AIBU to be fed up with screaming children in the supermarket?

[Njuy]

I went to the supermarket about half an hour ago and OMFG! Every child was screaming. There were at least 15 children aged (guessing) 18 months - 9 years old. Not one parent was bothered.

I was in the store for 5 mins

I was planning to have an alcohol free evening. Not anymore.

I take my hat off to parents who ignore tantrums

1. Shop online.
2. If you want a drink you don’t need an excuse.

Nope, tantrums are a normal part of development, when a child has a tantrum they are in a high stress state and cannot reason or listen, the best thing for parents to do is stay calm, be there for them but essentially ignore them (in the nicest way possible, be there but don’t react) this is how children learn to self regulate, children borrow their parents calm, so it might look like parents aren’t doing anything but actually that’s the best thing to do! Intervening for the sake of strangers will actually make it worse. eventually children will stop having tantrums. I don’t know what you mean by ‘not standing for it’ but fear can temporarily stop tantrums but it won’t teach a child how to manage their emotions, quite the opposite. Parents should do what is in the best interest of their child, not what strangers would like them to do so that strangers can be more comfortable.

Oh bore off, all kids cry sometimes. Nothing to do with poor parenting.

Op if other people’s children crying in a supermarket for 5 minutes is enough to drive you to drink then perhaps you need to learn better coping mechanisms.

I think it's a tricky transitional moment of the year between summer holidays and starting the new school year/some of them having started at completely new schools/nursery etc. So kids are extra tired and cranky and parents are pretty much at the end of their tether. I know I am, summer hols are nearly 2 and a half months where I am 🫠 I've had several people working in shops making comments about my kids and I've felt like I can't go anywhere, not that they were seriously misbehaving or screaming. It occurred to me that retail workers are sick of having kids around so much too after a long summer. But sometimes as a parent you have to run errands with the kids in tow. I don't know that it's some significant generational trend you're noticing, might just be the time of year.

I have a lot more patience for tantrums and upset than kids giddily running around the shop yelling. I encounter this quite regularly and find it really selfish of those parents who think it’s ok to have their kids hurtling around and getting in the way.

A good talking to would not go amiss. Bloody unruly kids.

Yes but it's not occasional tantrums we're talking about. Most people, whilst finding tantrums annoying, understand that every now and then, these things happen, and are more tolerant.

Letting your kid just yell and shriek, is not the same thing.

We need our kids in supermarkets, restaurants and among the general population.

Think it’s sad some kids think food comes from deliveroo and veg comes in squares from a plastic bag.

Yep.

YABVU. Nobody wants to drag their kid to a supermarket but needs must. You were a screaming child once I’m sure…

I used to get irritated when shopping in the evening after 9pm and there would be 2 adults with child(ren) and the kids would be kicking off 🤬

I was enjoying my child free time!

I nipped into Asda on Sunday and there was two wee girls whizzing about on scooters INSIDE the shop! What on earth makes parents think that’s ok?

What should parents do? Well at the bare minimum if they are 2+ they should be telling them to be quiet, it may not make any difference but parents should be trying to get their children to be quiet. Before anyone says Sen, both of mine have Sen and I dealt with extreme tantrums but they weren’t just left to cry, they were told to be quiet and if all else fails taken outside

There was only one screamer when I was there earlier.

But it was a supermarket not a library so I wasn’t bothered.

Exactly this.

You need to shop in Waitrose , no screaming kids and a nice calm environment.

I mean don't have a drink because of 5 minutes of noise, you should try hearing playground racket

Why?

OP it sounds like you’re massively exaggerating. 15? Really?! In one 5 min shopping trip.
Find that hard to believe.

And parents weren’t bothered? What not 1?
Plus how do you know they weren’t bothered.

Me neither - the scooters are more of a problem in mine.....

If being in a shop with loud children for 5 minutes makes you need to drink, maybe you should examine your relationship with alcohol.

YABU it’s a supermarket. In and out. I was on one the other day and the kids were running up and down the aisles

When my children used to tantrum. I would pretend to walk off. Right I'm I off take a few steps and they are suddenly at your side.

I did used to like it if a stranger said something like what's all that noise your making. Child gos silent 😆

I just read the post where someone said headphones..: OMG I forgot completely that I used to wear headphones in the supermarket and honestly it made the whole experience just so much better. I’m going to start doing this again.. put on some chill out type music and just wander around not having to listen to all the supermarket noises!

Personally I get down to their level and tell them to pack it in immediately or there will be consequences. My kids do pack it in because they know that I am serious when I say that. Its called disciplining your children.

Some parents are a bit pathetic and like to bleat that there's nothing they can do. Yes there is. They just can't be arsed or are too wet to follow through when they threaten something, so their kids know it's an empty threat.