How to Make Shopping with Kids Easier

No one said being a parent was a piece of cake. Mom knows it can be tough just as much as you do. There is one small challenge on which we might be able to offer some advice: how to make the Gerrity’s experience enjoyable even when you’ve got the little ones in tow. Here are a few ideas.

Make your plan in advance.

As much as you can remove the element of chance or surprise, do it. Make your list, organize it by section, and try not to double back or meander. This will set both you and Junior up for maximum efficiency. It also helps keep Junior from getting bored.

Establish expectations.

It’s a good idea to be transparent with the wee ones from the outset. Let them know in advance that they can pick one thing, for example. Perhaps they can select a piece of fruit or some granola bars. The idea here is to prevent the dreaded meltdown.

Make it fun.

There are ways to keep the kids engaged while you’re doing your shopping. Teach them about ingredients as you go, let them know how you’ll use certain items, and ask them questions about what they see, touch, and smell. Some parents will even play a little game of “I Spy.”

Let them help.

There is always something your kids can do to help, from toddler-age on up. Perhaps they are counting items for you or crossing items off of your list. If they’re a bit older, maybe you can send them on a little errand of their own to grab an item.