The Mom - edited

I participated in a shopping survey today. I had to shop with some people at a grocery store and then go to a focus group afterward.

There were three of us in the group.

A single gal.
A gal with a boyfriend.
And me, with a husband and four kids.

:)

The questions had to do with store layout and organization. They're thinking of doing something different.

And they wanted to know what we thought about it.

So I told them.

I told them it needed to be convenient. I told them I like to shop fast because I have anywhere from 2-4 kids with me when I go grocery shopping and once they've eaten their free bakery cookie (if there is one), they're ready to get out of there. I told them it doesn't need to be fancy, just organized so I can find what I need and leave.

I referenced my kids in the majority of the answers I gave. I had to. My kids shop with me, so they affect my shopping habits and experience.

And then they said, "What do you think about putting a magazine rack right 'here' (pointing to a part of the drawing of the new layout) for men?"

Gal #1: "I like it."
Gal #2: "Yeah, that's a good idea!"
Gal #3 (me): "I don't like that at all. The chances of an inappropriate magazine cover being placed there are too high. I don't want my boys seeing something like that and I don't want to have to try to turn over a magazine before they ask me why the lady hardly has any clothes on."

(I had just done this very thing at their store the day before. Darn "special" swimsuit edition displayed right at Jacob and Matthew's eye level.)

I think I surprised everyone with that answer. I didn't beat around the bush. I was serious. I didn't like it one bit.

I had to laugh as we three gals walked out of the building and to our cars. I got in the minivan. I drove home chuckling, wondering what everyone in the room and behind that wall of mirrors (two-way mirrors of course) must have thought about me.

And then I got back to my kids. And Megan couldn't wait for me to hold her. And I was happy that I was the Mom.

______________

Note: After reading my sister-in-law's post about inappropriate magazines, I decided turning them over wasn't enough. I contacted the grocery store and asked them to cover magazines like these if they choose to sell them. We'll see if anything changes. :)