Every parent knows that taking their child to the grocery store is no easy feat. Here are some tips to make it easier.
- Make short, frequent trips. The less time you spend in the store, the less time your child has to pose a problem.
- Have a list ready! Knowing what you need will help you get in and out quickly.
- Set the expectation that your child is able to select ONE thing. You can set parameters like, one piece of candy or one toy. If they are old enough, you can also give them money to buy their own thing and they can choose to spend it on that trip or save it up.
- Bring a snack. Think banana, bag of cereal, or other little treat to help keep your child occupied while you shop. However, you don’t want to shop when their hungry for the same reason you don’t want to shop on an empty stomach.
- Use the potty before leaving the house. This one should be obvious, but nobody wants to try and find a bathroom after putting ice-cream in their cart.
- Get out any excess energy before your trip. Spend a little time at the park to avoid the urge to run around the store.
- Try to shop during slow times at the store. Weekdays in the morning are excellent times to go.
- Bring a unique toy to the store. Choose something that your kids don’t get to play with often for maximum attention. A new book is also a good choice.
- Have older kids help stock your cart. Kids often enjoy having big boy/girl jobs.
- If you’re feeling creative give your kids a scavenger hunt to help with your shopping. If you have more than one child, you can turn it into a competition.
- Stay in the middle of the aisle to avoid curious hands from knocking things off shelves.
- Look for checkout lanes that don’t have candy. If you have a small enough purchase, you can use the self checkout lane.
- Take a little time to educate your child on what you are doing. Show them how to compare prices and read a nutritonal label. They will need these real life skills for their lifetime.
- Learn your stores layout. This goes back to lowering your shopping time.
- Tell your child to remind you to buy something. This makes them feel important and can help keep their mind busy.
