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Parenting

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Original poster

IKEA is not a 'nice day out' for the vast majority of children!

28 replies

Blu · 09/02/2009 14:02

I know sometimes it can't be helped, but why do not parents do all they can to leave their child with a friend or relative when they go to IKEA? Or look in the catalogue before you go, and then one parent go to the store?

I was there yesterday and it was a writhing mass of misery - hot howling babies in car seats, toddlers beside themselves strapped in buggies, refusing to get into buggies or being dragged round on their feet exhausted and howling. Or having prolonged tantrums on the floor. Older children bored and listless and miserable, or entertaining themselves in ways that irritated (oe even endangered) other shoppers leading to furious parents.

And WHY do couples have to stay with each other at all costs? If you are in a huge queue and your toddler or baby is howling in misery, why do you have to stand joined at the hip with your partner? One of you take the baby out, feed it, let it rest or whatever, until you are through the checkout!

IKEA on a Sunday is a form of cruelty to grown adults, never mind small children.

I was quite upset by it all.

Thank you for letting me get that off my chest!

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troutpout · 09/02/2009 14:11

nope..its not a nice day out for man woman or child.
I manage it about once every 4 years..and every time i think 'never again'

Cies · 09/02/2009 14:14

I agree - the one time DH and I went together it nearly ended in a row. I don't think I would ever go at the weekend with children again!

christywhisty · 09/02/2009 14:15

Mine love it and ask to go , but they are 11 and 13.
DS 13 loves looking at the kitchens ,he thinks he is going to be the next Jamie Oliver.

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mumblechum · 09/02/2009 14:16

I only took ds once and put him in the creche. I'd never take him round the actual store, it's bad enough for adults

Original poster

Blu · 09/02/2009 14:16

I nearly crushed a child yesterday. I was in the aisles where you collect your huge heavy flat-pack shelf unit, and some 8 or 9 yos were playing hide and seek under the storage untis, and jumping out at each other...right in front of my trolley.

I just don't get great big extended family groups all poring over a TV cabinet while the toddler is beyond misery. Or queueing for 40 mins for a crappy dinner - get yourselves out of there and home 40 mins earlier!

OP posts:

bigTillyMint · 09/02/2009 14:17

Mine love to go and ask for it too Christy - they like to go in the kids play area and get a 50p hot dog after!

Shame I always end up spending £silly on bits of crap while we're there!

hobbgoblin · 09/02/2009 14:18

Mine love it too. As soon as I have some spare cash to make it worthwhile going I am going to do a weekend jaunt there with DC. They will play house in the room sets, have an hour in the play thing, have meatballs for lunch which they love and I will come home with some wonderful storage solutions which will make our house a dream for the next couple of months, plus probably a new washing up brush and those 3 packs of scissors that vamish themselves down to one pair between visits...

Original poster

Blu · 09/02/2009 14:19

I only took DS once, he was about 14 months, and entertained himself by sitting in the child trolley seat and brandishing a toilet brush at everyone. Then I placated him with tiny bits of that nice IKEA chocolate in the traffic jam on the way home - it was the very first time he had chocolate

OP posts:

NorbertDentressangle · 09/02/2009 14:19

Totally agree.

I think it should be avoided at weekends at all costs.

Last time we went was about 5-6pm after school. It was virtually empty so DC had lots of space to run around (not in a misbehaving way IYSWIM), no queues and they had their tea there. I'd even checked on-line beforehand to see if what we wanted was in stock.

Result.

BlueCowBackToWondering · 09/02/2009 14:19

Blu,. I'm with you. But I think some families 'do' shopping as a leisure pursuit, and others of us avoid at all costs. Get in, buy, get out FAST is the only way. What a waste of a Sunday for all those poor children and their families.

Gateau · 09/02/2009 14:21

We do everything we can to keep SHOPPING of ANY kind with our DS (21 months old) to a mimimum.
We do at the very most a one hour food shop with DS a week; most other things I pick up in my half hour lunch breaks during my three days at work.
When I/DH and I are with DS, we enjoy ourselves in the outdoors, not bloody shopping in a soulless, airless superstore.
If we HAD to go to a s**thole superstore- VERY rare, we would it keep to a strict minimum and then do something fun afterwards.

Gateau · 09/02/2009 14:24

"Blu,. I'm with you. But I think some families 'do' shopping as a leisure pursuit, and others of us avoid at all costs. Get in, buy, get out FAST is the only way. What a waste of a Sunday for all those poor children and their families. "

Totally agree wiht this, Bluecow.
Shopping as a 'leisure' pursuit?

Tommy · 09/02/2009 14:24

we have one opening this week. I've told the DSs that children aren't allowed in

We never go shopping as a family - for anything - if we can avoid it. Too much arguing, stress and getting grumpy (and that's just DH )

Fennel · 09/02/2009 14:25

We use IKEA as a motorway stopover, it works beautifully. We stop around 6 or 7pm, pop the 3dds into the creche for an hour, do some shopping, then all go to the child-friendly restaurant.

We only do it once or twice a year but it's a pleasure, really. Especially compared to motorway service stations.

fluffles · 09/02/2009 14:28

DH and i only do ikea on weekday evenings - it's almost empty and you can have meatballs for tea

It sould be avoided at weekends at all costs!!!

MrsWalton · 09/02/2009 14:29

Whenever i go, which is rarely as it is two hour drive away, we go before the store opens, get breakfast in the cafe so everyone is well fed and watered before we start.

Then we are first in the 'loop' and find we have the shop to ourselves, as long as we don't linger too long and get 'overtaken'

Research on line and check stocks.

When we hit the market area where i like to spend time mooching, DH heads to warehouse loads up and waits for me. DH then q's and pays while me and dd head for loos and refreshments. It works for us!!

PigeonPie · 09/02/2009 14:31

I agree with you too Blu! Also, if you're buying big bits of furniture how do you get children and furniture in the car at the same time? We order online and get it delivered!

Gateau · 09/02/2009 14:31

There was one thread on MN where the OP was asking if she was being unreasonable to want to go to Ikea with her friends for a birthday treat.
Birthday hell, in my book!

PortAndLemon · 09/02/2009 14:32

On a weekday (especially in term time) it's a very good day out for children (you don't need to actually shop, but the food is reasonable, and there is generally a play centre plus play facilities in the restaurant). But I am never going to set foot in an Ikea at a weekend or bank holiday again .

amidaiwish · 09/02/2009 14:32

well we went last saturday with dds (3 and nearly 5)
they love it - messing around in the room sets, trying out the beds.
chips before we leave
no moaning or groaning at all.
and it was totally empty. (croydon, first thing saturday. fine!)

and no, we don't "do" shopping as a family usually but ikea is definitely a "both of us" required shop!

Original poster

Blu · 09/02/2009 15:13

So MN-ers either avoid it or enjoy it...no-one who trails round on a Sunday with a toddler beside itself with misery and howling fit to combust?

Who ARE those people?

OP posts:

EldonAve · 09/02/2009 15:24

I hate it, DH and the kids love it

Gateau · 09/02/2009 15:27

Your DH loves it?

Thrifty · 09/02/2009 15:31

since ds turned 3 and is allowed in smalland i get asked nearly everyday if we can go to ikea, he loves the creche. tis better in the week though.

EldonAve · 09/02/2009 15:33

He is Swedish
He spends hours there...
Browse the store, coffee, buy stuff, have a meal, buy more stuff in the supermarket bit

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