Family outings to crowded supermarkets.

[darkandstormy]

AIBU To think that one parent should stay at home with the babies/children whilst the other parent does the weekly shop.I understand this cannot be helped in single parent families, but there were lots of whole family units in supermarket this afternoon.My two dc stayed at home with dh,I don't understand why others don't do this.One family I know who I saw there today dd3 was screaming the place down,she obviously had better things to be doing than shopping.Unfair on kids, fellow shoppers etc.

YANBU at all

I know exactly what you mean- have many dismal memories of shopping trips being lengthened by gossiping obese families blocking the aisles.

OBLOMOV Yes, maybe fine with older kids not toddlers screaming everywhere. FWIW I am not ignorant or stupid. It appears you are rude though.

BeenBeta that would be ideal, but i work when ds is at school!

I take my children to the supermarket so that they at least participate in some way in one of the biggest chores involved in looking after a family. Hopefully they appreciate the amount of effort that goes in to acquiring the fairly nice meals I make for them and they help with choosing stuff, putting it on the conveyor belt and packing up again afterwards. I don't take them every time but I do every now and again so they don't lapse in to thinking that the magic shopping fairy just replenishes everything we have with a wave of her wand.

Oh wow so we have moved on from having a dig at families going shopping and moved on to obese families.

Neither DP or I drive, we usually shop online. However, sometimes we want to have a browse through the store so we all go (dcs age 5,4 & 2)

I'm sorry if that upsets you sensitive types but if you don't like it then go at a time when children aren't going to be there.

Seriously who goes shopping on a saturday afternoon and then complains about children being there.

I can see where Oblomov is coming from actually. Children should be exposed to what happens in every day life situations. How else are they going to get accustomed to what happens when you are out and about? Food shopping is a necessity, you can't avoid it and for some of us we have to take DC into the shop if we have no choice. Children learn a lot about a trip to the supermarket. They do learn about 'not touching' if you go often enough, being careful etc. They can't learn these skills if you avoid taking them to the shops completely. That's not realistic.

yanbu This always drives me crazy aswell.

YABU.

I don't drive, and I am not going to bring a week's shopping for 5 home from the (nearest) supermarket via 2 buses and a 12 mile round trip.

So we go at the weekend when DH is home. With 3 DC in tow. Admittedly they aren't generally that badly behaved, but like all children they have their moments.

that's true bibbity - chidlren need to learn that food doesn't just 'magically' appear in the cupboards. It's good for them to learn where you get it from, and to see the variety of foods you can get from a supermarket. I have a toddler and for him it's a great experience,he enjoys the trips we make to the supermarket and participates in what foods we buy.

I usually take 1 or 2 children with me when shopping. It is important for them to learn how to shop. It's part of growing up.

Mine have never kicked off when in a supermarket.

dizzydixie - I am so very very sorry

Mine would just rather be doing what children do.. that is playing in the park,Plenty of time to learn to shop when a tad older

We sometimes go shopping to the supermarket with the kids. We wander about quite leisurely looking at DVDs, stationery, packets of socks and so on.

I was unaware that other people found the supermarket to be some kind of terribly stressful experience.

Now I think we have probably been getting in the way of a load of stressed out people.

Totally agree with Bibbity and Oblomov. My DD (3.5) is getting really good at helping with the supermarket shop. We TRY to go once a week in the afternoon, once DS has woken up from his nap. DD chooses what fruit she wants (she even picks the bananas that she thinks look the best). She runs off to get different things for me and is generally a great help. Also DS is pretty well behaved, which I put down to the fact that he goes so often and is used to it - I also include him in things (holding' safe' items) even though he is only 13mo.

It is easier to go shopping on your own, but if I have anytime on my own for shopping, I would much rather hit the clothes shops than Asda!

I am sure it is good for children to go to supermarkets and learn about food but it surely depends on age.

Darkandstormy - IME children (of older toddler/preschool age) get just as much enjoyment out of 'helping' mummy, as playing in the park. And surely they can't play in the park all day every day?!

YANBU it does just add to the crush that is weekend shopping.

What I've also seen on several occasions are toddlers weaving between trolleys on foot when they could be safely in the trolley seat, and worse toddlers pushing mini prams round with them. I don't know how anyone could think it's a good idea on a busy weekend.

YANBU. I often think the same thing. It really doesn't take 2 parents and several children to shop. Why not take them to the park while 1 adult shops? Ridiculous.

There are about a billion different reasons why a family might all go shoppping together, some of which have already been mentioned by other posters. Do you really want the whole list?

Seriously, stop and think before you say, "I can't see why..." because almost every single time there is always at least one (and usually many more) reasons why. Your world experience is different to everyone else's.

FWIW, I went food shopping with my dad (while my mum stayed at home) from a very young age because I liked it. I got my own trolley, took it round to get all the stuff I liked [which he could not be relied upon to get] and joined him at the checkouts so he could pay!

As for the kids who don't want to be there, they need to learn that the world doesn't revolve around them. Sometimes you have to get involved in boring things because they need to be done, so much better to be there from a young age, see it as a normal thing and then when a bit older learn about price checking/paying/reading ingredients etc than to get to eighteen, go off to uni and not have a clue how to shop for yourself.

We live in a community. If it bothers you, go off and be a hermit.

My almost ten year old DD is learning about money, menu-planning, budgeting, resisting advertising and many other useful life-skills via our visits to Sainsbury's

My autistic toddler is learning that there are some situations in which he can't just do as he pleases. And he is doing very well thank you.

Plus it's actually a nice outing for me having DH there to take the pressure off.

I do wonder why retired people and childless couples shop on a Saturday tutting at us at every turn but there you go...

I don't give a toss about it being unpleasant for the kids - they are all so spoiled nowadays that a mind-numbing errand is good for them. Having said that, YANBU as far as I'm concerned. I'm a single parent and have to take my DC shopping (and yes I know I could get it delivered but that requires more organisational skills than I possess). We go early morning and it really isn't too much of a chore and my DC don't moan, it's just something we do every week.

I've never understood the British hobby of shopping. I remember someone posting on here once bemused at all her children going into meltdown when she and her DP took them to Lakeside as an outing. Honestly, what child actually enjoys shopping? None than I know