Photo Credit: thetobyshow.typepad.com
When children are in the toddler stage, they just whine because, hello, how fun is it to sit in a shopping cart when there's so much to pull of all those shelves? And as they get older -- and become skilled negotiators -- it's near impossible to get to the checkout counter without at least one request for something your kid absolutely must have or else she'll perish. And then life will suddenly become so not fair because of that box of Lucky Charms box left sitting in an aisle.
I'll be honest. I like to go grocery shopping alone. It guarantees me at least 30 minutes of pure silence. But mama doesn't always get her way. So when my kids go grocery shopping with me, I employ two tactics:
-Go in the morning after a big breakfast. It helps avoid the tantrums that stem from when they're deliriously tired. And they also have full tummies, making it harder for them to plead the "I'm still hungry" case.
-Give them a job to do. Preschoolers usually can recognize pictures of food items but they're young enough -- and small enough -- to still sit in the shopping card. Make them an illustrated shopping list. Tell them to point out items that you need to put in the cart. If your kids are old enough to walk with you, let them grab the items of the shelf. I always add a little treat to the list -- a cookie or fruit skin -- to act as my preemptive strike against their random requests for stuff.
I dig the shopping list Jonah Lisa over at The Toby Show pulled together for her little guy. It's simple though that even those of us who are artistically challenged can manage a few cute crayon sketches.
[via Parenthacks]
What are your tips for grocery shopping with young kids?
