walking in stores - Page 3

[BeanyMama]

I always ask if she wants to get in the cart off the bat, she usually does. When she asks to get down and walk with her brothers, I let her. It's more of a hassle but it's how she practices staying with me in crowded areas.

[Baby_Cakes]

I voted other - sometimes. DD is just shy of 15 mo and I only let her walk around if I don't have a lot to get or if we're just going to be in and out. She tends to let go of my hand and run off, grab things, etc. She usually rides in the cart or stroller (if we're at the mall).

[Boot]

I voted 'other'. I find it MUCH easier when he's in the cart but he likes to walk and it's good for him to get used to sticking close, avoiding obstacles, listening to me, etc. Basically, if I'm feeling patient and strong enough I let him walk but if I'm in a hurry, feeling harassed or doing a really big shop I put him in the cart.

I don't think there is a right or a wrong way of doing it. It's just what works best for your family in your particular situation.

[gabby_mom_74]

I just started letting my DD (3) walk in the grocery store if I'm on a shorter trip. If she starts to misbehave though (walk off or take things off the shelves), we are back in the cart until the next time when we "try again". We started with the ergo, then went to the cart til now.

[Anna's Lovey]

All the time! Ever since she could walk! But then my lo, who is nineteen months, is kind of not a normal toddler in that she would pick One thing off the shelf and place it carefully in the shopping cart not go crazy pulling things down and knocking things over. Also, she doesn't run away from me. Since she's pretty shy of strangers she stays close. Our favorite place to "shop" is Target because there is so much fascinating stuff to look at and not a lot of staff there to give me the evil eye if she paws at some plastic jewelry:0) The grocery store and Target are like indoor playgrounds for us when the weather is too hot or too cold to be outside. She's still at that age where she doesn't wine to buy anything yet, so it's lots of fun!

[MaterPrimaePuellae]

I voted "yes," but really, I don't let her walk all the time. She LOVES to walk and explore the store, and I do feel like it's good exercise (sometimes the only walking she gets during the day ). She was "walking" holding on the cart ("helping me push") before she turned 1. However, she has a VERY poor radar for proximity to other people. One day in the library she almost knocked over a very old lady with a cane. That was a sobering experience. She also touches everything. I understand how tempting the store must be (it is designed to be tempting, to know), but wow-- the constant supervision wears me out.

Usually, if I have the patience, I start off by letting her walk. We talk about our rules beforehand, and if she breaks the rules, she goes into the sling or the cart.

She's an only child right now, though. When her little brother is born, I think she will be spending a lot more time in the cart.... or, if all my dreams come true, she'll be helping watch her little brother at home with her father while I sip Starbucks and shop by myself. As much as I enjoy being with her, our grocery budget is tight and I simply cannot focus adequately while keeping up with her/keeping her quiet/entertaining her.... So we're about to start trying a new grocery plan which basically involves her not being there until she's older and has a little more self-control.

[4Jet]

It depends on what type of store I'm in. If it has a cart, I'll use it 95% of the time and only let DD walk if we've been there a while and is getting antsy. Or if I have a 2nd adult, I'll let her walk. But if it's me, her and the cart, I don't trust her listing to me 100% of the time (but she does very well keeping closeby). If it's a smaller store I'll try and bring the umbrella stroller or if I'm getting 1 or 2 things, we'll just hold hands. So I answered other as there are many things that make me have her walk or not.

[Maela]

I've been letting her walk since she was about 1.5yo. Of course, back when she was 1.5 and REALLY slow, I didn't have another child to watch out for. If I had had another, she wouldn't have been walking so much. And she has to stay next to me and not pull things off the shelves. If she does, she's in the cart.

[Alathia]

Usually I let them walk, unless we have an appointment somewhere else, then I'll sling DS2. But my kids are really well behaved, so DS1 (4.5) often leads DS2 (16 months), and DS2 will happily follow his brother. I make them hold onto the cart, or hold hands with each other. They are pretty fast walkers though, faster than most adults pushing carts in a store!

[Momily]

My son is 10, so obviously I let him walk in stores, but when he was little, I loved pushing him around in the cart, with him just the right level for intimate conversations. So, if we were in a store with a cart, he was in it.

On the other hand, I let him walk around the mall or grocery stories or whatever, all the time. We used to bring the baby doll stroller and he'd push one and I'd push the other and we'd enjoy the outing.

[samstress]

always! i figure i'm the one who needs to be there, so i feel like i should try to make it as painless for her as possible. i find if i let her push the cart (something she LOVES to do), that keeps her from wandering off. trips to the store take longer, but i don't mind. we always have fun!

[Artichokie]

It depends. Our local food coop, E (23 mos) walks (and pushes a child sized shopping cart). Costco, otoh, is a shopping cart store. Department stores are walking stores as long as she stays by me.

[luvmybaby333]

My daughter is 18 months old. I live in the country, with limited vehicle access, and rarely make it out to the store. So when I do go, I have things that I need to get DONE. I also have a 6½-year-old. My DH will sometimes take the baby out of the cart and hold her hand while she walks. I don't do it often, though. I can't spend my time pushing the cart, shopping, keeping an eye on the older one AND chasing after a super fast toddler. It just doesn't work. Besides, when she's up in the shopping cart she has semi-free access to my boobs. In light of that, she usually doesn't mind too terribly.

[luvmybaby333]

***I guess the issue for me isn't that she's too slow-- it's that she's too fast and slippery. It takes more time to chase her than it would if she just calmly walked beside us. As I mentioned, my DH will let her walk at times... but when she doesn't listen she goes right back into the shopping cart. I don't feel bad about it. She gets plenty of other opportunities to walk and exercise her legs.

[rightkindofme]

I let my daughter walk almost all the time. Once in a great great while she rides in the cart but she usually isn't interested. She is 19 months and has been walking with me since she was about 14 months. We go very slowly. She stops to look at things and show me. I tell her it's neat now can she please put it away. She does 95% of the time.