Keeping Kids Calm in the Grocery Store

Grocery shopping for parents can be frustrating when our kids misbehave. In a perfect world, children would always be happy and obedient. For those of us in the real world, here are some tips for keeping your toddler or young child happy while grocery shopping.

Avoid tantrum triggers. Unless you have plans to buy cookies, don't go down the cookie aisle. If you aren't going to buy a toy, don't go past the toy aisle.

This is a variation of a rule you may have heard for yourself. Instead of "Don't grocery shop while hungry," I'm suggesting you don't shop while the kids are hungry. I will often buy something from the deli department for my sons to munch on while we shop. Because it is from the deli, it has already been weighed so the price is already on the package. My favorite snack for the kids? Popcorn chicken from Wal-Mart. It is important to keep those little tummies full to keep the kids happy while you are in the grocery store!

Distract the kids from the boredom of yet another trip down the canned food aisle by bursting into a rowdy rendition of the alphabet or your favorite song. You can also play games such as shape searchers and I-spy. To play shape searchers, ask your child to find a certain shape. Look for as many examples of that shape as you can find, and then you can announce a different shape to search for.

Don't go shopping when it's time for little Timmy to take a nap. This is a sure way to cause a meltdown in the middle of the grocery store! When we are tired, everything is so much harder to cope with. Now think about being a toddler, with only a few words to express yourself. I'm willing to bet you'd be screaming too! Waiting until after nap time is a good way to keep the kids calm and happy!

If all else fails, get a sitter or trade shopping days with a friend. This is a great way to help out another mom who doesn't get much time for herself. Have her watch your kids for a couple hours, and then watch hers for a couple hours. (I know, without the kids it doesn't really take two hours to shop! Let's give a little extra time to get a cup of coffee or look at a magazine!) As long as all the kids get along, and you can arrange this trip once a week or so, not only will the kids be happy while you are at the grocery store, so will you!

Grocery shopping with kids doesn't have to be an ordeal. Arm yourself with tricks to handle tantrums before they start, and shopping with the kids can even be fun!