Shopping is an adult habit. Especially, modern shopping is very much,exclusive, recently developed (Post 1991 liberalization) habit in society where majority of us are now surrounded by tsunami of choices. We now buy things that are not at all required for living. So basically, it is secondary life habit. One can live without it.
Super markets and modern FMCG companies want to sell things so they use children as Ad actors. And there is no TV restriction at home for children and hence children also force parents to allow them for shopping.
In short, kids (Age below 10 or 7) go to shopping with parents.
When I see, so many parents going to supermarket with their kids, I worry for kids as they are slowly being poisoned to become consumers of the future.
Children carry fragile minds. They learn from environment quickly. They learn from you at rocket speed. And they keep these habits (Good or bad, you decide) forever as they become primary habits.
Unknowingly, when you bring your kids to store, you train them for an unnecessary shopping habit. Their mind becomes confused seeing all choices. It affects their data processing. It affects their ability to take decision as they have not yet learnt to decide by discrimination of right vs wrong. So they exhibit uncontrolled refractoriness(दुराग्रह/जिद). They want all toys. They want all chocolates.
Result?
Bad food habits. Bad behaviour. Faulty development. Uncontrolled teens.
Stop bombarding consumer attitude upon developing mind in growing age. Stop them becoming future consumers. Too many choices are not good for adults too! Why expose kids to tsunami of alternatives? Why kill their development?
And if you really want them to learn shopping, take them to local farm or Gau shala and buy things afresh. Take them to local sabji mandi where choices are limited. Super market for kids as any day bad idea in my humble opinion.
Oh yes, when your kid turns 9 or 10. Do go to shopping with them. It is right time for them to learn लेन-देन/खरीदारी/shopping/हिसाब/money matters.
