Allowing children to eat food in shops before paying for it

[Starfish007]

Lots of strong views regarding the post! Until I read this post I would never of thought of giving my children or mindees food from the shelves. I know all of the children well enough to be able to plan our outings so that all their needs are met, whether this is a trip to a playgroup, park or supermarket.

I think if the mindees are so hungry that they need to eat food off the shelves whilst on a shopping trip maybe a bit more planning and thought should go into your day.

[pinky33]

So I'm guessing if your ok with eating from a shop and paying for it after.... Then it's ok for parents to take childcare then pay after.

In future think about your own actions if your ever in the position to come on here and say a parent hasn't paid in advance of care!
This taking stuff before it's paid for occurs in many forms in life and I wonder what forum Mr/Mrs Supermarket owner goes on to moan about people consuming goods without paying?

[pinky33]

I'll join the old moaners club too.

Can't believe people are trying to justify themselves.

I assume all the minders who think this is acceptable aren't the ones that moan when their mindees parents pay them late. After all, it's ok because they're going to pay you in the end anyway.

Oops I should have read your message first!!
Omg I'm stealing your thoughts

[pinky33]

Ok another query from me!
So if it's ok to feed our babes and kiddies baby milk, snacks, juice ect. Which is all stuff in my mind you should have on you anyway, what happens if said little person fills it's nappy and you don't have any on you?

Do we open a pack of nappies, wipes, and settle down for a nappy change?
Where does it start and end? Where's the fine line?

I'm also slightly tipsy tonight so I might be over thinking this. I'm allowed to be though I have no kids here

[kellib]

Who has actually said they do this with their mindees?

[pinky33]

I wasn't saying anyone has done this! I'm just curious as to how and when do we come to the conclusion we have over stepped a line.

[stardust]

Who has actually said they do this with their mindees?

The original posting was

Helendee
'Just wondering if any of you let your mindees do the above?
Personally I always make them wait until we have paid for the items but I am well aware that my views are often considered to be old fashioned these days. '

DebbieS26
'I have done it with my children and I have done it with childminded children.'
Page 2

And loads of people have commented and not stated that they dont do it with mindee's so as the original posting says would you let you mindee's then by answering yes ................................... but not stating that it is their child or mindee's then it is safe to assume its probibly both.

[littleelm]

I worked in a supermarket until very recently. So to whoever said 'supermarkets don't mind' actually, they really do! It is disgusting behaviour! And the checkout staff were only offering to bin your wrapper for you so it didn't end up on the floor!

[stardust]

I worked in a supermarket until very recently. So to whoever said 'supermarkets don't mind' actually, they really do! It is disgusting behaviour! And the checkout staff were only offering to bin your wrapper for you so it didn't end up on the floor!

Could really do with a 'LIKE' button! So I can like this comment.

[EmmaReed84]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It is not illegal to eat whilst in a shop BEFORE paying for it, as long as you do. It is a matter of opinion. Perhaps we should just accept the fact that peoples views and opinions are different and respect it.

[crazyXstitcher]

Its statements like this that totally get my back up - iIne you have your opinion and I applaud you for your high morals but dont be so rude and judgemental

IF you had read the orgional post from Tinkerbelle - she said that her sons bottle had leaked out in her bag - therefor had gone prepared but circumstances changed!

Ok. Apologies to Tinkerbelle. I was answering her last post and missed/forgot the previous bit about going prepared but having a leaking bottle. However there's no reason she couldn't have paid for the formula first.

I can see from this thread that I am in a minority group - and I am not saying I am right in my opinion - but it is my way of doing it and it does not affect you in the slightest. You don't like it so you don't do it - thats great - stop judging me and my way - or get a job as a store dectective and come tell me off to my face!

But in another post you say this,

My children are 6 and 9 now, they certainly would not be allowed to eat something not paid for

so clearly to some degree you know it's not morally right. Not having a go, just suprised that you so strongly defend your right to do it your way, yet still teach your children not to do it.

[crazyXstitcher]

pinky33 - get out of my head!!!!

[RainbowMum]

Ok, I kind of agree, my personal feelongs are - if you are old enough to understand then I do not think it is right to help yourself from the shelf unless there is a desperate need - however I see no harm in allowing a small child an item from a multipack before I get to check out. I don't think it's a big deal and the OP was asking if you do it yourself, not what your opinion of those who do it are.

Reading my last comments back - they sound very Narky - I apologise - I'm not an aggressive person, but I did feel the attitude of those who don't do it was very judgemental and condemning the whole character of a person because of a difference of opinions/morals

[Helen79]

I have done it once but only when ds was tiny and we'd had to pop to the shop unexpectedly and he was genuinely really hungry. I think we'd forgotton to buy something so gone into the shop , realised that ds had had a poo, changed his nappy, gone to get what we'd needed, queues were huge and he was screaming with hunger and was too young to understand that he had to wait another 15mins in the queue so he could eat.

I woulnd't do it now he's older and understands that he needs to wait. I think I've had 1 occasion when mindee was screaming in the shop for a snack but they waited til it was paid for.

[little chickee]

I have given my own kids and mindees things off the shelf whilst shopping. If my son tells me hes thirsty when im shopping and i have ages to go before i'll be finished i will give him a bottle of juice off the shelf.

When we get to the checkout first thing he does is hand over the empty bottle to be scanned. He knows he must pay for it.

i would 100% do the same with a mindee. It is NOT stealing if you pay at the end.
It is not the same as not paying your childcare fees. I eat or drink something and pay before i leave - it is so not the same.

And yes i would take a pack of nappies off the shelf use one and then pay at the end of my shopping.

Is it any different than eating a meal in a cafe or restaurant that you dont pay for until you leave? I think not!

[Lady Haha]

Wow! A couple of things! I'm 42 and my mum used to do this for me when I was little, only the sweet wrapper etc wasn't scanned, but price tapped into the till. So it isn't old fashioned to think it's 'stealing'. I'm shocked as I didn't realise that I was the lowest of the low (and so was my mum obv). I have done this in the past with my son, given him a drink as we were going round and had it scanned at the end. I never thought anything of it. Of course it's not stealing and I find it really offensive that people are saying that. It's only stealing if you leave the shop without paying. You cannot compare it to us not being paid on time! But you could compare it to a restaurant where you eat first and pay later!

And I have worked as a check out op before becoming a minder and never thought it was 'disgusting' when a mum handed me an empty wrapper to scan!

Lastly, it's not about rewarding unwanted behaviour either. Whats wrong with letting your child have a drink if you are on a big hour long shop? So, would it be more acceptable to go and pay for the drink first then carry on with your shop after? That would look even more dodgy, going through the checkout and NOT handing over the empty wrapper/bottle to be scanned!

Some of you have really shocked me today!

[stardust]

At no point is anyone saying they are the lowest of the low. Just that they feel it is stealing.
Me going on about unwanted behavior has nothing to do with the original post it was aimed at a posted who said because i said i would put things back for unwanted behavior that i 'threatened' my children.

Also my issue is not doing it with your own children but your mindees and the fact it is a hazard.

And no it can not be compared to eating in a restraunt as it is how they want it done, eaten first and paid later if they didn't they would ask you to pay first and eat second like other restraunts.

[little chickee]

[QUOTE=tara_louise1990;1017644]
Also my issue is not doing it with your own children but your mindees and the fact it is a hazard.

QUOTE]

This i have an issue with. Why would it be ok to do it with your own kids but not mindees. I have real problems with the whole " I let my kids do things that arent safe but not the mindees" attitude.

*****mind like i parent - if something is ok and safe for my kids to do its ok for mindees.

[Jiorjiina]

I have read most of this thread (slow evening on the telly!), and it's interesting to see how quickly people start taking other peoples opinions to heart.

Personally, I do not like the idea at all, but then I can't tell what I would do in a real dire emergency (although I really hope I would have planned for that!).

On the other hand, if your kids/mindees are that thirsty/starving when you go shopping, wouldn't you just stop in the cafe first? Or like someone else said, just buy something quickly, and then do the rest of your shopping?

[stardust]

[QUOTE=little chickee;1017658]

Also my issue is not doing it with your own children but your mindees and the fact it is a hazard.

QUOTE]

This i have an issue with. Why would it be ok to do it with your own kids but not mindees. I have real problems with the whole " I let my kids do things that arent safe but not the mindees" attitude.

*****mind like i parent - if something is ok and safe for my kids to do its ok for mindees.

Simply because if the parent doesn't do it or feels strongly about it like half the people on this thread then the child begins kicking off because the cm does it, it starts off a problem for the parents.
Also the choking hazard, if you want to take the risk with your children then fine but you shouldn't with mindees. All it takes for for the child to laugh, sneeze, someone to bump the trolley whilst you are browsing the packaging or are otherwise distracted and then it can become a serious incident.

I DO NOT do it with neither my child nor my mindees. Because its not safe and I do treat them the same, let them do the same things. I don't have the I let my child do it but not mindees attitude am just saying that in a situation like this it should only be done when you have no mindee's present not give to your child and not your mindee's.
Also your practice should be adaptable so you should be doing things differently for different children. you cant treat a 2 year old like a 5 month old and vice versa.