Keep the kids busy while grocery shopping: push the cart backwards!

Caron demonstrates her version of the "do what you have to do" method of grocery shopping with two little kids:

I'm an ever-faithful reader and I discovered a hack while grocery shopping the other night. I had both of my young boys (5 years and 1.5 years) in the airplane shopping cart and they were pinching each other and driving me nuts. While trying to navigate a crowded isle, instead of turning the cart around, I pushed it from the front and both boys giggled as I pushed the cart backward through the isles. It may not work every time, but it was enough to distract them from fighting and allowed my husband and I to finish shopping.

Related: Plastic bag "balloons" keep kids distracted while grocery shopping

Comments

[jess]

my daughter likes to "help push the cart" (holding it in the leg holes of the seat). Then she says, "it's too heavy". Keeps her nearby, and entertained.
doesn't work every time, but helps.

[Debi]

I would sometimes bring along my daughter's toy shopping cart so she could push it alongside, putting smaller items in her basket. It really kept her entertained and engaged, though I wouldn't do it in a crowded supermarket.

[Caron]

Woot! I'm so proud to have a published hack!

Add this to the list of things that I can accomplish via my phone from the rocking chair: submissions to Parent Hacks!

[Robyn D]

I will usually ask my son to put things in the cart because they're too heavy for Mommy. If it's a can or something up high, I'll put it on a lower shelf and ask him to get it for me. Makes for a longer shopping trip but it's better than him running off. When he's older (he's only 2.5 now) I will definately be trying this backwards hack. :)

[Candy]

Wow, here I was thinking I was the only parent that did her groceries pushing the trolley backwards!
Saves me getting pinched punched, clawed at when they want out, and it distracts them!