Child Care at the Grocery Store

I love this and I hate it.

I loved taking my children to the grocery store. We always played games. It is such a learning experience. I remember sending my children on exploring expeditions. I even bought a cart and had them shop. I remember one climbed into the cart while the other pushed!

It was the store where we met friends and familiar people. The kids learned to ask questions and made grown up decisions about meals.

I never remember leaving the store without a treat for my children no matter how close to dinner it was. My kids were all hyper and they could eat a giant chocolate bar on the way to the table and still eat a whole plate of food.

Never once do I remember my children acting out. I remember that we had one rule: You can’t run in the store because an older person might become the non-desired target of your all too quick affections, and if he or she falls, they might break a hip and die, so don’t run. I never saw kids walk so fast.

Although I like what Ms. Kinch has to say, I regret it has to be that way for some parents.
For Melissa Kinch, going to the grocery store with her kids can be a hassle.

"It got a little hairy," Kinch said.

And she's not alone. Every day moms and dads struggle to keep their kids under control while they shop up and down the aisles.

"It was mommy can I have this, can I have that," Kinch said.

But not anymore. Now before she shops, Kinch drops her kids off at a free, supervised in-store play area.

Nicola Difelice of Shaw's supermarkets says their 'Bunches of Fun' centers are an easy and convenient way to curb the chaos of shopping with small children.

"All they want when they come grocery shopping is a scream free shopping trip," Difelice said. The reason why we put this in here is to make shopping a little easier for moms and dads."

While mom and dad pick up the produce, they can keep an eye on their kids through monitors in the back of the store.

While hanging out in the play area, the kids can do arts and crafts, watch a movie, or even play video games.

Or they can just take a load off.

"They love it if I have to go buy something at the store," Kinch said.

The play area was set up with security in mind. Each parent is given a wristband that has to match the one given to their children when they pick them up.

And pagers are handed out so parents can be reached anywhere in the store if there's an emergency.

"At the end of the day we want to make our customers happy," Difelice said.

Now, with a kid-free cart, Kinch actually looks forward to grocery shopping, and so do Molly and Brendan.

This isn't day-care so certain things like diaper changing won't be done and the service is only offered for kids ages three through nine.

Shaw's Bunches of Fun