group C… people like me who get an online delivery so they don’t have to even enter a supermarket, and therefore couldn’t care less who other people take shopping with them.

One of the benefits of being retired is that I can be at home to receive my online grocery shop, why would I want to put myself through battling the aisles through hoards of people, pack multiple bags, struggle home with them etc etc.
Believe me the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

I'm group D - I'm very focused and efficient but I enjoy going to the supermarket and see it as a fun trip out.

Total bollocks

Agreed 😂
I could fall into either category depending on various factors! Usually I am up and in the supermarket (with young children in tow) by 9am on a Saturday.... my husband will be at work. This weekend just gone we had external family plans which meant we were out of the house most of the day and so on our way home we all stopped (family of 5) and did the shopping because that was the most convenient way to do it that day.

Some weeks I'm super busy at work and I do a click and collect order but I actually hate them and way overspend.

I mean, I see your point to a degree - why take your ND kids shopping when they obviously are struggling when the other parent can be at home in their safe place.

I do click and collect because food shopping is a pain on my own - and I hate taking my kids and they’re great and helpful and well behaved. They get in the way though of me and others but I can’t deplete their existence.

Last week my click and collect was cancelled on arrival and we had to do it all together.

Another time we came back from holiday and had nothing in, it was go now or go home and go again later - I was passing a shop, I’ll go now.

Sometimes it’s necessary, just find something else to worry about, life is too short to care what others do.

Well said. I remember as a child, in the 70s or 80s my mum and dad, sister and I always used to go do the big shop from Morrisons, on a Saturday or maybe Fri evening. We were well behaved and loved it! Used to do the same on French holidays, supermarket was a highlight and still is. A lot of parents now do so many child only activities, soft play etc that some children don’t seem to be able to handle normal daily life. You can’t ban the people that you don’t think should be there, it’s a public place and everyone is entitled to go. If you can’t cope, change your own behaviour and go at 9pm when there won’t be many other ‘annoying, inconvenient’ people there.

When my little girl turned two she suddenly became a really picky eater. When I spoke to the health visitor about it she said one of the best ways to combat it was to get her excited about meals and involved in the process. So we started talking about what we might like to make, she'd come to the supermarket with me to help me pick the items/do the weekly shop, and then she'd be involved with cooking where appropriate. Obviously it wasn't possible to do this all the time but we tried as much as possible and honestly it made a HUGE difference. She now eats anything and everything, and really looks forward to her meals.

I think going to the supermarket is a life skill and to be honest it is entertaining for them if you make it fun - little children love to help, find things in the aisles, pass them to you, help at the checkouts etc. In my mind, children absolutely should be involved in daily life and tasks where possible.

best part of covid I told my kids it was illegal for them to come into the shops with me, I’d leave them in the car with snacks & my eldest with her phone and she’d host the younger 2s tablets 🤣

i’m on 1st name times with my aldi people who helped me with my lie by shouting to them in the car while counting people in & out the shop that it was in fact illegal - i could do a big shop in 15m literally supermarket sweep style and back to car to pack it

it’s now 6y later & i still pack my shopping into the boot, felt a weird habit at the time but works so mock better for me now

i’ll add my DH worked 99 consecutive days from early March 2020 self employed and a contract for 7d no help & needs must etc

I’m one of those people. One of my children enjoys pushing the little trolley around and the other enjoys being pushed around in the big trolley. So that’s why.

It’s a public space so if it bothers you I suggest you either online shop or go at times when families are unlikely to be there, like 5pm onwards when most families are doing dinner, bath and bed.

Absolutely this

A few years ago we were at a supermarket in Killin, Perthshire and it had small trolleys for children to push around. Lovely.

Our local M&S food has these. My autistic son loves pushing them around (there’s a sentence guaranteed to get half on MN frothing!)

I find whole families shopping together a bit irritating, and tiny trolleys more so

but

It isn't all about me, and any activity that families do together is good for the children and will help them to grow up into the rounded adults with real-world experience and good socialisation that I want to populate my world as I grow old. So bring it on. Particularly when dads are there.

The two things I do protest at are children running in the aisles, which is potentially dangerous for older customers, or shoes or backsides in places where my shopping will be placed (the conveyor). Knowing that mean old ladies exist is good for them too.

Otherwise, I grit my teeth and smile indulgently.

See also retired people who shop on Saturday mornings when they have the whole week to do it.
Many are given lifts and help by members of their family who work during the week.

Many are also providing childcare for their pre school aged grandchildren during the week too!

True!

Why not get your shopping delivered if supermarkets annoy you

My OP stated “when both parents are there with the kids” if both parents are there that means one could have stayed home with the kids as childcare.

Exactly, why shouldn't it be a family thing occasionally? Kids need to learn these things and I found it a lovely and sweet opportunity when mine were little and they could help me put things in the trolley