Toddler Trolley

Is it just me or is it blindlingly obiovus that a supermarket trolley designed for a two year old is a really bad idea?

If you are childless, you are probably thinking; how cute. A little toddler waddling around a supermarket with her very own pint sized trolley, helping Mummy. Harmless, right?

Wrong. The reality is very different. A toddler trolley has the ability to turn a quick trip to the supermarket in to a painful, 'please ground swallow me up now' experience.

As soon as toddler see's trolley it is all over. She is squirming out of your grip and making her way over to it before you can think of a distraction. Within seconds, your toddler has wheels and she is off - on her way down isle 9, collecting grannies, screaming children and an aray of 'eye height' goodies as her loot.

Eventually you catch up and try and bribe the trolley from her grip. You find yourself offering her anything to get rid of the thing. Biscuits. No. Chips. No. Lollies. No. You feel the disapproving looks from passers by. Parents these days just can't control their children.

You find yourself hunched over for the entire shopping trip.. trying to guide the toddler trolley with one hand and keeping toddlers hands from the isles with the other.

You get to the checkout and unload. A sense of relief. You are almost out of there. Time to put the toddler trolley back.

As if a two year old is going to understand it is time to GIVE IT BACK. She screams. Pulls out your hair in clumps as you struggle to keep her under your arm, return the trolley and stay somewhat composed.

You finally manage to do this whilst paying the pimply, despondent check out chick as thw que grows behind you. The battle is seemingly over, you place your toddler back on her feet to put your purse in your bag.

Before you can blink, she has grabbed a handful of chocolate bars that are placed conveniently within her reach. The battle is far from over.

I was in this situation last week. That was me trying to bribe isobel around the supermarket - determined not to let a 2 year old take over my shopping. The worst part is, the whole thing might have been vaguely bareable had it not been for the middle aged man who was standing next to us in the isle. His disapproving stares made me feel like the worst mother in the world. I felt ashamed and my face was an unattractive shade of burgundy. How could I let my toddler behave like this? Where had I gone wrong?

With Izzy safely buckled up in the car, the shame faded and was replaced quickly with anger. How dare he look at me (and my child) like that. Didnt he remember what it was like to have a small child?

I know what he was thinking. It was written all over his face: Parents these days have no control over their children.

Well, I have thought about this a lot and if I see him again I will ask him this:

Did parents back in the 1950's have toddler trolleys and shelves of eye height colourful goodies to contend with? I think not.