Supermarket & Post Office Adventures: Turning Errands into Fun

Hey, only-child moms! It’s Foa Comment… Join me to turn everyday errands like supermarket shopping and post office visits into fun field trips! Learn tips for manager tours and prep ideas.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:04

Hey amazing only child moms, I'm Paul Comic, your part-time working mom friend who loves Yahweh, family and fun. Welcome to the Family of One who reach your joys and adventures of raising an only child. Expect relatable stories, parenting laughs, and faithful tips. Let's make small family life enjoyable. Woo! Hi and welcome. Yes, in this episode, I was thinking about another activity, and sometimes the activity is just in the daily routines. So for example, at least maybe once or twice a month, or maybe every other month, I would go to the post office. Maybe I need some stamps, or you know, sending a mail overseas to New Zealand to family, or getting, I don't know, stuff as you do. And so I started to wonder when I was with Olivia, because Olivia would be asking questions like, you know, can I have a look? What's going on in the background of the post office? It's like and so I started to wonder, huh? I wonder if this would be a good place for a group of my friends to have a tour in the post office. Like, could we get access at the back? Are we allowed to visit? Are we allowed to learn more about our local post office location? So what I did is when I'm curious, I just asked. And that's a tip. If you are wanting to explore and learn with your child about more, you know, in your community, it doesn't hurt to ask because they could say yes and they could say no, but at least you know, and they might not know, maybe like from that location, they might say no, but they might say, but you know, this other location they do allow to have tours, and they'll and then you go on from there. So I called, I looked it up, and I spoke to um our local postmaster. Now, here I just quickly googled it and it said a postmaster is a head of an individual post office, and they're responsible for all post activities in a sp in a specific post office. So I thought, you know what? One, I didn't even know we had a postmaster, so I knew when to I when I addressed him, I said, Hello, Mr. Postmaster. I said something like that in an email, but something very formal. And then I explained who we were. I said that, you know, I'm a I formed a group, and it's a made it's a group of stay-at-home parents, and I have some homeschool and all variety of ages. We have some uh group that would love to learn about our local post office in this area. Is there an opportunity where we could does the post office do they provide, do they give tours and you know how many people are allowed in that group and the time and the things that we need to be aware of when we're coming into the post office? So it was really good. I mean, our postmaster, so this was at least uh so must have been about six or seven years, something like that. He was really nice, so he gave me the details, and because it was only limited of amount of people, I mean the post office in our local area is not that big, but so I think we only could bring in like three families and all together maybe 10 people, so we're very small. Um, and we can only do it one time. Um, it's not like you could go all the time because that's one thing I learned about when you're scheduling with the different local organizations or with different educational organizations, they may have schools or you know, depending on what staff is available to do the tour and the timing. So they may not always accommodate, like if you have 50 people in your group and they can only do it once a month, or they they might say, Look, I can only have two groups, and they can only be like 10 people per group, and it needs to be during the first week or the third week of the month. You really have to how I did it was I I just it was a sign up and it was first come, first serve, but it was also I had by then I established the families that if you're going into a place and this is your first time, you want to have a good impression, you don't want to take um a group where you don't know the parents and you don't know how their children are going to react because everything's different, and so you want to make sure one that you are aware because there'll be guidelines to what your group can and cannot do, what they can and cannot touch, and for many safety reasons too, you don't want anyone to get hurt, but you want them to enjoy yourself, so you will know the group of particular people like you know, okay, then I think this would be better suited for them, and because of the numbers, if you have one, I mean I had so it's just Olivia and I's so but our group was made up with um families with multiple children, so I was kind of selective and I try to give each family an opportunity, like I couldn't always pick the family. If there was like, well, we only have a spot for eight children, and I couldn't always pick the family to go with me for the first time that had like five or six kids because no one else will have an opportunity. So I try to give everyone a chance, but also pick and one Olivia had her close friends, so one of the benefits of me asking a family was asking Olivia who would you like to bring? What friend would you like to enjoy this with? And also, and I was okay with that because one, I was organizing it all, two, I wanted her to enjoy it just as me, and three, I wanted to have good company where I find that one, you know, the parent is very engaging. I wanted to have, and that was the group that I really establish. So the one thing when I started with this group, when I started doing activities as you are continuing to build your group, is I made it very clear that this is not me looking after your child. If you're participating in the activities that I organize and create, it's because you are also wanting to learn, you're engaging with your child. I'm not there to discipline, I'm just there to book, create, and provide in a safe and fun learning environment for you and your child to have fun and learn together and explore. That was my group. So and the parents are really good. I don't think I had one parent who was not there. I mean, I honestly um I think because in creating that culture, parents um were very hands-on, meaning um, it was just fun to be with. I didn't feel that it was um what do you call it, overwhelming because everyone just looked after their own child, made sure if they needed to talk to their child or whatever that that child needed at that time, they were there. It wasn't like, oh, you come here and leave your child and there you go. No, uh, no. The parents were absolutely um respectful in that way of um just engaging, and I think um as we started going about doing these activities, it really was uh easy for me to uh create these activities for them. So one of them was the post office. Isn't that amazing? You go to their places and you think, huh, maybe this would be a good place to learn, and so it was really awesome. So we met the postmaster, um, our local postmaster. So he took us behind um so in the front, they took us behind where they sort out the um the mail. And I tell you what, it's like um, I don't know, a Santa's workshop. There are people and how they created this how the system, and it really helped us parents, is we were like, Oh, is that what happens why my mail is blah blah blah? Oh, and we would ask questions about what if they got their own mail, what would they do there? I mean, it was so good in the kids to see. Um, it was really fun. So the tour itself was about 20 minutes. Um, and we went during I mean it was really good, and he explained it as he went to the different sections of the building. Um, and it at that time all of it is done by hand, there weren't any machines. Like this local post office is not where you see robots. There were people behind, I mean, I don't know now because it's been like maybe they have a robot, I don't know, but six or seven years ago there were no robots in this local post office. So I don't know. Um, and it was really fun, but going to that before we did that, we had an activity where the kids we had like little postcards, and I asked the parents that it would be fun if the kids got together and so they would color in or write a letter either to another friend, so we all paired up. We made sure, like, okay, how about you write a letter on this postcard to a friend or draw a picture? And we so we made sure everybody had like a a writing buddy, um, so each kid had someone to write to or and send their postcard to. So when we go to the post office, we would get the child because I've already decorated their postcard, they would buy a stamp, right, and then they would send it, but it would connect to them visiting the post office. So we did this so they would understand. Oh, now that I and did they understand everything? You know, no, but in a way, because the logistics, what he was talking about, maybe some kids did, but the little toddlers at least they could hear the language and see and explore just by learning of what was going on, and then they could see, oh, here's my postcard that I write, and it goes into this slot here, and then someone behind this wall, there's another room, that's where the magic happens, and then you have all these workers, and this is how they sort out and they do what they need to do, and it was so fun uh to do that, and then at the end of the tour, they gave everyone like a it's almost like a it was a post office little bag where they had a booklet about their information of the post office, and it just had a cr and it had a kid's craft, and it was it was all connected to the post office, it was so much fun. And then um the parents, they were just there are so many conversations about um just how thankful we are to the workers who work at these local post office, um, and we're still thankful for them if you work at the local post office. Thank you very much. And so I wanted to share that sometimes when you do things and it just became it can it can become mundane, honestly. And then in the mundane, you can find the activity. Another one was which was hilarious, is the supermarket, right? So we go to the supermarket as you do, you buy your local products, your groceries, and I start to wonder, I'm like, huh, I wonder if they would allow to do a tour for our group, and then I have to ask myself what kind of things would be interesting for the children and parents to see, and so because they might ask you too, they might say if you ask for a tour, they might the manager of the store might ask you, Well, what do you want to learn? It's always a good idea that you have something to come with, otherwise, if you just come along and you just give them a tour and they say, Well, what do you want to learn? You're like, I don't know. Now that means they have to think about your group, but you you should know about your group more than they do. So I thought I always started as what is interesting for Olivia and I, what would be a great conversation starter, and then I just go from there. So I go inwards, like, what do I want to learn with Olivia? What is she interested in? And so this is what I picked. I thought Olivia and I, when we go shopping, we really enjoy every now and then buying something new. It could be something, a fruit that we haven't tasted before, could be junk food, to say we have a variety of new things, it's something new that we would taste, like you're using all your senses. And so I asked the manager, we went and spoke to the manager, and I said, you know, I have a group and I told her who we were, and I said, We would love to explore. Do you have an opportunity where the children could sample maybe one or two products, and that way um they're maybe unique that you may import from other countries um that they could taste? Ideally, it would be a fruit. I would not recommend junk food since we are promoting healthy to the children. I cracked myself out. I was trying to like, you know, or a vegetable, something that would be great that the children and parents could taste that typically um maybe new unique to the new, you know, for the local area. So it was really good. I just said one. And you know, you don't want to say, can we sample everything? Because hello, that would not be well. If your local area does your supermarket, that'd be awesome. But um we ended up tasting, he was so good, this uh local supermarket because I called all the major ones and they said no, they don't do groups. Um, I think I called about four of them in my local area, and I emailed them, and then I emailed the corporate who call this, and everybody back said no, except for one local store. And what was so amazing is the connection with this local supermarket is that no when we went there for the first time, we went into a produce, he had like maybe four or five fruits, and he had already prepared them because I when he knew how many children and parents were coming, and I roughly give him the ages so he knows regarding to the the resources, uh, the material that's going to be given out, and so it was really good. We went straight to the produce, he had the um the fruit for them to taste and some of the vegetables, and it was just a bite size, it was really interesting, and the kids loved it, and it was funny because everybody have all uh all the parents and the kids they've been to that shop before, but it's something different when you go with a group of people and you taste things that maybe you haven't tasted before. That is interesting. So all your senses are like going crazy and crazy as in like exploring, like wow, you're smelling stuff, you're seeing stuff, you're talking, you're engaging with your friends. And then he goes, Would you like to come to the back and see the where we store it in the large refrigerator? And the kids are like, Okay, and I tell you what, those happy faces. I so he took us to the back and he opened up this large freezer, a walk-in freezer, and it is freezing. And he said, Okay, y'all can come in and um open up the door, and he goes, You can yell or scream, and the kids, oh my goodness, they were like screaming away, and it was so it was so much joy just to see them like have one. I don't know if it's something that you typically go in a walking freezer, like really big, but it was just so it was so much fun, and then we came out, and then um at that time it was the it was during the fall, and he said that they had a variety of apples and they were on sale, and I said, So we had already organized this before they were coming. Um, so the last activity, because this was about 40 minutes, a 40-minute activity, uh 40-45 minutes, and so at the outside, when we had come out of the supermarket, they had set up two tables where they had like two varieties of apples, and they had different like um what do you call it? Dips. I don't know if it's like uh caramel, and you would dip your apple in the caramel. And here's the thing it was so awesome. Um, he had a staff member, and people were dipping the kids, sat down at the table, and you got to try two varieties of apples. Apples, and then you got to try the different types of caramel, and the parents they're like, these apples are delicious, and so they bought quite a few apples. This group, I tell you, because you when you're tasting something and you are using all your senses, and it's yummy and it's positive. People want to buy just say the opportunity was there, and so that was so much fun. So, you know, parents, some parents bought two bags of apples, some parents bought one, and the caramel. I mean, it was such a fun. And then the next one, I think we ended up returning back to that store, and it was during um Easter time, and this time um what we did was we learnt about the uh deli. So we learned about different parts of that and what that looks like and how they inventory the um the how they inventory the the stock and they showed us and they had someone explain it, and then at the end of that activity, we decorated a cookie with um Easter, like with uh frosting, and it was just it was very simple, but it was very engaging. So I wanted parents like wow, you know, we come here all the time, but um unless you're doing that job or you know someone, it's very um different to go in a group and take the time to learn it. One because it promotes um really being more aware of who's doing what. Not me like I don't know if that sounds right, but it really promotes of you being interested in the community and the people who you know work in your community, and not only that, you get to appreciate the people who are working in these jobs, and then it engages the um conversation. So when the the conversation you have with your child on these field trips, like the post office and the supermarket, you're you're opening up to you know different types of curiosity and discovery, like Olivia, um, with the apples, you know, she liked the apples and the different types of apples, and then it was like, Well, where does this apple grow from? Is it from local or do you get it from here and there? And then is there a local orchard we can visit? And what kind of caramel? I mean, how do you make caramel? All these things you can spark from uh just having those types of conversations, and so and also like with the post office going back to that, you know. Now we go and visit the post office. She's like, Oh, yeah, I've been back there. You can't really say that in certain situations. Like if you go to a local area, have you had the opportunity to see the people work behind the scenes? Do you know of anybody? And it kind of helps you to I don't know, expand your learning and also learn learn um from other people what they know, and so I'm telling you, it's so good, even in the mundane things, and I wanted you I wanted to encourage you when you're just going about your day and you're stay-at-home mom, and it's just you and your child, and you're wondering, what can I do? What should I, you know, I just go to the same old place, just think about that place that you always go to. Is it a place that you can learn about it more by asking the manager, would they do a tour? If it's something that you want to learn about, is there someone that you can invite that would love to be part of that learning? If it's by yourself and you just don't know, maybe and there is an opportunity for you and your family to learn, maybe just start there, like just start with you and your family, or maybe just you and your child. I've had field trips where people just um because of the schedule, it they just went with themselves with their child. There's no others, like two people. But when I set up that particular activity for that, you know, for that family, I wanted to make sure that even if there was two people or ten people or twenty people that they would be treated the same, so it wasn't based on the people, it was just based on connection, and I wanted that family to feel just as important as if there were with 10 people with them. I wanted it to be special for them. So I that's an encouragement that for you, if you wanted to learn more about your community, just I don't know, maybe you what's a fun thing? What's it what's the place you go all the time? It was either it could be the library for you if you're listening to this. Have you learned about more about the library? Are there sections of the library you typically could not get access to? Maybe they will take give you and your child a tour of it. Maybe it's at the supermarket, the post office. The post office and supermarket was fun. Now, once again, you it's best when you are at these places, have a plan on what you would like to learn. It's always good when you know what you would like to do first. That way, when you are talking to these people, you have an idea, you've done your homework, and then once you know that, then if you're inviting other people, you want to let them know what they're learning as well, because that way they get a feel if this is something that's engaging for them, yes or no. And then you can plan, like when you go to these places, if someone needs a stroller. Now, I'm another mum, because my group had families of multiple children. You know, she said, Is this place somewhere that I could take a double wide stroller? And I was like, Oh, good questions, like some of the places I had organized it. Because at that time Olivia was not an stroller, so I didn't think of having places where I needed to plan if they could bring a stroller or not. So those are the type of questions if you have families that in your group, you know, you want to double check. One, this was always a must for me. One, are there bathrooms for children to use? Is it just in case you need them? Now, I always explain that before I, you know, set up that's got to be a priority. Not and I tell them, it's just in case if there's an emergency, I do not want my family to drive back all the way from I don't know, is there a place if their child needs to go to a bathroom? To is there room for strollers and a double wide stroller? So and another one was those were the two main ones first that I always double check with, and then I'll go from the usual the age and the name of the the number of the group and and things like that. So have fun when you are creating an activity for your group, and I'm sure there's lots of things, like even in the mundane mom, even like in the mundane, and I say that twice because who would have thought going to the post office? They're thinking, you know what? I go to this post office quite a bit. I should it'd be fun to learn more. What is available? Who can I talk to? And sometimes you might have to ask quite a bit, like it may be if I didn't if I wasn't able to have a tour, get a behind the scenes with this local uh post office, I most likely would have had another one. Just keep asking around until I got one. So you might have to do that, but it's so worth it because of the learning that you and your child are doing. I mean, moms, you are amazing, you are doing the best you can with the time that's given, with the resources you have. So have fun while you're exploring and learning with your child, and yes, you are listening to the family of one, like family of one, mama of one. You are amazing, you are, and I just want you to know that you are so awesome. So remember, remember that. Remember, oh my goodness, I was gonna say think of a song, remember, remember, but I can't even think of a song right now. You're wondering what is she going on about? I don't know, but I just want to tell you how much that I appreciate you listening, and I just want you to just have fun, absolutely have fun, and take the time, take the time to do the things you like to do, and there may be things that you want to learn about. Go and explore that and make it fun for you too. I'm gonna talk about another time where we went to the um where was it um a motorcycle place. Now, yeah, a motorcycle place that sounds amazing, right? I know. So all these things, even to a bike shop now. Come on, so many places. So I just want to give a shout out to some places in the United Kingdom. I have a listener from Nottingham, hello, and thank you very much, and also from Portsmouth, the two listeners, thank you. Just shout out to you both from Portsmouth. I hope I said that right, and from Nottingham. You two are both amazing, and for others who have been listening to me as well, and they're from other countries, I will give a shout out to that location the next time. Take care, and I will see you or connect with you in the next episode. Bye.