Taking Children Shopping with You
Begging, reaching, yelling, running, grabbing, screaming, tantrum, full-on meltdown. Is this how trips to the store with littles is for you? It doesn’t have to be this way. Here are some techniques to make this easier and some of them even work on husbands!
- Have them participate in the menu planning and making of the shopping list.
- Give a little speech before you get out of the van on what behavior is expected and what behavior will not be tolerated. For example, “We will be going into the store today. I expect you to behave (list examples of desired behaviors). We will be buying only what is on my list. If there is any of (name unacceptable behaviors) we will leave immediately/have timeout in van or as soon as return home/etc.”
- Have them actively participate in what you are doing instead of having to amuse themselves while you are occupied. This is what parenting is, after all, training your little people to eventually be functional big people. For example, if children suggested tacos for dinner one night, then have them list the items needed to make that dish and maybe assign one or two ingredients to each child to find during your shopping trip. Older ones may even leave your sight to gather items, younger ones can pick items off the shelf and place in cart, even toddlers can be given a choice of items you present to them and physically put the correct one into the cart.
- Have children strapped into the cart or holding on to the cart until trust is earned to stay with you.
- Be firm and consistent: do what you say you will do. Don’t back down.
- If the children become too unruly–just leave but don’t be ashamed to have people view your tantrum. Most will understand, and the ones who don’t aren’t worth worrying about anyway.
- Don’t give up–after a few consistent trips following these guidelines, it will be amazing the difference in the behavior of the children.
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