I got a lot of winning video material out of my recent Dollar Tree shopping trip with Breanna. I even got some footage to give you a taste of what it’s like shopping at the dollar store with three little kids. Parent of the  Year, or Parent from H-E-double hockey sticks? You be the judge (and let me know what you think).

My tips for shopping with kids?

  1. Make sure they’re at the beginning of their day/as far away from naptime as possible
  2. Make sure they’ve eaten recently
  3. At the dollar store, bribe with $1 (“You can choose ONE thing to take home”)
  4. Keep a reserve bag of candy or snacks in your purse for additional bribes
  5. Hit the toy aisle LAST (and use it as a bribe for good behavior)
  6. Keep your voice low so the whole store doesn’t know your business with your kiddo
  7. Leave before it’s too late

LiEr at ikat bag wrote a post awhile back about fabric shopping with kiddos that you might enjoy. Lots of great tips there (my favorite one, which holds true in any situation: “dress your children adorably.  Other patrons in line with you for the cutting counter are more easily charmed by a child in a well-put-together outfit.”)