grocery shopping troubles=mean mommy HELP!

[missythemom]

I had a horrible time this morning with my oldest daughter whom is five and ahalf.I honestly don't know why i let her behaviour get to me the way it did because looking back on it now it wasn't anything to get that upset about.every time we go shopping she has to touch everything on the shelves. :tdshe can't walk down an aisle without touching everything she possibly can. :shrugi can't stand it!! it sounds ridiculous to let that get me anger going but it really bugs me. :hissyfit anyway i said to her "i know all this stuff looks cool and you want to touch it but it is not ours and i expect you to keep your hands to yourself." the first time i said it i was calm, :)the second time i said it i was not so calm but not totally off the deep end, :/well then the third time was the charm and i swatted her bum :banghead :shrug :cry but guess what (big surprise here) :doh that didn't work either.i feel horrible for swatting her on the tushie.i know it was wrong,but i was getting increasingly embarrased :blushby her not listening and thinking to myself how she is old enough to know what my words mean i should not have to repeat myself a thousand times.how could i have done better? :thinkthere has got to be a way to get her to use her manners when we are out and remember what is expected of her.she has "selective" hearing issues as i guess most five year olds do (come to think of it my dh has that same problem,lol :hearts) but i really need her to behave while we are out.am i asking to much of her for her age to keep her hands to herself and to not try to act like a wild animal in the store(i mean that literally she really does try to be either a lion or a dinosaur during most outings!) what can i do i really need advice here.thanks in advance. :pray

[MarynMunchkins]

I'd give her something to do. :) Can she pick up the things you need of the shelf, or cross things off the list? Maybe her own picture list (if she's not reading) would help. We play "I Spy" in the grocery store, or sometimes look for everything that is one particular price. (How many $1.29 items can you find?) If all else fails, I have them play hopscotch on the tile while I attempt to shop quickly. ;)

IME, the best way to keep them from doing stuff is to keep them otherwise occupied. :D

[LoveToReadMommy]

One of my dd's is a very touchy child. She has to touch everything. I think it's part of her learning style, just can't think of the name of it right now. As long as she's being careful, and not wreckless, I let her touch anything. Is your daughter usually touching things besides in the store?

[missythemom]

she generally does have to touch everything.i talked with her this morning and i told her that i had made a big mistake in getting so angry with her and she was very forgiving actually.anyhow i told her i was sorry.i also asked her if she would like a big girl job when we go shopping and her first responce was "do i get all my own money?" LOL she is now very excited about the prospect of having her own picture list of things we need and that it will be her job to find them and put them in the cart.so hopefully this will give her the opportunity to still touch things but keep her busy enough she won't touch everything.thanks for your replies. :D

[Micah]

My 6 yr old dd is also this way...so as suggested above I give her things to do and it helps a lot! :)

[Lois]

wow these are such great ideas!! MAN I wish I could have had that much fun shoping with my mom when I was growing up!

[ArmsOfLove]

definately include her--train her to be a wise shopper :tu

Remind her of the rules *before* you go into the store. Have a backup plan like being in the cart.

And why does it bother you that she touches everything? Is she damaging it? Knocking it off the shelf? Making it take too long? What exactly is it that upsets you?

[missythemom]

i guess what bothers me is that i am worried she may break something,and totally embarass me.she has knocked over an entire display of hot cocoa boxes and marshmallows before, :wowthank God thats all that was on it,LOL. :Oi had her help me pick it up and she did so without complaint but it was just a pain to have to spend all that time cleaning it up and what if it was mayonaise bottles or something? i can't afford to pay for twenty bottles of broken anything ykwim? we are making a trip to the grocery store this weekend,and we have been talking about what we will put on our lists,she is pretty excited about it so i'll have to let you know how it goes. ;)thanks again for the replies. :tu

[tcdsmama]

The ideas above are all great. It almost makes me want to go grocery shopping with my kids.

If those don't work for you, look at getting the bulk of your groceries delievered and then make short trips for just a few items. Or, if you grocery shop once a week, start going twice a week for shorter lengths of time. It's probably difficult for her to not touch everything. (It's all so pretty and exciting!) It's difficult for you to keep an eagle eye out disaster.

[missythemom]

Hi everyone i'm sorry it took me a bit to get back here to let ya'll know how it went.we went on saturday with my father and my little sister as well as both of my dds.i was really encouraged by what happened.she was so occupied "helping" that she didn't even want to mess with anything else. :Dshe had a bunch of fun and i praised her for being such a good helper and shopper. :clapshe was very proud of herself and i must say i am pretty proud of her as well. :hearts :tunow i know that it was the first time with this and she may get bored with it eventually but i won't worry about that until that time comes.i am just so pleased she did so well especially when my sister was with us and my dd likes to kinda show off for her a little bit.my youngest dd whom is two and a half was even pretty well behaved on the trip,she usually cries when she has to ride in the cart but she cooperated very well this time too. :heartso all together it was a great shopping trip,hope it goes as well the next time.thanks for your replies. :grouphug

[MarynMunchkins]

:tu Way to go! :highfive

[milkmommy]

If those don't work for you, look at getting the bulk of your groceries delievered .


How does that work where you are here they tag on like a 20% graduity tax on your bill and you have to have a 150 miminum purchace :eek
Deanna

[ArmsOfLove]

:woohoo :thumbsup