I think I Prefer Shopping WITH My Children

Last night I had to do a mad dash to Tesco to stock up on dairy-free foods as my daughter confirmed, yes, she’s still allergic to dairy, please stop ‘trying’ dairy with me.

I never thought I would prefer visiting a supermarket with two small children, but it turns out I do! I’m not talking about the huge shops, because I’m unable to just do one big shop a week. Lots of little shops ticks us over quite nicely. With these little shops, my children always accompany me. During these shops the baby will cry, the toddler will cry, I try not to cry and a fully stocked shelf usually gets strewn across the aisle from flailing arms. *keep arms inside the trolley at all times* When the toddler is loose in the store, I will be encumbered with many other moments that make me think, this was all not worth it, next week, we can starve.

Last night however, it felt wrong being by myself. I will admit it was much easier and quicker. But I had no entertainment, no-one to talk to, so much so that I even considered chatting to a staff member who looked like he was having a pretty terrible day, then I realised I don’t have time. Since when I left the house I waved ‘bye’ to two crying children and a frazzled partner (as a smile slowly grew across my face).

Shopping without children also made me notice how busy the shop was. How frantic everyone was being as they raced around the supermarket, crashing trolleys with other shoppers and being huffy in the queues waiting to pay. These people are rude. I tend to not notice these shoppers because I’m so distracted, by distracting the children, from being bored or wanting every bloody thing they lay their eyes on.

Being in the carpark by myself did mean I could park in the far distant corner of the carpark, without worrying about the safety of transporting two children to the entrance. This made me notice the drivers that race around the carpark at a questionable speed, circling a few times to secure a disabled or mother and toddler space. These people aren’t disabled and don’t have children. These people are lazy. I also noticed the very odd drivers that join me in the far corner of the carpark, with dozens of empty bays, but decide to park up tight next to my car. I have no words.

So next time I go shopping I would rather it be with my children, there’s never a dull moment to be had, I don’t notice the odd behaviours of other shoppers, which in all honesty, irritates me slightly and I also have an excuse to buy more biscuits. Because, what’s a shopping trip, without a bit of biscuit bribery?