It’s not every day you see a child waving a pack of Durex under your nose, but thanks to a trip to Boots at the weekend that’s exactly the scene that was played out in front of me, by my own daughter no less.
This was not the result of the aisle we were looking in, let me quickly point out. It was an innocent, family-friendly shopping trip, or at least it was supposed to be. I was standing in the queue waiting to pay and minding my own business when the incident occurred.
The packets of Durex were at my daughter’s eye level, not mine, next to the painkillers and other last minute ‘essentials’ you may discover you need moments before you pay for your shopping. Or not in our case.
In the ‘olden days’ when I was seven years old, you’d find packets of sweets shouting out for your attention in these aisles. But retailers bowed to public pressure and understood that children would grab the sweets and a difficult situation between parent and child would ensue.
Common sense prevailed, although not enough sense in this case. Now we have a difficult situation of a different kind, which is easily solved, I discovered, by suddenly noticing there are sweets nearby and pointing to them. It proved an excellent way of diverting attention away from adult contraceptives.
Never have I been more relieved to see a tube of Smarties.
But I'd like to suggest Boots re-think their merchandising.
Eek! Glad Smarties saved the day!!
Posted by: If I could Escape | June 07, 2011 at 07:39 AM
Well dodged - it was neither the time nor the place for 'that' conversation.
Posted by: Ellen A | June 07, 2011 at 08:52 AM
You're absolutely right Ellen. Standing in the queue at Boots really isn't the place for those types of conversations!
Posted by: Rosie Scribble | June 07, 2011 at 08:57 AM
Thank goodness for chocolate. Helpful in so many situations I find.
Posted by: Rosie Scribble | June 07, 2011 at 08:58 AM
Oh no, I have all this to come. Thank goodness for smarties.
Posted by: TheMadHouse | June 07, 2011 at 09:34 AM
Little L almost picked a used one up the other day in the park. EEEEEEeeeeeeeek!!
Posted by: Metropolitan Mum | June 07, 2011 at 02:21 PM
Oh God. That's even worse!
Posted by: Rosie Scribble | June 07, 2011 at 02:23 PM
Gawd, glad she didn't ask any difficult questions.
Posted by: notsupermum | June 07, 2011 at 07:47 PM
Close call! I agree though - a bit inappropriate. Good classic diversion tactic though!
Posted by: mummy mania | June 07, 2011 at 08:46 PM
Tricky one well averted. Well done you, dodged the bullet for another day???I am hopeless at these talks and rely on the school talks and my husband...
Posted by: Jody Brettkelly | June 08, 2011 at 02:29 AM
Omg that is hilarious. What were they thinking? :D
Posted by: Jo Beaufoix | June 08, 2011 at 06:10 PM
LOL....reminds me of when I was a child and begged my father in the pub for money for the vending machine in the loo so I could get the 'bumper pack with towels AND safety pins' (this was a Very Long Time Ago) in a very loud voice... :)
Posted by: Jane Alexander | June 09, 2011 at 09:53 PM
Oh my God. Hilarious. Comedy sketch material!
Posted by: Rosie Scribble | June 09, 2011 at 09:56 PM
Tee-hee!
Posted by: Mwa (Lost in Translation) | June 10, 2011 at 10:59 PM