Social distancing in supermarkets

[AtLastEarwax]

Ok I get it, we need to social distance and I understand that BUT the aisles aren't wide enough?? How do people deal with that? Sometimes with a 2 year old that has just spotted his favourite book on a shelf and wants to run over pick it up and show me??

Social distancing is just not possible in aisles that are so small??

Ok ok

I never said I wanted people to social distance from me. I do from them but I'm just saying is anyone else thinking how 2m apart is impossible because of aisle width. Things have taken turns on this thread...

Ok I apologise for being rude but I felt that there was a lot of target at my son. That is an example I am using regarding width that's all. No one was near him or even in the aisle, he wasn't Hussain bolt around the whole shop etc he walked over and pointed at a book.

It reads as if toddlers are just a nuisance in shops and that's not the case, my child is no angel don't get me wrong but he's not a terror to other shoppers and property

It reads as if toddlers are just a nuisance in shops They are. Shops are not places for them to run around in.

Toddlers can be a pain in shops even in normal times. They can be a nightmare for elderly people who are unsteady on their feet, as you never quite know where a toddler will dart off to. This also makes it very difficult to social distance from them in shops. Also at the moment I don't think I would like a small child of mine picking things up in a shop and then putting their hands near their mouths.

When DS was a toddler he would be in the trolley seat for my own sanity never mind everyone else's. Now I realise that is not an option for you OP as you have 3 under 3, but with that configuration I would be doing everything I could to avoid going shopping with all 3 of them even if things were normal. Do you have a partner who could either have the children when you go shopping or vice versa?

A 2 year old will have a natural vertical 1m social distance anyway as they’re about 1m shorter than most adults

Exactly. They may sneeze or cough over my leg at worse. The virus won't climb up my leg into my face.

I agree with you that the aisles are often (usually) narrower than 2m so you just have to pass people and yes people need to calm down - it's not going to jump from me to you. And I wear a face covering. Our local shops don't have one way systems.

But unless you're a single parent or your partner's work makes it impossible to watch the children, people shouldn't go making grocery shopping a family outing - even at the best of times but definitely not now.

I have 7m old twins too so they would need a double seat and I can't put DS in the actual trolley bit - got told off for that. Hopefully a trip with all three can be avoidable though

Can you not use a trolley would a double seat and a sling, if Click and Collect or home delivery isn’t possible?

There are a lot of people who are very stressed right now and that anxiety might well come out in an aggressive or unfriendly manner if a child runs up towards them in a supermarket. It’s not fair to put the child in that situation (and I really do know how tempting magazines are to a two year old).

Clutterbugsmum...Goodness me, did I not just say he doesn't run around? Christ almighty

On this particular day I had to take DS. I can't drive because I have epilepsy, so we walked. OMG am I nuisance then if I fall and have a seizure within 2m of someone in a 2m aisle??

Shit the bed, never thought of that

If I could put him in the main bit of the trolley I would but Asda told me off as 'he might fall out' how he could sitting down on his iPad though but I couldn't be bothered to argue

Quite a few children are injured every year in trolleys in supermarkets, that is why they have rules about them not being in the main part of the trolley rather than the seat.

I would have thought my concern would be what would happen to the 3 DC if you had a fit in the supermarket, rather than the 2m social distancing rule. Although a member of staff would also need to break that rule to look after you, but would hope they had PPE for that purpose.

People are usually good about going down an aisle one direction and up in the other, so they don't pass closely. I have had the odd arsehole go in front of me while I'm waiting for the person ahead of me to move on though. I've switched supermarkets to one that's quieter and has bigger aisles.

what if you want to look at two sides of an aisle
I go up to the end one way and down the other.

@ineedaholidaynow I really don't mean this in a horrible way and you probably weren't even aware you did it but 'fit' is quite an offensive word to an epileptic, seizure is the description. Well I have to live with the cards I've been dealt and I will have another seizure in my life. I've had a seizure in front of my son - hubby was there and my son just stroked my hair. He has a book about mummies having epilepsy so he has a very tiny bit of understanding. Anyway what would happen to my children? I would rely on the supermarket I suppose. I can't live my life thinking of all the horrible things that could happen, otherwise I just might as well walk in circles!

I'm well controlled, I take my meds and know my triggers but like I said I will have another seizure in my life. Hopefully not soon though, they aren't nice!!! How an ECT patient feels after must be awful

@AtLastEarwax I apologise for my wording.

@ineedaholidaynow no worries you probably didn't know

Do you have a partner at home? If so leave your children at home and do shopping alone (or partner). That's why the advice was not to take children shopping unless avoidable

Control your kid

Dear god you are the queen the drip feed aren't you.

Perhaps it would better for everyone if you just got a home delivery. Then you won't need to worry about social distancing.

I went to the supermarket this morning and was absolutely amazed at how bad it was. No restrictions on numbers in store and people were just gathered everywhere. When I paused to ensure I kept 2 metres away from the other shoppers, someone would invariably push right past to get in front and a woman with a mask on was one of the worst offenders. The bread aisle was chaos. Crazy. I couldn't get out fast enough.

I wonder if people will wear masks now all the time out and social distancing will end??

Clutter bug I don't get the drip feed comment??

It's unworkable.

Don't know why you got such a roasting here op. Seems there's lots if parents here who don't have to take their toddlers to a supermarket. Well lucky old them.

Do you ever get iceland deliveries? I find them fab, loads of fresh stuff, fruit, veg, toiletries etc

Ssd it's funny you should mention Iceland as my mum raved about it the other day. I might try it next time I need a shop. I don't like potato or rice or pasta but I don't deprive my children of course so frozen is a god send

Thankyou 👍🏻 tbf my son isn't bad, like I say no angel but he doesn't harm anyone or property etc shopping, if anything he gets a lot of attention from elders, so do the twins. I thought it was just because they were newborns but we still get stopped even for my son now. Especially if the twins are dressed the same, people wet themselves!!! In a clothes shop once a woman double took at my son and just said he's perfect, so perfect I can't stop looking at him - bit weird but a compliment I'll take it lol. He was about 18m at the time. Also got told by a photographer that if our children are look like 'that' don't stop having babies. Not sure my hips could take another pregnancy though 😂😂😂

My son knows what is expected of him and to be a nuisance isn't one of them. Walking to pick a book is a child thing, he's made about books and as someone said it's so tempting for children to want to look and show you

I agree about toddlers shopping, if anyone does say anything or give me a look they get it back but that's only happened twice

The thing about Iceland is, you can buy loads of fresh food... Steak, bacon, chicken etc, plus cheese, bread milk cleaning stuff, spices, sauces... Loads really.. And free delivery after spending 35 quid... Also I always get next day delivery no bother

Your DC sounds absolutely fine and totally normal to me

Some here really need to take the pole out their arse

Thankyou yes I'm going to look into it definitely

Haha ssd, some obviously haven't been in need to take their children shopping, perhaps left with au pair