Fruit thief... :( & :) ???

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Went to IGA this morning for 'Market Day' (can i just say WOW, what bargains) in the fruit section getting some pumpkin for DD2 turn around and DD1 has taken 3 big bites out of an apple

Ok so i should consider myself lucky that she steals FRUIT right but i told her this was naughty and she is NOT allowed to do this.

She is normally very good in the supermarket, she stands in the back of the trolley (if we can't get a side by side for her and DD2) and very rarely does she try and grab let alone eat things.

So rather than 'waste' the apple i got 3 in a bag and let her continue to eat the other one, when we got to the register i asked the lady to weigh all 3 then take 1 out and explained that DD had eaten one.
She was very nice and did so and said thanks for being honest.

Now how other than watching her like a hawk can i make her understand she CANNOT do this, i made her say sorry to the lady for taking the apple, i tapped her hand when i saw her and told her no thats naughty... is there anything else i can do?

[Phteven]

Maybe take in a snack and a bottle of water so she's not so tempted.

[Miss.September]

Yay for being honest! So many people just give their kids fruit and then offer up the leftovers to be weighed, knowing that the staff aren't going to touch it. Maybe do the whole buy/sell thing with her when you get there? Take her straight into the fruit/veg part and ask her to choose something and get her to take it to the register so she can buy it herself? I used to work in a fruitshop and we had kids do this. Tiny little hands reaching up over the counter handing over coins, so cute! Then she can eat while you shop!

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Thanks girls, she's never normally hungry when we go and she normally doesn't reach for things.. maybe the apple just looked nice.

Guess all i can do is keep an eye on her, i have been lucky until now, i have friends that HAVE to take snacks for their kids just to keep them still enough to shop... guess she's nearly 2 and i haven't had a drama so should consider myself lucky.

[Ryatha]

We always have this problem with our girls in the supermarket. So we give them a punnet of strawberries at the begining of the shop and then pay for the empty punnet at the end. We used to have to double weight with bananas and apples, but a punnet of stawberries is much easier

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

We always have this problem with our girls in the supermarket. So we give them a punnet of strawberries at the begining of the shop and then pay for the empty punnet at the end. We used to have to double weight with bananas and apples, but a punnet of stawberries is much easier

That would work here, DD LOVES strawberries... good idea, just find something that is paid in full not by weight...

[MummaSue]

Maybe gently explain to her that it's stealing and what the consequences can be of that?

I mean, I know it's not deliberate stealing but some shop owners might not have been so understanding and could have given YOU a hard time. YKWIM?

Sounds harsh but I guess you can't have her doing that all the time when you go out hey?
Sue x

[ShootingStar]

Take snacks with you. I always stress to my kids they cant have or open whatever it is until they pay the lady. They have the knowledge of that at the shops now so its worked.

[Bathsheba]

When my youngest does the wrong thing in the supermarket (usually while i am paying at the register) I ask the checkout person to 'have words' with him. They usually are more than happy! "You listen to your Mummy! I'm sure you won't climb on the shelves next time you come here will you?" DS quietly shakes his head LOL

People need to make use of their village more often, kids are faaaar more likely to listen to a stranger than their mum ... i find it works a treat!