3yo, this evening, in Waitrose, riding off on a stock trolley Agh!

I've blogged about how stressful shopping can be for our children here.

I should have taken my own advice before going to Waitrose yesterday.  It had been a long day, our son was at an after school activity and I needed to go and visit #grumpydeafgrandad.  He wanted bread, milk and crisps.  The bread only available from Waitrose, that was where our three year old daughter and I had to go.

I followed my own advice before entering the supermarket.  I made sure our daughter knew what we were looking for.  I lay down the rules of either holding my hand or holding the trolley. However, she was tired, after a long day that had included time at play school.

All went well, until we reached the bread section.  In order to reach the particular loaf of bread required by Grandad I let go of the trolley for the first time and consequently took my eye away from our three year old.

I turned back to find her gone.

Looking across the aisle, I saw her settling herself on the back of a high sided stock trolley.  

"What are you doing?" I asked.

Our daughter waved happily and giggled.

She then began to move backwards, laughing, as the member of staff in charge of the trolley began to pull it after him.

Momentarily I froze.  Three year old thought this was terribly funny.  

I must have resembled a participant in one of the chases that always ended the Benny Hill show as I stumbled over the trolley and chased after the stock trolley.

Fellow shoppers scattered as I ran down the aisle after our daughter.  The chap pulling the stock trolley, completely oblivious to what was going on behind him, was quickly gathering speed.

As the trolley reached the swing doors back into the stock room I managed to sweep our daughter off the back of it, still laughing, into my arms.

"That was funny!" She said, "again.  Do it again!"

My blood pressure and hear rate began to decrease as I knelt down to talk to our daughter at eye level.  Her smile waned as she realised how unhappy I was.  "Sorry Daddy," she mumbled.

I made a mental note to do Grandad's shopping earlier in the day from now on.