Taking your toddler grocery shopping can feel like the parental equivalent of a trek up Everest. Negotiating tricky crevasses (your toddler's willingness to participate) through to sudden storms (tantrums) can make that push for the summit (tonight's dinner) feel particularly unreachable. So what's a mom or dad to do? Abandon all attempts and go internet grocery shopping instead? Not a bad idea. Live on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Well, it's probably your toddler's idea of a gourmet meal.* But like peanut butter or not, you're going to have to go at one point. It's one of those unfortunate musts and the survival trick is preparation.
Just as you wouldn't make your quest for Everest's summit in a bikini, so you shouldn't take your toddler when she clearly has no chance of making it through the event. Plan early in the day what you need and make sure you go shopping either well before nap time before the 'cranks' arrive or after her nap when you're sure she's fully awake. No adult likes being dragged out of bed and shoved in to a car seat, so try to offer the same consideration to your little person. Plan a snack which you can either give just before you go or alternatively, make a picnic out of it.
Have realistic expectations for your shopping experience and make sure that you are also as well rested as you can be, before you embark on your voyage. Don?t cram too many errands in together. Getting those last few things done may seem like a good idea, but when you?ve got your little person in tow, it?s a recipe for a disaster. Tell your toddler your plans. We?re just going in to this store to get groceries and you get to sit in the cart! Make sure you phrase it in such a way that it?s a done deal. Make it sound like you confidently expect your toddler to participate in this wonderful exercise.
Put your toddler in the cart immediately on entering the store, unless you have another mode of transportation that does not involve her walking independently. Do up the safety straps and take advantage of those grocery store cleaning wipes to give the handle a swipe if they offer one. Bring a long a toy for her that you can preferably attach to the cart.
Resist the temptation to offer treats in the grocery store. If you do provide a treat, you could well create a problem that will last for years and make grocery store visits about as appealing as having a root canal. Why not just one? Well, just introducing the concept can cause problems both now and down the line. Make a habit of never offering anything in the store, except your delightful company. Just remember, if you can encourage them to find you scintillating at this age, you might be in with a hope that they will still find you even remotely interesting when they?re a teenager.
Make your toddler part of the shopping experience. Take time out to make it a fun and educational experience for her. Show her the produce you?re buying and name things for her. Let her help you put things in the cart, is she?s in a good enough mood. Take time to enjoy her as she learns something new. Expect little hands to reach and be careful where you park your cart as you don?t want to be responsible for creating a roller derby out of tomato sauce cans.
When you get back in the car, congratulate her on a job well done. Tell her how much you liked her helping you. Take time out to offer her a pleasant activity once you're home and you?ve put the perishables away. Remember you want to praise her when she behaves well and the rest of the groceries will always be there to be put away later. *If your toddler eats peanut butter be sure to use smooth peanut butter thinly spread. ?
Annie the Nanny provides advice and techniques to empower parents and help them with any behavior issues their child or children may be having. Trained and experienced, she helps parents by showing them the keys to bringing up happy, confident, well behaved children. Banish whining, bedtime battles, or other challenging behaviors. Check out her website @ http://www.anniethenanny.ca for lots of free information, fun articles and even get your parenting questions answered for free!
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