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.

I have never ever been to the supermarket with dh.
In fact I don't think he has ever been in one since we got married 15 years ago.
I actually enjoy the supermarket, and dd is very useful at running round getting things for me. I hate Tesco and Asda- for the simple reason ours are immense warehouse type places. I like the intimacy of Waitrose where I can whizz round in no time and they all know me.

Why waste valuable weekend time together dawdling round a horrible supermarket when you can go to the park or the beach or to so many different places?

because we generally go to the park in the morning, then the supermarket in the afternoon. Someone has to go anyway, we may as well go together. and the kiddies like it. just because you don't enjoy it, doesn't mean no-one else does.

it counts as a'free' activity, because the money would be spent anyway...

Its a good chance to educate kids about nutrition in supermarkets, I like taking mine. I get fed up with dithering husbands in there more than kids.

does the Bristol channel not have sandy patches?

was it Nottingham that created its own town-centre beach..yes it was

reckon Bristol should do the same.

ah well, it is walking distance here..but the walk would be the outing ...we go every other week or so. It is rather nice.

the supermarket is part of the rather humdrum, somewhat dull rut my life occupies, along with the occasional pleasant beach walk, trips to the park, dog walks and anything else that comes under the heading 'free and easy things to do with babies & toddlers' Once dd gets over eating books, we may add the library to that list...

so, in answer to the OP - people sometimes take kids to soft play and have a terrible time (and pay for the privelidge) - why the hell shouldn't i take my kids to the supermarket? if they have a crap time, at least it's free.

Sorry not read the whole thread, 8 pages are a bit long for me.

DH loves supermarket shopping, I hate it. I can drive DH cant. So we all go. We'd rather not take DS (5 yrs so gets bored), but dont mind DD as she is still small enough for the trolley. We go on a Fri morn when DS is in school but obviously in school hols we all go.

Im not doing internet shopping as we like to get extra things that arent on the list and need to look to see whats instore. Also I like to make sure we get good dates on our chilled products and actually like to choose my bananas, potatoes etc to make sure I get the nicest ones.

So thats why we all go together. Plus we also take MIL as she is on her own and cant drive so she needs someone to take her so she comes when we go. However if DH could drive he'd go on his own, but thats only cos I dont like it and rather stay at home, not to avoid taking the family.

YABU. By taking the DCs with them, they are learning about nutrition; how to look for quality in the fruit/veg dept; how to handle a budget; how to put together a balanced meal; and how to get round as quickly as possible.

They are now 8, 10 and 12 and all trot off and get the things we need every week very quickly and bring them back to the trolley. It reduces the trip to probably a third of the time it would take me! My 12 year old can also plan a meal and go and buy anything he needs to cook it from a small budget. He then comes home and cooks a meal.

It's not surprising that young people are growing up so incompetent when parents don't teach them how to do stuff for themselves.