Running The gift shop gauntlet!!

I wouldn't be making any 'deals' with a five year old. When we were taking our own DC to these places the gift shop wasn't an option and DH took them to the car. I did look around and if there was something suitable I would buy a small gift for the three DC. When they were little it was a badge (we pinned them on the bedroom curtains) or a postcard or two for their album. That was enough along with any photos. When they got a bit older and wanted to collect keyrings I would buy those. I could never see the point of buying plastic tat, rubbers, pencils. They did get to do that on school trips.

We occasionally take the DGC to the zoo or a playfarm and we do let them look around the shop. We do buy a small gift. No soft toys or anything the parents wouldn't want, and we don't spend a lot. We are the grandparents now so we can treat them.

We walk really fast and talk loudly and urgently at the kids so by the time they’ve noticed the gift shop we’re out and free!!!

A thought just struck me, rather evil,
I quite enjoy indulging theGC at times in the knowledge that my ex, their grandfather, would never have allowed it, being as he was, closely related to Scrooge,

Kim19

I have a few reservations as to Johnny GC

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Well I find the gift shops useful, I say if we don’t hurry up and get out of here, the gift shop will be shut, that gets them moving.
Of course they vary massively, farm parks are easy, nothing much they really want, but for any of you who have been to Peppa Pig World, that’s a totally different experience, people are going out laden with toys, so you don’t get out of there without spending money.
National Trust shops aren’t too bad, you can normally get away with a book or game, I always budget it into the day out.

It is best to establish that you don’t buy things in the gift shop in the first place. I would give them pocket money each week (a small amount) and then it is up to them if they buy something or not.

Don't ask! as to how my GC are reared but I do enjoy the results. One thing I love is that when I say a straight no to a request it neither results in grumpiness or tantrum. Wonderful. Must say I never had that much success with my own children.

I have a few reservations as to Johnny GC

Lizbethann, what a terrifying experience for you !

TBH the gift shops were the highlight of Gdcs’ visits when staying with us in the summer holidays. At 5 and 6 their interest in e.g. the Tower of London was somewhat limited (we didn’t take them inside) but Gds’ joy in his plastic battleaxe was unbounded. £4.99, and TBH, given the price of most plastic tat in gift shops I’d been fully prepared to say no, until I saw the price - I was expecting a tenner at least.

Ditto Gdd with 3 lip balms in ‘sailor’ cases from the HMS Victory shop.
And dare I confess that at the end of a trip to Legoland for Gds’ birthday, I gave them a tenner each to spend in the shop, plus ditto for a little friend who doesn’t get many treats, who dd had included for the day.

The way I see it, it won’t be too long before all they want to do is be glued to their phones, and anything they want from shops will very likely cost £££.

There certainly are Lucca!?? I wish I was like them, but maybe a bit less smug ??. My DD is not averse to picking up her DC and carting her screaming out of a gift shop. Though, as she says, it certainly spoils any day and is very embarrassing! And my DGD can keep up the crying long after the venue has been left. My view of giftshop treats has been rather skewed by events of exactly three years ago this week. We had our DGD once a fortnight for a full day, then a sleepover before taking her to nursery the next morning. She was almost 3 . We had taken her to the zoo. By the time to go home we were all tired and I was a bit ratty. She wanted to go in the gift shop but I said no. On the way home our car was hit by a truck and we ended upside down in the fast lane of the M6. The police said it was because we were in an ancient Volvo that the three of us got out totally unscathed physically. But for months after I blamed myself. If we had gone to the gift shop , we wouldn't have been on that bit of road at that time. So I now see spending money in gift shops as my reward for having a DGD to spend money on! But I will definitely play shop this weekend and next time we go out, give her her own money!!

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There are a lot of “perfect parents/grandparents “ on here…..

I have 7 grandchildren and have looked after then all pre going to school,after school,sick days etc.I had treat days once a month for them go to a park or IMAX,Museum,Art Gallery,feed ducks,go out for tea party,then go to the book store or dollar store and they were allowed to choose something,we all went home happy then planned our next months trip.

No- one thing will do!

Yes, but you need to buy the whole caboodle MayBeMaw, not just one item!

I must admit I did a big sulk in the Galimard perfume museum gift shop in Grasse until my DH gave in to my buying half a dozen gifts!

I have problems that way myself.
I find it hard to believe that if I do not buy the NT pot pourri/lavender furniture wax/ tea towel/ Harris tweed throw/canvas shopping bag or indeed waxed jacket , my lifestyle will not immediately be transformed into that of Lady ffotherinhay-Smithers and my but n ben into an Adam mansion.
Hope springs eternal.

I can't quite make out if you and your daughter give way or not!

Stick to your guns. If you have to walk through the gift shop say firmly, "You can't have anything from the gift shop."

Yes, the dear little girl will through a tantrum, but no child has ever gone on doing so, once she has realised that she doesn't get her way by shouting, crying, screaming etc.

Yes, it is embarrassing and exhausting.

The other thing your daughter and her husband and you might want to consider is dropping any place that has a gift shop, or has one you HAVE TO WALK THROUGH. I am sure you can find pleasant places to visit where there is not a gift shop.

IF your granddaughter asks why you no longer go to the Zoo, museum etc where there is a gift shop, the answer is simple: "We don't go there because you misbehave when we do. You behave like a baby, even although you know you cannot have things from the gift shop. We can start going again, when you are old enough to do as you are told."

Or pay shorter visits so everyone isn't tired and grumpy on the way to the exit.

Whatdayisit

Did somebody mention local honey I te gift shop?
My employer demanded local honey from Sandringham and I had no fight left to say no in the gift shop.
Only saw the £13.99 price tag after paying! It is not only the kids!!

Did it have strands of gold running through it?
I hope he or she paid!

I told my kids I never buy children anything in shops. If they really wanted it when we got home I would go alone to get it next day e.g. magazine, small toy, while they were OH or at school or nursery. Sweets were Friday only after tea, and no other day
Strict on this and never had any tantrums or trouble in shops and no fillings under 18.
In this case I would offer an ice cream or the toy. Then start a new rule that mummy can't buy children anything in shops while they are with her. HTH

Do the children have pocket money? Our DGC get 10p for each year of their age twicea week. They can then save and spend it on any tat in the gift shop. Once it's gone it's gone. No extra given

I think I was lucky in that I understood from an early age not to ask my parents for things as they hadn’t any spare money. It was the same with my own children. If we went somewhere with a gift shop, we just walked straight through. I was quite shocked to discover that other. People were more indulgent, and I thought they were foolish. I can afford to be more generous with my grandchildren, but they were always very sensible and considerate about not choosing tat.

Our GC are really quite good about it if we say no, they just accept that and go to look for Mum and Dad! Though I'm not averse to buying them something if it's good quality, not cheap plastic rubbish.

With our own children we gave them each some money to spend in the gift shop, if it wasn't enough for what they wanted, tough! On a couple of occasions I had to carry youngest son kicking and screaming out of a shop without the toy he wanted. They soon learned that No meant No, and I think they do the same with their own children now.

One of my boys around the age of 2-3 always wanted to ride on those wretched fairground type cars/bikes/horses, etc that some supermarkets have (or had - don't see many now.) Every time I said "No," he'd have a tantrum so I said if he didn't misbehave he could have one next time. He hardly ever got a ride because he never accepted "No." It was the same with many things so sadly he missed out on a lot, so they don't always accept a firm "No."

I never repeat never buy in these shops and I most certainly do not make deals with 5 year olds I'm an adult I'm in charge