Toddler running away in the Supermarket

[Trueheart1]

My 2 and a half year old keeps running away from me in the Supermarket. He will shop with me, pushing the trolley and picking up items really well but then he will just start running away. When I stay stop, he will turn back and smile then run more quickly.

He never does this anywhere else and always walks well on the street. I lost him for several minutes today and I found him 5 aisles away. It has scared me deeply.

Any advice? Also does anyone know of a cartoon that I could show him about not running away in shops?

Gamerwidow. That is a really good idea. I will try that thanks. 😀

But tbf to wolfie, there's a very obvious way of keeping him safe and you aren't doing it

I too shop with a pushchair so the 2 yo goes in the pushchair, strapped in.
I then use a couple of large bags for life and hang them on the handle bars and fill them as I go. If you're only doing a basket shop one bag would be sufficient but I find I can get more shopping this way

I give a warning before entering the shop about running away so the rules are clear. If they run I either hold their hand all the way or they go in the trolley seat. No negotiations.

Monkeys I do not think Wolfie lecturing or piling onto my fears is very helpful.

Honestly I can't imagine my child getting so far away from me in a supermarket that I couldn't see them. There's a fairly obvious solution.

Ps as you can see it happens to all of us! You’re not alone

Sleeping. Are the staff ok with you putting things into a bag for life instead of a basket?

Imagoofy. Thank you, it makes me feel a bit less like the worst mum in the world after today.

No one has questioned it in Tesco or Aldi. I do it blatantly and leave the bag hanging open. I then make a show of showing the bag is empty at the till. I actually did it with a self scan the other day and it was amazing- four bags nicely packed!

OP I always used a bag for life when shopping with the pram.

Wolfie you are great and I messed up. Thanks for continually pointing this out. Please stop commenting if all you want to do is kick me when I am down.

Our Asda had one. They turned it into the CD singles section to give you an idea of time frame, now its the trolley park. Think some of the bigger Safeways had them too. What a glorious dawn it was to be alive.

Thanks sleeping and spam. I had never thought of using a bag for life on the pram. I have always been too afraid of being accused of shoplifting. I will try it next time but I might ask customer service if it is ok first.

mine did this, she was a real little terror too as she would scoot round a corner and duck behind a box and hide and I would lose her!

So I got strict. I said very clearly as we went in, that she had to stay with Mummy, or sit in the seat. She could choice - walk with Mummy or sit in the trolley seat, she chose walk. Then she ran. I got her back and said, Mummy said walk or stay in the seat, that was your warning, if you do it again, you have to go in the seat. 3 minutes later she ran. I picked her up and put her straight in the seat, then carried on shopping as if nothing had happened.

Look dd tomatoes - we need tomatoes, can you reach? No, Ok Mummy will get them, right lets go and find the cucumber. Only thing was she was throwing a complete and utter wobbly the whole time, trying to get out of the seat, and I just ignored, ignored ignored. Every now and then for the benefit of the other shoppers, when she screamed OUT!!! I said very calmly, Oh dear, no I can't let you out, because you ran away from Mummy.

After 10 (very long) minutes she stopped throwing a fit and calmed down. After another few minutes I said - shall we try again, do you want to walk with Mummy or ride in the seat?

This time she walked and stayed with me.
I had to do it about 3 times in all, at increasing intervals.

It startetd when she was under 2, so totally possible.

Ethel the only shop crèche I know is Ikea. It would be wonderful if they had them in supermarkets

They can't accuse you of stealing until you leave the store and in reality if you have a big bag full they won't, it's almost TOO obvious. But ask anyway if it makes you feel less self conscious. You'll also get it done in record time and you def can't but more than you can carry

I don't understand why you don't keep him in the buggy. If it's just a basketfull of shopping you're going to be quick.

If the shop's not too busy, some will let you leave the buggy by the counter at the door and use a trolley.

He can't be wandering about in a supermarket.

Steppmum I like your idea but I think that I am too scared to let him out of the pram again.

Lost in the 90s it is a giant Asda so just grabbing a few things involves walking for ages. They used to let you leave buggies by the security desk until one was stolen.
I think the bag for life is the best solution.

missed the bit about the pushchair, yes strapped into pushchair and shopping in bags on handles. I see quite a few people doing this actually.

Wolfie, my dd who ran off was dc3, so I was well tuned to toddlers and supermarkets, and had never had this before, but she had this ability to duck and run. I had to be so careful with her, nothing like my other kids, neither of whom were angels. As a toddler we cracked the supermarkets, but I have lost her in other shops, when my guard was down.

aged 4 or 5, so well past this stage we lost her in M&S, she was next to me, and then she wasn't. My mum was with me, she is very kid savvy and dd had vanished. She had slipped between the racks and then run as fast as she could to the other end of the shop, just for a laugh really . A lady came walking back with her, holding her hand. Dd was even showing her where we were and where to go.

Another time aged 3 or 4, (again, sensible for 6 months so we thought she had passed it) she ran off in John Lewis, I was following her down the aisle, and she turned the corner first, not even running off, just a few steps ahead, and she vanished. All the staff were looking for her in the end. It was about 15 minutes. I was frantic. She had turned the corner, and seen a gap in the shelves and had slipped in so she was down between the two sets of shelves and out of sight. She thought it was hysterical.

Two words. Chocolate. Buttons.

Other than that, just try to do it really quickly, or online. Two year olds don’t like being confined for long periods. Or short periods stares at DD2

Step mum thanks for understanding. I suppose people who haven’t experienced it. Do you not know what it is like.

• do not know what it is like.

My ds is a runner. I’ve been doing online shopping for a couple of years now. It was so stressful with him, best just to do it online. It’s so easy, works out cheaper too, so I don’t think I’ll ever go back!