Why shopping with the kids is NEVER a good idea.

As much as we all love a spot of retail therapy we can do without the debarcle which is the weekly shop with children

• Finding an adequate parking space- Every supermarket has the child and parent parking but finding a free one is another matter, so failing that I now have to park close to another car. Sweating buckets before I even hit the shops this is not a good start! 
• Unloading the kids out of the car- Due to the lack of space it is a battle releasing my baby from the car seat and the others are all just hopping around the back dying to get out. “Now kids hold hands, and no don’t run off you must stay close by to Mammy and walk carefully”.
• Trying to find token for trolley- It was in my pocket a second ago I swear however it has disappeared, wait it must be in my purse. Now trying to unzip hand bag, find purse while carrying wee baby and keeping eyes on little kids. Yes! Found it! 
• Fighting over who sits in the trolley- Well the baba needs the baby seat and then only one other can fit into the other side, I am tempted to put the older kid in but he walks better on his harness whereas the littler one runs riot! What a choice, however I settle on the younger one with the older kid wailing! 
• Run away kids- Harness on kiddie, check. But trying to push trolley and hold onto said kid is harder than it looks while trying to pick up products and place into trolley. Ask kid for help but he just throws items into the trolley and now we have broken eggs, and a crying baby.
• “Can I have?” and subsequent tantrums!- The kids are asking for this and that while I literally fly along the aisles deliberately avoiding the “yummy” aisles as these little ones will just go wild. However the oldest one has coped on and is now hurtling themselves at the chocolate bars while I try to keep control. 
• Mammy 0 – Kids 1 
• Disapproving people and dirty looks- I realise I look like a hopeless mother but by all means take over and see how you get on with three kids and one pair of hands. I am totally outnumbered and am doing my best, jeez you would swear I was a criminal. 
• Goodies everywhere around the checkouts- Supermarkets have taken the goodies away from the checkouts but there is stuff everywhere in very close proximity. The jelly/sweet counter is behind me and I am trying to put the food on the conveyer belt thing while pleading with the kids to quieten down and they will get a treat later.