What would you have done? - Page 2

[peaceful_mama]

yeah I've come to realize I'm a little quick to take away any and all incentive to change anything.

I wasn't about to have them get out of the cart entirely, then I could have been dealing with *running* children while trying to deal with the checkout.

I'm full well willing to concede to the distraction of a snack. Even some much-coveted M&Ms at this point lol after all I think the first point of any decent discipline plan would be to try to avoid a situation that triggers behavior we don't want to see in the first place....SO....if the distraction of even MnM's works, I am ALL FOR IT. Much better than what's happened currently.

(but then there's always the "out" I've been using where I just avoid the store at all costs with them )

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by peaceful_mama

(but then there's always the "out" I've been using where I just avoid the store at all costs with them )

Most definitely.

Or use trips to the store as semi-special treats. Not like "you've been good, here's a trip to the store" but "who wants to come with me to the store and who wants to stay home and play with Daddy!"

When my little brother went to the store without me, he'd get me a Botan rice candy as well as one for himself. He kept getting both of them even after I moved away from home.

[Kirsten]

You know that your 5 and 3 year olds can't easily last through a long grocery trip. So I'd go without them - after dp is home in the evening or after they are in bed. Or on a weekend. You should be able to make a quick trip with them to pick up a few forgotten items, but a big hour plus trip is asking for trouble.

And I agree that putting three stops into one trip is convenient (in theory) for US, it is not workable for small children. I finally had to realize that that only worked if I didn't have my kids with me. With kids, one stop or two QUICK stops is the best way to go.

So I'd either not take them or be willing to use a bakery donut or pack of M & Ms or some other treat to keep them happy towards the end. They aren't 8 and 10; they are too young to talk into happy behavior for an extended (to them boring) grocery trip.

[peaceful_mama]

the checkout part was the only long part, the grocery shopping itself they actually had a GREAT time because it was around 4 PM so lots of free samples. It was MAYBE absolute TOPS 15 mins all we did was produce section, bottle of bbq sauce and frozen veggie area--and they got I think like 4 samples lol the checkout took nearly as long as the actual TRIP

keeping in mind this is a TOTALLY WORTHWHILE use of the beloved m n m's......