Young Children...

[Questions]

Hi parents!

I have a few questions.
Do you have problems with amusing your children while doing your shopping?
What catches the attention of your children and what problems do you face while trying to hold your children's attention?

I want to know if other parents experience these problems like me.

 

[EnoMae]

<r>My four year old (soon to be five) always needs to be entertained and she is a bit hyperactive. Grocery shopping used to be such a pain for both of us. But now, it is way easier. Since she could read (so since age 3), I started giving her a little grocery list and I would ask her to go look for whatever is on that. Giving her a limited time makes it all more challenging for her. Since a few months though, instead of writing the name of what I want, I describe it. For instance, instead of just writing “three oranges”, I write “Its name is the same as its color. I want more than two but less than four.” It also helps her stimulate her brain.<br/>
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The challenge is always to stop her from running around. Promising her cookies always works though <E></E></r>

 

[GeekyOwl]

Now that my kids are 4 and 5, if at all possible, I try and do all my errands while they are at school, which makes everyone's life a lot easier. But, there was a time where neither were in school so I always found that a full stomach and always having a small snack handy would prevent crankiness while doing any kind of shopping. Otherwise, I just hoped for the best.

 

[Incogneato]

I agree with the shopping list idea, and would also like to suggest that you could try some version of "I spy" with them (if you don't want them wandering around the store). I.E. they sit in the cart as you walk down an aisle and let you know when they see something that is either on your list, or something you per-determined that should be looking for.

 

[EnoMae]

Yes, I must say that ''I spy'' is better than letting them walk around, but it depends on the child. I let my daughter do so because I know she will never go far from me, even though she is tempted to run all the time!

 

[momtoallkids]

it sounds childish, but goof around with them. thats what i do with mine. i dont really care what other people think in the store. it depends on the kid too. with my 10yo we goof around with eachother in the store. my 7yo, she outright drives me nuts becasue she touches everything so i put her in the big part of the cart and we play a game called bury the zoe where i bury her with groceries and at the check-out she has to undig herself by putting everything on the belt. my 16mo.... i leave him home with daddy. he eats through all the packages.

 

[momtoallkids]

i love taking the older ones shopping with me. my 10yo and i goof around together and hes my big helper since i cant lift the heavier stuff. my 7yo annoys me when we go shopping cuz she touches absolutly everything. so i make her get in the cart then we play bury the zoe. and i cover her in groceries till just her arms and head stick out then we time how fast she can unload the cart onto the belt. my 16mo, well i just leave him home. he eats everything so i dont bring him with me because he will eat through all the packages before i can get them to the checkout.
i also include them in the shopping. they help me with the list, meal planning and finding the grocerys. its like a hidden object game. they find what im looking for long before i do.

 

[cybele]

I prefer my 4yr old coming with me thn my other 4, the cost t the register is significantly cheaper when theyre not around, haha.

Sashie is pretty good actually, he loves helping, all I have to do is play up the "oh gee, I cant see the cereal we buy, is it this one?" "NO MUMMY""oh? Its not? Gee, it must be this one" "NOOO, MUMMY ITS THAT ONE"

 

[fundaddy]

My kids (4 and 9) have learned to behave at the grocery store. Didn't always used to be the case. We've had some success emphasizing selflessness. Our kids were getting the impression that they were the center of our universe and everything revolved around them. Of course, we love them more than anything though. You're not going to believe this, but they are angels at the store and help out - we give them a little recognition with a chocolate drink or something. I kid you not some of our best lessons in selflessness have arrived via the tv show "Little House on the Prarie." I know that may seem ridiculous.

 

[sonia124]

Well, I think you should either complete the work when the children are at work or if they can understand, assign them little trivial things, so they can learn and it would also help u out...............