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.

Blimey. In that case where did you get your blinkers from, because I could do with some myself...

I always think I should say to the parent "shopping in Tesco make me want to scream too". Especially when I have to take my mother on a Saturday morning at 10.30am and all the store pickers are out in force.

Why though?

I must admit I haven’t heard or seen a good toddler tantrum or screaming child for a while in a supermarket. But maybe that’s because I only go on Saturdays as a family (so everyone can decide what to eat) and a mini shop on Tuesday during the day.
I did witness a vicious older lady screaming at the cashier in Tesco on Tuesday, because her coupons had expired. And I saw a 60 year old man having a meltdown in the carpark because the carpark attendants had popped a ticket on his car - he had parked a very smart looking BMW/Audi/Penis extension in the parent and child bays without a child and was over the lines, so the disabled “space” next to him became very narrow.

Lucky for you if you're able to do that. Some people have to work. And toddlers are around during the day too

How about teaching them how to behave in public? Definitely part of your parenting role.

Wow, two incidences involving older people in one day 🙄

Nope. But maybe, you know, parent your kids? There’s so much help and advice online for parents who have children who have poor behaviour. Of course excluding toddlers and babies, but older children - no excuse.

YABVU for the younger ones.

The parents should be at home settling them down with tea, bath then bed and not dragging them around a supermarket when they’re absolutely shattered.

I do that at home — but only at home.

In public places, there is no way my children would scream in a shop, restaurant, or playground because they are angry or because they didn’t get something they wanted. We have clear rules: you behave, or we won’t take you again.

At home, though, it’s a completely different story:
They are angels in public and little devils at home: that’s how children should be.

You encountered "at least" FIFTEEN screaming children in one shop, in a 5 minute timespan?? Really?

15 kids screaming within 5 minutes? Give over.

I rarely see screaming children in supermarket.

The last time was a couple of months ago and it was funny, grandmother held this toddler upside down by his ankles and took him outside whilst he was screaming his head off, she was muttering that the child's mother let him get away with all sorts but she was not going to let that happen on her watch!

All I could think was that I was glad that was not one of mine.

This is sadly very true. We’ve all become quite insular and wrapped up in our own needs since Covid I think.

Barging into pushchairs has always been a thing my youngest is 13 he had someone try and sit on him when we were on a train he was just in his pushchair in the doorway minding his own business (im right next to him obviously) and someone tried sitting in his pushchair! A grown adult male got on the train and decided to try to sit on a child apparently he "didn't see him" I was baffled there were plenty of seats? Another complete stranger told him I think you need to go to the next carriage mate because he was actually getting irate at me for objecting to him trying to sit on my toddler apparently I could be "done for assault" he chuntered off saying he was calling the police

That was probably the worst one but the amount of people walking into the pushchair motability scooters crashing into a pushchair even one who nearly ran dd over (she wasn't in a pushchair though) we were climbing the bottom shelf for that one the staff were yelling at her to stop because she had us trapped in a corner and just....kept going i had beautiful ankle bruises 😳

Part of parenting is teaching your child we dont behave like that in public my children have had meltdowns in public I have always where possible removed them I can only remember one situation where I couldn't get ds out he wasn't being loud just pancaked the floor and stayed there i pulled him off to the side and waited for him to calm down but uncontrollable shrieking? Instant removal I did online shopping for YEARS because ds was so upset with supermarkets and I couldn't shop whilst I was at work his dad kept returning him at the weekend so it was click and collect or delivery

Don't inflict your parental choices on others

Witching hour on a Friday.... they parents are only there because they need to be. They take their child because they need to. Food is essential for living. Lucky you only had to listen for 5 minutes - the parents, "big" shoppers, and staff endure it for longer. As do the wee kiddies. I fewl for all of them. Maybe buy a bag of lolly pops and try to diffuse the horror for all. Kindness is good.

So is discipline.

Nursery’s are running out of ideas of where to take the children.

Why do so many children scream nowadays? Why can't they be seen and not heard like in the olden days?

It’s a supermarket not an adults only quiet place. Supermarkets are boring for kids not to mention all the shiny tat they put at the kids eye level.

If they’re anywhere near you, I do recommend ‘scary eyes’. 😈

Children should be able to cope with a brief period of boredom without turning into feral savages, running amok and causing chaos.

Well, I dunno if I'd go that far. (In fact, I do know - I definitely wouldn't.)

There's no need at all for us to go back to 'seen and not heard', I just wish so many parents didn't think children screaming their heads off all the time was natural and normal and there's no way of preventing it. SEN aside, it's just an excuse for lazy parenting IMO. I do agree with that you said in your other post that kids should be able to cope with a bit of boredom without running amok.

Nor does it revolve around you, children exist, get over it!