Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Kids wandering a store = trouble.

I have a problem, and I don't know what to do about it.

I've never had to do it before.

So here it is.

My husband is working 13 days straight right now, with the 14th day off. 10-12 hour days.

My sister was staying with us for a couple months, but has now moved out.

So my problem is, how am I going to go grocery shopping ALONE with three children, three and under. They can't exactly walk. I mean of course they all can walk, but Bubu is the only one that would listen for the most part. He is so slow though that I would be in the store for a couple hours instead of the hour it already takes me, and talk about stressful! They have the carts that fit two children, but not three. If I put Bubu in the basket of the two kid cart, by the time I start throwing groceries in, there won't be any room for him. I have to go shopping every weekend, and it's the kind of shopping where the cart if full to overflowing. I already make it as simple as possible. I always go to the same grocery store so I know were everything is, I make detailed and categorized lists that for the most part follow the lay out of the store so that I minimize backtracking. But it's still a procedure. Normally I either leave the boys at home with the hubby or we go to the store together and use two carts. While hubby's been working so much my sister has been helping so I hadn't been faced with this problem yet. I'm not really worried about the kids freaking out, they usually do really well when they go with, except for the occasional fit from Atty. But he's a redhead so go figure. It's just containing them that is the problem, because anyone with kids knows that kids wandering a store = trouble. I use to put one in the backpack and the other two in the cart, but they are all so heavy now. I seriously don't know what to do. It seems like a little problem, but I can't get around the weekly grocery shopping, or make it go any quicker, so I am going to have to face this next weekend. The only other thing I can think of is to wait until my hubby gets home, late at night and leave him with the kids and go then. That might be the only solution, but my hubby is so burnt out by then that I hate to do that to him. Plus quite honestly I am pretty burnt out by then too and the last thing I want to do is go grocery shopping late at night, uggg....

Does anyone else have any solutions? What do you do? What do you think would work best for me? What am I going to do when I have four kids, four and under! Good Grief.

6 comments:

Marlea said...

Oh my gosh girl! That is a problem! I have no good solutions, or suggestions. Sorry!

Kat said...

What kind of grocery store is that? Every store around here has those little car carts that seats two in front and then one up top by mom. I use those ALL THE TIME. Otherwise... hmmmm.
I'd say let the oldest (or best behaved) walk with you and include him in the shopping as much as possible. Let him carry something. Ask him to hand you the oranges, etc. I find that really helps keep them out of trouble when they are involved. They feel important. Make a BIG deal out of it like, "you are going to be mommy's BIG HELPER today!"
Good luck!

Lisa said...

I think the idea of using your oldest as your helper and keeping the smaller two contained is a good idea if they go with you. When did you say is your husband's next day off? If it is near your grocery time, then I think you should let Dad have some boys' time, and go get your shopping done! I know he's worked hard too, and is tired, but so have you!!! It sounds like if he's working so much (which, by the way, is great in this economy and all) that maybe his time with the boys has been limited, so maybe he'd actually welcome it. I know when my husband works a lot, I usually assume he just wants/needs some quiet time, but then am pleasantly surprised when he is happy to take care of the kids. :) Another thought: how about cutting the one trip into two, and doing it at night when hubby gets home. Shop for the next 3 days vs. the next 7. I do that sometimes. Just cut the grocery list in half, getting what I need for the next 3 days. It works most of the time. You need time alone too, even if it is at the store!! Good-luck, can't wait to see what you do!

MOMSWEB said...

Lisa and Kat had GREAT suggestions and I'm glad because I didn't have one for you besides to pray for an extra ounce of energy and go in the evening. Bless you and your life with three LITTLE boys.

Tiffany said...

Oh the drama of the grocery store! I HATE it. I like the little two seater then have the bigger kids walk beside me. The idea of the helper is brilliant. I usually have the ones 4 and under pick out something in the store that they want later as a treat, I try and encourage something heathy like a trying a new fruit, but if I am really desperate they can have anything they want! But the deal is they have to have one hand on my cart at ALL times, take the hand off the treat goes bye-bye. I use this in the parking lot so no one get shit by a car, as soon as I walk out the doors all hands, even big kids, go on the cart until I get to the car.
Good Luck, may the force be with you!!

Tiffany said...

Oh My GOSH!! Please ignore the "shit" in the last post... it was supposed to be "HIT" How embarrassing...