Our society is going down the toilet...

DrummerDeanna · #1 08-30-2006, 05:45 PM

Grocery-Cart TV for Kids of Shoppers

A New Zealand firm is betting on a U.S. market for a shopping cart that lets young children watch videos while their parents shop. Shaped like a car, the Cabco cart rents for $1, part of which goes to retailers like Wal-Mart and Publix, who are testing their popularity. Child-development experts are wary, but Cabco says offering customers the carts can add as much as $100,000 to a store's receipts.

Listen to the full story here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=5738235

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Ok - now I'm not a parent. But I was a nanny. I find this ridiculous. What my sister did and what I helped enforce as nanny - was teaching my nephew who to behave in public

He threw a public tantrum a total of two times - and quickly learned that is NOT a good idea.

But again, I'm not a parent....

So parents - what do you think of this idea?

markolas · #2 08-30-2006, 06:31 PM

Oh, god, if I ever have kids they're probably going to hate me. I would refuse to have a TV in the house, let alone allow them to rot their brains as they ride through the grocery store.

gldstwmn · #3 08-30-2006, 07:04 PM

Sounds like a godsend to me.

Red · #4 08-30-2006, 07:11 PM

My solution is to not have children.

DrummerDeanna · #5 08-30-2006, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Sounds like a godsend to me.

That's why I wanted parental opinions - it's very easy for me to say this is a horrible idea - but I'm sure a mother with 3 kids who needs to do her shopping feels differently....

HomerMcvie · #6 08-30-2006, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red

My solution is to not have children.

Amen!!!!

SortaSavageLike · #7 08-30-2006, 08:26 PM

How about a shopping cart that comes with a canister of birth control pills?

sammigold · #8 08-30-2006, 08:39 PM

I think it would depend on what type of content they were showing.... it could be very helpful to parents of more that one child, I mean one child is hard enough! I dont know how people cope with more... I certainly couldnt!
I think that like everything "moderation" is the Key...

carrie721 · #9 08-30-2006, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SortaSavageLike

How about a shopping cart that comes with a canister of birth control pills?

how about a shopping cart that comes with a voucher for a free post-birth abortion? heh.

sara1998 · #10 08-31-2006, 07:06 AM

Unless you're a parent, you have no idea how hard it really is. On the flip side, your children should be taught how to behave in public. So, first things first. My child acts wonderfully in the grocery store. She is no saint, mind you, she's had her ass beat in the Meijer bathroom a time or two. But, she hates to go grocery shopping. I try to include her as much as possible. She loves to push the cart. In my opinion, a mother with 3 children could benefit from a TV in the shopping cart, but her children don't. Incorperate them into your shopping. It can be as easy as I Spy. Or, one could push the cart, the other can look for the peaunt butter, and the other could check the items off the list. When you're a parent, you have to be somewhat creative. TV in the cart lacks creativity for the parents and the children. I don't shun television, I have a DVD player in my truck for the long rides, but really? In a grocery store? Give me a break.

CelticGypsy · #11 08-31-2006, 11:27 AM

Sounds like something for parents that are too lazy to teach their kids about manners or how to behave in society

HomerMcvie · #12 08-31-2006, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CelticGypsy

Sounds like something for parents that are too lazy to teach their kids about manners or how to behave in society

Your.hammer.hits.the.nail.squarely.on.the.head.

CelticGypsy · #13 08-31-2006, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sara1998

Unless you're a parent, you have no idea how hard it really is. On the flip side, your children should be taught how to behave in public. So, first things first. My child acts wonderfully in the grocery store. She is no saint, mind you, she's had her ass beat in the Meijer bathroom a time or two. But, she hates to go grocery shopping. I try to include her as much as possible. She loves to push the cart. In my opinion, a mother with 3 children could benefit from a TV in the shopping cart, but her children don't. Incorperate them into your shopping. It can be as easy as I Spy. Or, one could push the cart, the other can look for the peaunt butter, and the other could check the items off the list. When you're a parent, you have to be somewhat creative. TV in the cart lacks creativity for the parents and the children. I don't shun television, I have a DVD player in my truck for the long rides, but really? In a grocery store? Give me a break.

I agree with you. I would take my three children shopping every week to the commissary and PX. They are now in their 20's but back in the 80's and 90's I did most of the shopping since my hubby was in the military and on duty alot or out in the field. I agree that children can learn to behave in public and parents have to teach them at home how to behave first. Starts at the dinner table. My kids always had bedtime at 8 or 8:30pm. When they got older, the bedtime would change. If they misbehaved, they were sent to the corner and had to apologize afterwards. Before going grocery shopping, I always made a list and my kids would help me decide what we would have for meals. They got to choose one special cereal for that week or special dessert. I always let the girls who were older count, pick out apples and oranges. It was a good way to teach my three year old how to count and learn colors. Parents have to be creative. Since we lived overseas for six years our children visited alot of castles in Germany and about six countries while we were there. We went on Volkmarches as a family on the weekends. They are on their own now but still love to travel and keep active.

DrummerDeanna · #14 08-31-2006, 11:56 AM

Interesting input...and I agree that those of us without children can't even begin to imagine what it's like...so it's completely easy for us to look down upon a frazzled mother with 3 screaming kids - but I'm not sure I could fare any better

I thought this story brought up an interesting point--

Are we raising a generation of children who are learning that it's ok to be anxious and/or bored unless they're in front of a screen?

estranged4life · #15 08-31-2006, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

Are we raising a generation of children who are learning that it's ok to be anxious and/or bored unless they're in front of a screen?

pretty much, Sad ain't it?