Shopping With The Kids

Good morning my dear Minette

I am sure you have often found yourself in the situation where you have to go shopping with the kids, knowing it is not the best combination when in a hurry?

You dread that moment, because you already know what is going to happen. There is always the whining of wanting something or how long before we can go home?

Planning and lists are the magic key, especially around Easter and Christmas shopping. Include everyone with their needs and wants. Always be fair.

You are the role model you kids will follow and they will repeat the pattern you set. Surely there are ways to make it a good experience for all.

This opportunity can be used to teach the children valuable lessons on how to plan a shopping trip. Including them in the whole process from planning the list around the table get them to know the routine. Send them to check on the supplies in the cupboard.

Be never in a hurry when they are with you. Have patience and make it an enjoyable event. They are learning valuable shopping lessons for their future.

Shopping With The Kids

At home, you as the parent should be teaching them from a young age their behaviour and habits in different situations. The reasons, why, should be explained to them. Make them understand what is proper behaviour and what is expected.

How to behave in a car while someone is driving and why. What is expected of them and how to behave in the shop, in church and when adults are having a conversation. Teach them how to be respectful.

Also teach them safety habits when out in the street. Take their hand and explain what to do when crossing a street.  Teach them a ritual to do before crossing a street.

They should be aware of cars coming from both sides, and other people around them, what to do to keep safe.  Keep your purse and phone hidden away, where it can’t be seen. Always stay in the moment, and focus, never act on impulse.

If your children are good and comply with the etiquette rules there will be a reward waiting for them. Make it a treat and not things. Make it something they will enjoy doing, a special ice cream, their favourite food of a trip to the park.

Discuss this at home, hang the carrot in front of their noses. If you leave it until they have missed behave inside the shop, it is a bribe and will have no value. Be consistent in your behaviour, they will only get rewarded if they are good all the time.

Before going shopping have a snack and let them use the bathroom. Never wise to go shopping on an empty stomach.

Shopping with the Kids

How Planning can Help

Safety

Always take great care with children in the shopping trolleys.  Secure the baby chair, strap it to the trolley if necessary. Make sure they are safe when you push the trolley.

Take the time and make your toddler feel comfortable in the trolley seat or sitting in the trolley.

1. Babies.

The best time to shop with a baby is when it is time to sleep. They will get used to the noises and sleep all the way in their little baby chair. Have a bottle of their favourite juice or water handy as well as a clean nappy.

2. Toddlers

Make sure they are well rested and fed. Arrange your shopping trip around their schedule.

Discuss and tell them why you are going to the shops and you want them to help you when old enough. Make the shopping list short to get them used to go shopping with you.

Make sure your toddler sits comfortable and will not fall out.  Have a harness or Velcro straps, loosely attached to make your child safe, sitting in the trolley, not to fall out.

Never leave your trolley to find something or chat with a friend. In that fleeting moment something can go horribly wrong. Push the trolley everywhere you go. Always keep your child in your eye sight.

Show them the items on the shelf and let them help decide, get them involved with the choices. Show them the options to choose from, if they point to a different tomato sauce brand, select their choice.

Allow them to pick four red apples and four green apples. Show them if there are bad marks on it and select a better one. Do the same with potatoes and tomatoes.

Pack a snack box for them at home with a few of their favourite sweets without paper wrappings and chippies. Keep it in your bag, hand it to them when they get irritable or peckish.

Even a colouring book with one or two colouring pencils tied to the book with a string helps to keep them occupied.

Start your shopping by selecting the most important items on the list first. The moment they say they want to go home, you know the shopping trip is over, rather come back later to get the rest. Pay and go home before a tantrum. You can not reason with a tired bored toddler.

Keep the experience enjoyable. Let them choose the sweeties and chippies, select only one a week.   Involve them wherever you can and soon they will start enjoying it.

Praise them for their effort. Tell them how proud you are of what they have done. They have helped you to buy food for daddy. It gives them a feeling of self-worth and pride.

Shopping With The Kids

3. Young Children

At home when writing the shopping list ask them what are their favourites and add that to the list, or even better let them make their own list and compare.

Have an empty piece of paper, marked SHOPPING, pasted to the fridge for them to list an item needed on the next trip. Debate the need and urgency of items.

Sending them off to check on the stock still available in the cupboard, discuss and decide how much to buy. This will help them to estimate what is needed.

Give them the responsibility to put the bags and cool containers in the car. Have a check list and mark it off before you go.

When they know they can select something for themselves, one item within the budget, get them all excited. As they grow older, change it to get something for the family instead, teach them to share.

Engage by letting them help you find the products on the shelves, but keep a close eye on them and don’t let them out of your site.

As they get older and can read and write, let them make a list of their needs, toiletries, snacks for school, may be stationary for school.

Get them a small trolley and they do their own shopping with your assistance. Teach them how to select, what to look for. What is the best value for money and discuss why is it the best. Make sure the product or package is not damaged, the fruit is not over ripe or rotten. Turn the container with 6 eggs over to look for leaks from broken eggs.

You and the children have decided to bake some cupcakes for the weekend. At home, let them write the list of ingredients from the recipe, see what is in the cupboard.

Mark it off what is already at home and keep what is needed on the list to get from the shop. When shopping let them find it on the shelf and mark it off the list as they go.

Let them place their goods from their trolley on the counter at the cashier, Mum will pay.

They can pack the goods in a bag, put it in their trolley and push it to the car. Tell them how proud you are of their achievement, they have helped you tremendously with this big task helping the family.

Making them part of the team. It gives them confidence knowing they took part in an important aspect of the household and shared the responsibility. They have helped to make it all possible and they shared in the the control.

4. Older Children

Give older children an allowance with their pocket money. An allowance to buy their own personal goods like toothpaste, deodorant,  shaving cream, shampoo, conditioner, body spray, etc.

Teach your child how to budget. Make a list  and never spend money you don’t have. It teaches them discipline and self-control. First buy what is needed, and if there is money left, put it in a savings box or account. Save all the little bits of change until they have enough to buy what they want. Teach them to keep this money separate and not to spend it.

In the beginning let them do their shopping with you from their own list and be with them when they pay. Soon they have  confidence from experience and do it all on their own. One day soon you will trust them to do the grocery shopping for you, because they will know the system.

If they want some new clothes, send them on a photo shopping spree. Let them go to town with a friend and take photos of all the articles they want.

They have to bring photos of three different options of the same item they want. They will love it because now they can shop until they drop without spending a cent. Making sure to get what they want.

At home download it on the computer discuss their options but let them tell you what and why. Let them sleep on their choice. Double-check in the morning and get the goods they want that same day. That is an informed decision and not buying on impulse.

Teach them never to trust anybody, for their own safety and reputation. Don’t believe what someone says, always double-check and make sure for yourself. As a good friend once said, my dear don’t even trust your shadow.

Shopping With The Kids

Conclusion

Your children will be so grateful one day if you teach them how to shop, it will be a valuable lesson they will always be happy for.

Planning the trip, taking care of the bags, most of all making a shopping list and enjoying it. Inside the shop it is essential to know what to look for in a product, how to select the best items within a budget.

Shopping is a continues act as long as one lives, there will always be a need for something. Good practical shopping habits are an art and not everybody is successful. Every household should be frugal to save wherever they can.

Your children will be so grateful one day, if you teach them how to shop within their budget. It will be a valuable lesson they will always be grateful for.

Until next time, happy shopping!

Regards

Mom Estelle

Empower to Walk Tall with Pride and Confidence