Pissed at the grocery store

[lalaland42]

I just got back from the grocery store and I am furious!

They have new car carts with built in TVs.

Now I get to be the bad guy when I take DD shopping and say no to the car carts. Actually, I have a choice in grocery stores so I now have to change my shopping habits. I said something to the assistant manager and he totally blew me off. DD wasn't with me so he probably thought I was childless. So I called the manager and told him we wouldn't be in again until the carts are gone.

I hate having people push tv on me, I don't push a tv-free lifestyle on them. :

[amandaleigh37]

Oh boy. It seems like everyone is trying to keep kids plugged in 24/7 lately. First it was TVs in cars, now in grocery carts? Yikes.

[weliveintheforest]

In a grocery cart?! Wow that is crazy. We don't have anything like that here thank goodness.

[tallulahma]

oh jeez.

really?

how does that even seem like a good idea???

[AutumnMama]

Wow, that's crazy!

[boatbaby]

You are KIDDING?

What grocery store is this and in what state? I'd write them a letter. That is FREAKING INSANE!!!

[EyesOfTheWorld]

Wow! How bizarre? I can't imagine how that even makes business sense. Most people I know (and I don't know anyone else who's tv-free) are trying to limit their children's media consumption.

[NYCVeg]

They have TVs in all cabs in NYC now, as well. At least you can turn them off--but TVs in kids' carts seem especially coercive.

Our local Whole Foods now has TVs installed above the meat and fish counters, showing food prep, etc. I find them SO annoying. Why add the extra level of noise and distraction?

[lalaland42]

It was just like this one except it had Barney instead of Dora plastered on the outside.

http://amandacarroll.wordpress.com/2...-childs-dream/

Not really my dream shopping experience.

Oh and mine was also at Tom Thumb (aka Safeway). (In TX)

[nolansmummy]

That is insane! I can't believe how many places have tv now. :

[Arwyn]

From the link "UPDATE: I just had a thought…how long until we have the same technology attached to STROLLERS! Yes! GRACO…are you listening?" I'm all for pragmatism, and doing what it takes to get through the day, but this seems so messed up to me.

[HarperRose]

We had some of those at HEB here (also a TX chain) but they had radios playing kid songs. No tv. That would bug me and we're NOT tv-free. (I wish!)

[bscal]

The Publix that I run into when my oldest is in ballet class has those TV carts. I have never used them and I cannot see any reason to. I like going to the grocery store with my kids. It doesn't take much preplanning to make it quick and easy. I make my list (in the order of the store layout) and have my list marked if I have coupons or items are on sale. I bring with me pads of paper, crayons, small books, snacks and juice boxes (my big secret weapon for keeping them happy!) We talk about what we're going to buy, I let my 3 yr old DD help me pick what kind/color of apples we should get and have her help me pick out 6 of them or whatever. I used to teach preschool and the grocery store is just such an awesome learning experience. I just can't see taking away that bonding time with my kids to plug them into a TV cart... and I'm not even TV free or anything, we watch TV quite a bit at home.

Beth

[nolansmummy]

arwyn - i saw that update too. I do not think stroller age kids need tv. A baby? Nope. A one year old? NO way. Its not like its hard to keep a baby occupied anyway, they just lay there in their stroller. A one year old perhaps, i know my dd doesn't like the stroller too much but i don't think tv is the answer. I don't know why , but the pushing of tv on kids just seems like more of an excuse to not interact with them. If you can just zone them out with a program, you can go on about your day. :

[darien]

Ick. My dc help me shop. We talk about nutrition, and sales, and what we're going to eat that week. Why would I want to shut them out of that?

I might be singing a different tune if they went nuts in the grocery store, but, WTF? Why don't we just strap tv's onto kids like headlamps, and be done with it.

[TEAK's Mom]

Originally Posted by darien

Ick. My dc help me shop. We talk about nutrition, and sales, and what we're going to eat that week. Why would I want to shut them out of that?

I might be singing a different tune if they went nuts in the grocery store, but, WTF? Why don't we just strap tv's onto kids like headlamps, and be done with it.

Watch out, someone with patent that idea.

Seriously, I'm very glad that such nonsense hasn't reached us here in Alaska yet. Hopefully, it never will.

[eclipse]

heh. I can understand why they could be annoying, but this would be a dream for me. Shopping with my kids is hell .

[NettleTea]

That thing is really disturbing. It also looks incredibly stupid.

Like one of the previous posters mentioned, this completely shuts a kid out of the shopping experience. Quality interaction between child, parent and its surrounding environment is so important. How much more will children have to be left alone and "in the dark" before more people start realizing that this is maybe just a little too much?

eta: It mentions in the blog that the cart cannot be taken outside and have to move groceries into a separate cart and remove kid from tv cart. Is it just me or is that a tantrum waiting to happen?

[Mama Dragon]

I dunno, I don't have a problem with it. The stores I go to have fancy race car carts and I don't let my kids in those (not getting into reasons, they are valid and I don't want to type out the backstory), I don't have a problem telling them no for things I don't think they should have. It's as simple as explaining as you drive to the store, "we're not going to use the X kind of cart, if you throw a fit, we'll go home without shopping". Problem solved? I have pretty horrid tempered kids too, they throw a fit at everything!

[onlyzombiecat]

Wow. I have not seen those.
I wonder why the car isn't entertaining enough without putting a TV in it?
My dd loved the car carts. They were the only way we could shop for awhile.