• Avoid shopping if your young children are tired and hungry. In fact, try to avoid shopping if YOU are tired and hungry.
• If it is available and you like the idea use internet shopping, have your groceries delivered.
• Create a list and be organized so that you are not in the store any longer than you need to be.
• Give yourself enough time. Children feel stressed when they are rushed, and this is when the behavior starts to go downhill. I used to try to rush up and down the aisle with my 1-year old trying to break the shopping world record. One day I asked myself, "What are you doing?" CHILL! I decided to slow down. If that meant letting her having a 'turn' at pushing the cart, or stopping to look at the doggies and kitties on the packets in the pet food isle, then that is what we did.  We were both less stressed and happier at the end.
• Let them play -okay- I can hear you thinking, "What is she talking about?" What I mean is that children are more likely to be cooperative if what they are doing is fun. I remember spending one whole shopping trip with my two-year old daughter and her friend crawling behind the cart as cats. As long as I stayed in character ("Here kitties."), they would do what ever I wanted.
• Shopping is filled with great learning opportunities. Try these phrases out: "Could you get the yellow packet, please?" or "See the one that starts with 'B'?" or "We need the square box."
• Tell your child ahead of time what type of behavior you expect.  Children cannot read your mind. Spell it out for them. Will you be buying them a snack or taking one? Let them know before hand. Do you want your children to take turns at putting items in the cart?  Let them know.
• Involve your child in shopping by helping to look for certain items, placing items in the cart, and crossing off items from the list. Children love to help. This tip can also help the fussy eater. If a child has helped to choose a food, then she is more likely to eat it.
• Take snacks and drinks to avoid the inevitable hunger pangs at the sight of all that food. I always took snacks for my daughter when we went shopping because I never wanted her to get into the habit of expecting something every time we went to the store. I do now occasionally get her a treat, but she doesn't expect one every time.
• To keep your child safe, stay with them at all times. Keep them seated when in the cart.  If they are young enough, or keep standing in the seat, use the restraint.
• Visit the toilet or do a diaper change before you get in to the store. Now I know this does not always work. If your little one needs a change or to go to the toilet, then just leave the cart near a check out, and tell a staff member you will be back. Don't get angry - as frustrating as it is because, as the saying goes - when you've got to go, you've got to go. I could not begin to tell you the amount of times this has happened to me.
• Remember to praise your child for good behavior. For example "I really liked the way you are staying close to the cart today".

Parent tips

• I always went when the baby had had a feed.
• I would only go when I was sure that toddlers were happy and not tired or hungry.
• I always take snacks with me for the children to eat as I am grocery shopping (a little bag of raisins or a date or a piece of fruit).
• If it was going to be a long shop, then I would have the bit of food that took the longest to eat for the most needy part of my shopping trip.
• When my eldest two were too big for the trolley, I would give them an activity.  I would tell them, "Skip to the end and then jump back to me", as I went up and down each supermarket aisle.
• Similarly, if we had a lengthy wait in the checkout line, I would have them skip and touch something far away and then hop back to me or run and touch a certain color  - anything to keep them amused as I shopped.
• There have been many times that shopping has been a nightmare for me, and it has been when I have taken tired kids.
• I don't take them clothes shopping because that is not interesting for them.
• I always tell them how wonderful they are when I take them shopping, and how I love taking them. This makes them try and be just as good the next time.

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