Summer holidays are notorious for testing the patience of even the most saint-like parents. There are ways parents can reduce the pester stress that is inevitable when young ones accompany parents on shopping trips. A small ask has the potential to escalate into a public meltdown, many parents have experienced this behaviour first-hand.
There are ways to survive the journey through capitalist marketing strategies seemingly aimed at making shopping a risky task during school holidays:
• Kids love having a job to do. You can keep children busy by designating them tasks, like pushing the trolley or ticking items off a list, they’ll feel more involved and interested.
• Visit the free fruit station. A healthy snack might give you the time to complete the shop with minimal fussing.
• Take things to distract. Difficult behaviour often arises when children are hungry or tired. If you have a book, toy or something to eat, you might be able to stretch their patience until the shop is done.
Remember that children will be children and parents will be parents. Hopefully parents can find comfort in knowing that they are not alone in experiencing challenging behaviours this silly season.