Twin-toddler trolley shortage puts mums off shops
Saturday 19th March 2011, 2:29PM GMT.
From the left: Joni Lockwood with two-and-a-half-year-old twins Jasmine and Charlie and Leonie Burrows with twins Daisy and Stella, who are two. The women say that a lack of toddler trolleys is even worse when the toddlers are twins. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 1111321)
MUMS are effectively barred from shopping at some businesses because of a lack of suitable trolleys, according to two parents.
Friends Leonie Burrows, 36, and Joni Lockwood, 38, both have two-year-old twins.
They find shopping with their children a struggle in Guernsey because of a lack of trolleys that can carry two toddlers.
Mrs Lockwood said it was not safe to put two-year-old Charlie and Jasmine in a trolley without the double seat.
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If that is all you have to moan about then you can consider yourselves very fortunate!!
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Do you shopping whilst they are at playschool then please.
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…well that almost beats melt down reactors as a headline…but not quite….when I was a young Dad we had two toddlers….what they did was toddle around the store…my wife and I were lucky enough to be given pedal driven trolleys that we sat in as the kids were given instructions to throw into those trolleys a packet of Weetabix, a sachet of Champagne, a little soupon of cavair and maybe some other stuff…but be careful with the wine bottles…aw, come on Mums, get a life and why on earth is the GP giving credence to this puerile nonsense at all…next we will be hearing, “My kid cannot cross the road with me ‘cos there wasn’t a Lollipop Man in sight…Jasus!
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You are so hard done by, think about all those mums with 3, 4, or 5 toddlers to carry around the shop. As someone else has already said, do the shopping while they are at playschool.
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The people of Libya and Japan having nothing else to do as the world is such a perfect place have agreed to help. They will each be making a trolley for these self centred so and so’s personal use.
Gob smacking that this is in the press.
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Spot on Vic. This latest nonsense follows hot on the heels of that other non story about a woman demanding a full blown investigation into a zebra crossing because she was careless enough to trip over on it.
There are hundreds of little hazards and difficulties and challenges for all of us every day of the week. It’s called life so just get on with it and stop moaning and complaining about every little thing. How on earth would these ridiculous people cope in Libya or north east Japan for goodness sake?
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you could get those harnesses then tie the other end to the front of a trolly and hey presto! a child motored trolly! In fact, the mother could even attach an armchair to the other end to make shopping even more easier!
Kinda like a sled…
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They find shopping with their children a struggle in Guernsey because of a lack of trolleys that can carry two toddlers.
should read
They find shopping with their children a struggle in Guernsey because of their lack of controll over their children.
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Come on Mr Gamble, Martino and Fukushima Libya. Isn’t this one of the things that makes Guernsey such a nice place to live in that we can enjoy these little stories in the GP. Every issue is a celebration of Guernsey’s cosy little insulated place in the world!
This should never be in a self-congratulatory way because I think anyone with any sense of decency is watching on with concern and sadness at what is going on in other parts of he world at the moment.
I think we all appreciate what a lovely place Guernsey is to live and how quaint it is. The big stories are for the nationals and the only ones making the links between Libya, Japan & Guernsey are you guys. Not a comparison I would feel comfortable making but that’s just me!
The GP is for local concerns and long may it remain so!
Did you mean cavair or caviar?
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Slightly harsh comments I feel! I am sure Leonie and Joni are very aware of the hideous situations in Japan and Libya and are far from belittling them. Perhaps their toddlers are too young to attend playschool. Oh, and more fool anyone who tries to carry 5 toddlers round the shops!!!
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GUERNO 1…..quite frightening that you should promote insulation (self-congratulatory, or not) as a positive factor for any society….you are playing with fire if that is a philosophy you respect. I think you know I meant caviar…your insularity doesn’t even allow a little typing error it would seem!
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IN THE INTERESTS OF BALANCE I FEEL THAT
I MUST COMMENT ON THE ABOVE.
IN THE ORDER POSTED:
PYER, What irony – is this all YOU have to moan about.
A N OTHER, Not all mothers are able, or wish to commit their toddlers to playschool.
VIC GAMBLE, The sepia tone of your comments suggest it’s a long time since you were a young Dad. Pedal driven trolley? sachet of Champagne? soupon of caviar? Sounds like you’re no longer on the trolley Vic.
BLOGGER, see A N Other.
FUKUSHIMA LIBYA, “self centred” probably sums you up, you may even have thought you were being really funny, how sad.
MARTINO, ditto Vic
DD, Never mind harnesses you could get a life, and a book on grammar
SERIOUSLY: The comments referred to above show not a scintilla of empathy with mothers with young children in today’s world.
I’d hazard a guess that most, if not all of the writers are male, either old and cynical [you know who you are] or young and with nothing better to do than stare at a screen all day [geeks].
Apparently misogyny still rules.
[look it up boys]
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Selliven…stop being so pedantic…in regard to my own posting, ever hear of satire..? And you may bring down the wrath of Martino lumping him in with my name….
Anyway you had better be careful I still have that trolley and the breaks are not so good…
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selliven – No need to look up misogyny,I had some at a Japanese restaurant once, very salty soup, was nice.
This is a silly story and deserves it’s flippant responses. I’m put off shops when there are chav infestations smoking, spitting and swearing outside, won’t someone please think of me?
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Martino – In response to your comment about how they’d cope in Japan, I think the answer is they would have as much chance as you or I, or perhaps better as it’s amazing how mothers find ways to survive and protect their children.
Prior to the disaster I’d venture to suggest that most of the people living in that area were the Japanese equivalent of us. Perhaps there were people complaining about kerbside crossings or supermarket trolleys there as well?
Of course that all came crashing down last week – and they are now in the position where they are having a crash course in survival – some will cope, some won’t. I can’t say for certain but I’d imagine the same would happen here in similar circumstances…..we’ve thankfully never had cause to discover who.
So, although I would agree with your sentiments that this is not really a serious problem, I don’t think we can use this as a yardstick about who would survive in a disaster and who wouldn’t.
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How did these people do their shopping when they had them as babies that could not even sit up on their own let alone walk ??????
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Oh Paul, my final line was not to be taken too literally. In essence it was an invitation for our own pampered home grown yummy mummies to try visualising themselves in the positions of their Libyan and Japanese counterparts and to try to imagine just for one minute what it must be like being a mum trying to look after children in a war/earthquake/tsunami/nuclear emergency zone.
If they were to do this just for 60 seconds then maybe, just maybe, they’d be a little less prone to making facile complaints about the ordinary, everyday, extremely minor (on a world scale) difficulties that we all manage to cope with every day (WITHOUT SHOUTING!) on this extremely peaceful and trouble free isle. And if that makes me a misogynist, selliven, then so be it.
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selliven – I don’t believe any comments on here have been mysogynistic and I think you may need to take a step back and think a little before you start trying to post an ‘intellectual’ argument about other people’s views (also laying off the caps lock might help!).
Also, the real irony is the poor grammar used in your statement to DD.
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Can I be the first to suggest Waitrose home delivery? That ought to solve the problem!
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Just as an aside folks, it is considered very bad form to pick people up on their spelling or grammar. English might not be the correspondants first language and the quality of their grammar should bear no relation to the points being made. Any number of reasons from dyslexia to poor education in another country could be in play.
Just my 2 cents.
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Hi Martino – yes I didn’t think you were being too serious old pal – and I agree that if we all took a step back and reminded ourselves just how fortunate we are, and how small our ‘big’ problems are we’d all be a bit happier.
Still, I think I made a fair point as your (albeit tongue in cheek) point is often used in cases such as this. None of us know how we would cope in the even of real difficulty….and I think we’d be surprised at those who would excel.
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Mr Gamble – I hope you get the ‘breaks’ on your trolley fixed soon.
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@selliven
Do you go through life with such seriousness? Can’t you see an obvious tongue in cheek comment when you read one?
Oh and grammar?! you may want to put the phone down before you start dialing the kettle to tell him he’s black. Or should I say YOU MAY WANT TO PUT THE PHONE DOWN BEFORE YOU START DIALING THE KETTLE TO TELL HIM HE’S BLACK. Does it make more sense now?
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eggy bread:
I’d like to know what possible relevance you think that “shops..[with]..chav infestations smoking, spitting and swearing outside” has to do with a ‘trolleys for toddlers’ discussion.
I hate to imagine which shops you are put off from entering.
Oh and thank you NT for your words of wisdom, you are so right, I really must remember to “step back and think a little” before attempting to use my intellect.
PS fEacHer is bAfT
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I would definitely agree with you on that Paul. Only in times of true adversity do we find out what we’re made of. So, yes, the mums in question might cope well but the last thing they would be thinking of in those situations is the capability of their shopping trolleys.
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My intitial reaction is ” so what ” ?
youre also unable to take your twin babies on a plane by yourself….. is someone going to complain that they are effectively barred from flying because the airlines won’t provide mothers a free chaperone for their second child …
100 years ago none of us had cars or fold up twin buggies or shopping trolleys …. And yet somehow people got around, kids got to school, and we managed to buy the groceries. It’s about time people realised that a lot of the things we often take for granted are luxuries not essentials …..
And yes I am a man ….. But one who has stayed at home and brought up three kids ….. And I just got on with shopping, without moaning about not being given the right sort of trolley ……
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DD:
Apologies for lumping your “obvious tongue in cheek comment” in with the others, some of which were just plain nasty, you happened to be in the firing line I’m afraid.
How case sensitive you [and others] seem to be though. With one exception, I used upper case letters, acceptably in my view, for titles and headings. I made the exception, and in the absence of underline or bold functions, merely to stress one word – anyone would think I’d shot the Sheriff.
Re grammar and your final extended paragraph, the economical use of language really can add to the potency of an argument [and I don't like your American spelling of dialling]
More importantly, and tongue out of your cheek now, wouldn’t you agree that it’s reasonable to expect supermarkets to cater for the special needs of mothers with toddlers in the same way that other ‘special needs’ users are accommodated?
OK so bigger things are happening in the world, nevertheless this is still a serious everyday issue for the many people and infants involved.
What’s not to agree with?
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The Coop has two seated trolleys (with straps too) which I use when I take 2 toddlers food shopping.
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Guerno 1.
Sorry Miss…looks like you won’t give me a brake.
100 lines coming up.
I must not make mistakes when typing.
I must not make misstrakes when topping
I mist nut bake mistooks when shopping,etc; etc;
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Slightly off topic , but I look after my two grandchildren everyday and occasionally have to go to town, well have you tried that with a pushchair and a toddler, and every time I haul the pushchair up some steps or try to get in a very small doorway eg (Le Lievres toy area) I stop and think of the disabled and people in wheelchairs, it must be a living nightmare every day of their lives. I am sure it must be awful for these Mums but I think the whole article has been taken out of context, and the Mums have taken some very harsh criticism.The next thing that someone will be saying is, Dont have kids if you cant control them.
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I’m going to phone the Press up and say I’m disgusted by the way people who are naturally grumpy aren’t given a staff member to shoo other shoppers out of their way when in the supermarket, because I tell you, it makes my blood boil when there’s someone procrastinating in front of the cheese section when all I want is my Guernsey Mild!
If I go on a murderous rampage because the aisle is blocked by two mums discussing the lack of twin trolley provision it will be the shop’s fault for not supplying a member of fully trained “grump alert” staff to clear a path for me.
“selliven” that you could bring yourself to even consider typing that this is a “serious issue” says all it needs to say about your level of “intellect”!
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What’s wrong with a sling? I used to sling my child when doing shopping so I didn’t even need a single seat. Kept her quiet as well.
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My spelling isn’t the best, in fact it’s terribal (get it). I use Word sometimes for drafting up posts and I can’t get the stupid thing off US spell check! grrrr
Apologies. I’m drafting my poorly written letter to Mr Gates as we speak.
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In an attempt to provide a balanced point of view – I am the father of a toddler who is just under two years old.
One thing I quickly discovered is that being a parent requires sacrifices and the occasional hardship. Things that were simple to do suddenly become more difficult, including everyday activities such as shopping and going out in the evening. In the long run though, the joy of raising a child far outweighs such trivial matters.
At the risk of becoming persona non grata with my fellow parents, that is the price of parenting. So, although I appreciate any measures taken to help – such as parent parking spaces or child-friendly restaurants, I don’t see it as my God given right to have people bend over backwards to accommodate me.
In the case of these two ladies, I personally think this complaint should have been made in private to the supermarkets concerned. It was not a matter worthy of media attention.
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sillyiven – you’d like to know “what possible relevance” my point had.
I’ll explain it using short words so you can understand.
I think that this is a non-issue, not an ideal situation for those that can’t help but keep spawning but there we go we each have our own crosses to bear. So no in all honesty it’s not great that there aren’t any double decker trolleys to accommodate those with quadruplets but that’s life and that unfortunately is the sort of problem you get if you insist in having multiple children when you can’t afford a nanny.
I don’t like the hoopy earrings and tracksuit brigade hanging around Town and that ‘puts me off shops’ as the headline said, but that is my problem.
Clear now?
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Its difficult shopping with young children and even moreso with twins. There are many shops that have more than enough double childseat trolleys but the problem is that these trolleys are “accidentally” used by other shoppers (who dont need the extra childseat). A special sticker, tag or sign indicating “twin” trolley so that other shoppers don’t accidently use them would solve the problem. Simple.
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Whilst they’re ordering in some bigger trollies (and come on grumpies, wouldn’t you rather see those sticky-fingered brats strapped in rather than running around?) I hope they get some with brakes.
When my two were younger it always alarmed me that there were no brakes on Safeway’s child-seated trollies, which is no joke with a car park on a hill. Perhaps it was a subtle attempt at population control.
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‘The Truth’:
Is this an abbreviation? Are ‘The Way’ and ‘The Light’ implicit?
Whatever, with such a truly lofty monicker I eagerly read your contribution expecting words of pure enlightenment.
How disappointing then to find ‘I’m disgusted’, ‘makes my blood boil’ and ‘go on a murderous rampage’ bellowing forth from your, hardly level headed, contribution.
Sorry ‘The Truth’ but I do take the subject seriously, which unfortunately I cannot apply to you.
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Not taking me seriously is the only creditable thing you have said on here selliven.
That said I am honoured you have picked me out for special attention amongst the other reams of prose exclaiming confusion as to why this is news worthy.
Just admit it, you fancy me don’t you?
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I wonder how my Dear old Mum coped with seven of us in the late 30s and early 40s?And no car,walk or the bus.What wonderfull,coping,uncomplaining folk they were once upon a time!
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Come on leave these ladies alone. Sure it doesn’t deserve front page news but it is still a real problem for them.
There are far more trivial news items going on around this island and the one concerning the cars abandoned at the Salerie comes to mind and he even got the police involved. Surely they have better things to do with their time. Sad little man.
To compare this with Japan etc is the pits. Just goes to show what kind of people we have as neighbours! I dread to think.
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“What wonderfull,coping,uncomplaining folk they were once upon a time!”
Most of the ones I know still are. You just have to laugh at anyone who’s first response is to run to the media.
In my view, these stories are not a true indication of society ~ more like caricatures from a latter day VIZ or League of Gentlemen.
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dellquay – I will give you my standard response to your first comment: as soon as someone approaches the media and seeks publicity for their cause they invite comment.
Best to deal with these things in private.
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If the good moderators will allow me to post a link to a picture
http://www.superstock.com/stock-photos-images/4102-20107
Puts things in perspective for the gossiping complaining, obviously morally and intellectually superior, brand you for being something you clearly are not because they have a complex brigade.
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dellquay
Are you suggesting these ladies should have phoned the police about trolleygate??
Anyhoo, by your logic……………
“sad little man” who phones the police when his car nearly caught fire
Ergo
“sad little women” who contacted the press when the buggies werent big enough
Simples
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dellquay
So you think to abandon cars in a public place is nothing to complain about do you?. there is at least one family that i know of down there that has practically made that area “their own”. Looking at your obvious disgust at this man for reporting this i can only assume (maybe wrongly) that you or your friends have cars there or elsewhere dumped on public land?.
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Eggy bread:
Oh I understand all right, moreover what’s crystal clear from your rant is that you have lots of issues [mainly it would seem about children] gnawing away at you. One day you will perhaps grow up and, I hope, have a family of your own.
If/when this happens I think that you may reflect on your current outbursts with a mixture of regret and embarassment.
Comprendez?
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Come on mums, have a bit of common sense, if you are really that bothered, get together to shop, one of you outside, or in the cars looking after the kiddiewinks, and one inside with a shop list, then….. you swap over!! Supermarkets seem to bring out the worst in kids, personally I can do without a cacophony of screeching and temper tantrums, there is always one.
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Don,
I often say to my husband, I dont know how they coped with life and many children years ago, no automatic washing machines, no tumble dryers, no
counsellors, to name but a few – no they probably just got on with it, we are a nation of moaners, me included, and I am getting worse in my old age.
I think the hardships in the war, made them more grateful for what they had. They certainly did not gripe all the time about what they did and did not have.
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Personally I am delighted to see headlines like these – reminds me that if this is page 1 news then I don’t have much to worry about (apart from tripping over rampaging toddlers while purchasing a litre of milk).
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sillyiven – I have ‘issues’ about children?
er no, quite happy with my two thanks.
What I have ‘issues’ about is the mentality of people running to the paper over every tiny little problem in their lives whilst the rest of us are just trying to get on with things.
If I was a manager of a supermarket being hassled for one of these special trolleys I’d ignore the request. The result? One less supersized blockage in the aisle and the rest of my customers are free to move quickly around the store.
Please have a look at Dave Haslam’s picture and tell me honestly that it isn’t YOU that should “reflect on your current outbursts with a mixture of regret and embarassment.[sic]“
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selliven does your pseudo intellectualism get boring? Maybe even monotonous or tedious?
(Sorry I am not as smart as you, I only managed two synonyms)
You are such a try hard!
So make a point, or go away?
Oh wait, again I am truly sorry, we have to patronise people in your style with Spanish don’t we?
So vamos.
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I think that these shops should cater for mums that have children it would not hurt to have a few two seater trolleys. But im sure it would be easier to do your shopping when the children are being looked after at home. It bad enough pushing a trolley around now as it’s not big enough.
Bring back Checkers
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I would like to thank COOP for making a special effort in pulling out their twin trolley on request. They seem better than most at understanding practical problems if you have multiples.
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Blokeinlondon;
Thanks for that, seems we sometimes have to go off Island for a reasonable attitude.
Sanguine:
Where are you coming from?
Criticize my writing style? Not interested.
Come up with some substance about the subject matter and I may be.
In case you missed it, I copy below the point I made in my post of 21st.
“…wouldn’t you agree that it’s reasonable to expect supermarkets to cater for the special needs of mothers with toddlers in the same way that other ’special needs’ users are accommodated?
OK so bigger things are happening in the world, nevertheless this is still a serious everyday issue for the many people and infants involved.
What’s not to agree with?”
This being an open forum I’d like to know what you really think about the topic, this time without trying to be personally abusive.
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Eggybread:
Keep it to yourself [for now] but I think you might be onto something here, why stop at mothers with toddlers? Open a child free, OAP free, disabled free,immigrant free [except at the check-out], SuperintolerantMarket, ultra fast service guaranteed.
Seriously Eggy, lighten up, what you describe as a “tiny little problem” is obviously a real headache for the people involved, why else would they feel the need to go public?
Tolerant society?
We’ve a long way to go judging by this opinion page.
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selliven – being tolerant doesn’t mean we have to indulge or agree with every personal gripe that get aired in the local paper.
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selliven – You assume your writing has style?
“Criticize my writing style? Not interested.”
Clearly you do, otherwise, why would you have replied or mentioned it…
Your first post is pure abuse, mine does not need to be any less then, in the matter of fairness?
So please no double standards.
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I’m not a local person so my opinon will not be worth much to some of you. but some of the comments on nearly all stories on this website are an embarssement to this friendly Island and show the petit / mean spirited nature of some people.
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On the subject of tolerance, most of us manage to tolerate little difficulties that beset us every day without feeling the need to run to the media to complain about tough life is. That is the crux of all the criticism on this thread, selliven, but you appear to have lost sight of this fact.
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Sanguine:
Let’s be clear, I don’t give a fig for your views on how I choose to write, the important point isn’t style it’s substance and so far none has been forthcoming from you regarding the subject.
I repeat
“…wouldn’t you agree that it’s reasonable to expect supermarkets to cater for the special needs of mothers with toddlers in the same way that other ’special needs’ users are accommodated?”
Have you an opinion?
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Jeez, you guys! Can’t people on this forum discuss an idea from all sides without it descending into bickering and backstabbing?
Why not agree to disagree and do it respectfully?
Making personal attacks on people because of their views/vocab/grammar just weakens your own argument.
I love the debate, but please can we just do it in a polite way?
For what it’s worth, I think we’re lucky to live in a place where this makes the news. We all know about the awfulness of the real world out there. And by the way, we have no idea these ladies approached the press to go public. Maybe it was a journalist from the Press who approached them? It happens.
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Paul Le Page:
I do agree with your comments on tolerance, but only up to a point, it’s not a question of ‘indulgence’ or ‘agreement’, the line is crossed when people are not allowed to air their views without being pilloried.
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Oh the irony of Selliven preaching for tolerance!!
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For all the haters writing on this post please get a life and have a bit of tolerance for these persons with multiple children who are just trying to get on with it and do their weekly grocery shopping. Them speaking to the press is no different to us commenting in these posts.
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Blogger “mums with 3, 4 or 5 toddlers to carry around the shops”…how can they afford to EAT in the first place? Oh, silly me, probably on benefits so have hundreds of pounds a week to waste!
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Rachel – a sling? Must’ve been one light toddler you were slinging around all day!
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On the positive side, if they implement these lower speed limits, we’ll be able to use these two seater trolleys instead of cars…
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I believe mums should be given extra help, being a mum is a full time job and extra incentives should be there to help them. Perhaps additional sheltered parking to stop them getting wet in the winter, tax relief on petrol as they have to ferry the kids everywhere. As the lyrical genius Michael Jackson said the kids are our future, so mums should be paid by the states to raise children….A double trolley should be standard in this day and age, why harp on about the history because that is all it is… history, look to tomorrow.
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