Shopping can be stressful or it can be such a fun learning experience. I take my shoppers shopping with me all of the time. It has not always been a stress free experience but with years I have learned how to have a stress free shopping experience with my shoppers. I actually look forward to shopping with my shoppers. You do not need to be the screaming mommy at the store.
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Here are 5 steps I follow when I go shopping:
1.Make sure your shoppers are not hungry before you go to the store: If they are hungry they will remind you ever so often that they are hungry and you will feel as if you have to rush through the store. Also, if they are hungry they will ask you to buy many more things than they would if they were not hungry. You will have to say no way less if you bring shoppers with you who are not hungry.
2.Tell your shoppers ahead of time what is expected of them: While you are driving to the store tell them how much your planning to spend and what you are planning to buy. You can even explain this to a young child who is around 3 years old. They will eventually understand. Let your shoppers know what kind of behavior is allowed in the store (helping me shop, asking for a food item only once, standing near me, helping me unload my cart, and so on). Then let your shoppers know what is not allowed (running, screaming, asking for an item multiple times, and so on).
3.Go to only 2 to 3 stores at a time: The less stores you go to at one time the easier. Believe it or not but I get very tired from shopping too long so I can only imagine how tired my shoppers get. When they are tired they tend to complain, ask for more things, and fight with each other.
4. Organize your shopping list: I usually organize my shopping list by : produce, dairy, meat, grocery, deli, frozen items, and other. I make boxes and as I write down my shopping list I put the appropriate item in the appropriate box. This really saves time and you don’t have to go to the produce isle twice because you forgot something. I usually ask one of my older shoppers to tell me what is on my list.
5. Have your shoppers help you: This is the time to teach them how to be great shoppers. Let your shoppers help you pick out fruit, vegetables, and other groceries. Teach them what is a ripe avocado or kiwi. Let them touch and decide for themselves. For young shoppers this is a great way to learn how to count. I will ask Eve to get me 8 apples and she loves counting and putting them in a bag. Teach your shoppers how to compare prices and how to always check the expiration date. At the check out isle my kids put out our items from the cart. My older shoppers like to help bag. When we get home Peter and the younger girls help carry our groceries into the house while Esther and I put the groceries away.
Have fun shopping 🙂