Last time, we talked about creative alternatives and simplifying things when it comes to shopping with children. While I hope that some of those ideas were helpful to many of you, when you find yourself in a situation where you need to head to the store with little children, here are some ideas and suggestions which have worked well for us:
Have a Very Organized Plan
::Plan a menu and a detailed grocery list. If you want a recipe for disaster when it comes to shopping with little children, go shopping without a plan. Failing to plan is planning to fail.
Before you even so much as get into the car to head to the store, make sure your grocery list is complete. I’d suggest you go as far as to even make an aisle-by-aisle grocery list. I also find it helpful to have a separate list for each store in a separate envelope along with the coupons I’m planning to use at that store.
::Plan your method of operation. Think ahead of time where each child will sit and what they will do while you’re shopping.
::Rehearse what is expected of your children ahead of time. I personally think it is very important for children to know specifically what is expected of them. We can’t just assume they know how we want them to behave if we’ve not spent a great deal of time training them in this. Almost every single time before we head into the store, we review our family’s ground rules for shopping before we even get out of the car. This ensures that they know and I know that they know what is expected of them.
::Don’t shop at lunchtime or naptime. It will just make for cranky children and a frazzled mom. Plan your shopping trips when everyone is rested and fed. In addition, I’d recommend not shopping during peak hours — such as right before dinner. Not only will the store be less crowded, but likely you’ll find the other shoppers are a little more patient if it’s not dinner-hour rush.
::Have a back-up plan. If a child becomes fussy while you’re at the store, what’s your plan? Perhaps you can have a stash of snacks or suckers or travel games to dole out, depending upon what you feel is best. Whatever the case, definitely come prepared for possible diaper blow-outs, thirsty/hungry children, spills, etc. If you plan for the worst-case scenario, it won’t catch you by surprise if it happens!
Be Flexible
::When shopping with your children, they are your first priority. This means that sometimes you need to cut your shopping trip short or you need to completely revamp your plan or switch to Plan B or Plan F. Go into the shopping trip with a clear-cut plan, but also be prepared to roll with the punches, expecting that things likely aren’t going to go according to plan. Doing so will allow you to be a lot less stressed when the unexpected arises.
::Prioritize your shopping trip. I don’t know about you, but I often go into a shopping trip with a clear-cut list and plan, but I also have some extras on there as well. Things that I don’t necessarily need to buy, but which I want to price-check or a coupon which I think might possibly make for a good deal. Since it’s inevitable with children that mishaps will occur, starting your shopping trip with the must-do’s and must-buys and then move onto the extras if you have time and things are still going smoothly. If not, these extras can always be bumped until the following week or shopping trip
Relax and Enjoy the Ride
::Smile! 🙂 It’s amazing how far a cheerful attitude can go. The sooner we can learn to laugh instead of cry as moms, the calmer we’ll be.
::Praise your children. Children thrive on praise and I believe we should be showering them with it. So while you’re shopping, look for ways to give positive encouragement to your children instead of just constantly scolding them for misbehaving.
::Involve your children. Young children love responsibility. Give them little tasks to help you with while shopping. Maybe they could get the items on the lower shelves. Or look for blinkies. Or cross the items off the grocery list. Give them a job to do and praise them for a job well done!
::Enjoy your children. Lastly, have fun with your children. Talk with them. Laugh with them. Make shopping a fun outing, instead of a dreaded experience.
For Beginners
If you’re new to using coupons and shopping at multiple stores and feeling overwhelmed at how to juggle it all when you’re also bringing young children with you, here are some tips:
::Start Slowly. Don’t try to convince yourself you’re superwoman. You’re not. If you’ve never used coupons before, keep it very simple and slowly ease into it.
I’d suggest picking one store to shop at and working on planning a menu around the sales as well as using a few coupons to start out with. As you feel more comfortable and accustomed to things, you can slowly start adding in new stores, using more coupons and so on. But it’s much better in the long run to take it very slow than to try to juggle everything at once and quickly frustrate and burn yourself out.
::Choose Wisely. You don’t have to hit every deal. You don’t even have to hit most of the deals. Pick a few deals each week on items which are things you need and use and stock up on those. Even stocking up on a few month’s supply of just one item each week when it is at a rock-bottom price, can make a big dent in your grocery budget over time.
::Give Yourself Grace. This is something I’m learning afresh right now. You can’t do it all — but you can sure wear yourself out trying! Do the best you can do with the time and energy you have and be satisfied with that.
What are your best tips and tricks for shopping with young children? I’ve barely scratched the surface in what I’ve shared here so I’d love to hear your ideas — and I know others would like to as well!
photo by AlwaysBreaking