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.
Hi Estelle,
What a great post! I have always looked at taking the kids to the store with some real anxiety! But, now after reading some of your tips, I think I can manage much better. The Idea of a colored pencil tied to a coloring book is great! Eliminates having to chase that pencil. But, as you pointed out, the children should be praised for helping out with the family responsibilities, and of course for good behavior as well.
I also like the idea of letting them make a list the day before and sleeping on it, giving them a chance to decide if they really want the item. These are all good tips, and I enjoyed reading it. I wonder if a bribe to go to a fast food place afterwards would help with the whining for things in the store?
Thank you!
Thank you for your kind words Chas!
Bribing never has good results in the long run … hahaha.
I would rather recommend you say, only good behaviour amongst all, will get rewarded with a trip to the Fast Food place.
The best way to keep them from whining is to occupy them with tasks. Making them proud in helping you with an important task to feed the household for the week. Have the patience to accommodate them and teach them how to shop.
Thank you for a valuable comment.
Estelle
Hi Chas,
Yes interaction with kids should always be a pleasure.
Build a relationship based on friendship and not an authoritarian one. Seeing them as your little friends and not little monsters can be very rewarding. It is a mindset change.
There will be no misunderstandings when you set clear uncompromising rules with boundaries, it is so important and stick to your guns.
When you set the rules at home with the consequences, everything they do in the shops will get judged against that and there won’t be the need for any bribery.
All the other kids will be the judge and jury … hahaha!
Thank you for lifting out situations. I am glad you could take away something of value!
I appreciate you stopping by.
Estelle
Hi Estelle,
Some great tip on shopping with children. Getting the children involved in the process is a very good tip as it will stop them getting bored. That is where the whining starts if they are bored.
Teaching your children how to shop and behave when they are shopping is a vital education for their future. As you say it is something we will be doing for life so showing them the ins and outs of shopping is a valuable lesson for them.
Thanks for your informative post and your ideas about shopping with your children.
Frank
Hi Frank yes shopping with kids could become the highlight of the week and so much fun too!
Thank you for your comment.
Happy shopping!
Estelle
Hey Estelle,
What a great post. We had struggled with our little girl when she was 2 then 3 then 4 etc (she’s now 5). This was mainly due to the “i want…..” problem when she saw something she wanted. It was mainly those pre-packaged instant eat baby yoghurt’s that she asked for.
So I wish I had read your advice earlier. Where you say to pack a snack box for them at home with a few of their favourite sweets without paper wrappings and chips/snacks is a great idea. If we had’ve done that then we wouldn’t get the demands during the food shopping. I can see how you have many ideas to turn this into a life skills learning opportunity.
Thanks again!
Hi John it is dreadful to take whining and demanding children with to the shops, we see it so often. There are so many ways to make it a fun trip for all.
Talking about the snack box, when I was little my Mom used to make me a snack box when they were visiting friends, and sometimes put in enough for all. No need for me to come and nag I am hungry or want something.
The idea is to set family traditions in place before going shopping, therefore everybody knows what is expected of them. Trying to enforce rules inside boils down to bribery and will have a negative outcome.
Talking about boundaries, did you know kids love it when you set boundaries? It makes them feel secure. Don’t be afraid to set boundaries from an early age, and it can change as they get older. It teaches them self discipline too. If you don’t do it the children will keep pushing you to all limits … hahaha!
Thank you for an inspiring comment, and I am glad you found something of value.
Take care!
Shopping with kids can be exhausting! And with the naggings, pouting, demands and chaos, you can almost lose your sanity. It’s the reason I always try to shop solo, but that’s just not as feasible. I think shopping with toddlers is the most demanding, and this is because that’s my only point of reference and like you said, there is no reasoning with a tired bored toddler.
Your suggestions on involving them in the shopping process and praising them for their effort is now my go-to. I can’t wait and I know it’ll be effective.
Thank you for these helpful tips. I’ll definitely try these techniques out you have suggested on our next shopping trip.
Cheers,
Femi
Thank you for taking the time Femi!
Shopping as such, can be very exhausting. Diverting your attention and focus when you are in a hurry. How will they learn the tricks of the tread?
Finding a family tradition around shopping will make every trip a pleasure, involve everyone to contribute to this plan. Having a detailed plan of action from making the lists at home and how and who is responsibly to fetch what for the trolleys is essential.
A good idea is to treat the family with breakfast before the shopping, nobody will be hungry and everybody is in a good mood. One final hint, never be in a hurry when shopping with the family, choose your time to make it an event.
Happy shopping Femi!