Ahhh, a sly pivot to the OP thread title; "When did the grocery store become the new adult playground?"

I don't know some of the behaviors I have observed seem natural to the kids more than bad parenting to me. Again no doctor but I see approximately one billion school age children in a typical week.

I think a third and not improbable explaination might be 40 years ago people left their children with difficulties at home more often, and hid their struggles better.

They became playgrounds because people "don't care".

While I was there, I’m thinking I want to tell those kids to stop acting like *******s , running around, bumping into things and throwing stuff stuffed toys they had there.

Then I was thinking, maybe I tell them, hey the manager just called the cops on you, so you might want to beat it.

1970s

My mom would leave me on a bench by the registers with a grape crush. There was always a stack of comic books with the covers ripped off. Sometimes another kid to hang out with. We’d play with green army men.

The prime difference I see today is that you’re no longer allowed to discipline other people’s kids. If I had acted obnoxious any adult could have roughed me up and my folks would have been fine with it.

Timely topic.

I just returned from the grocery store where I encountered two 30-something nitwits stopped with their carts right in the middle of an aisle having a lengthy conversation.

No room to squeeze by, so I just stood there and waited. They were oblivious to the fact that they were blocking the aisle and just kept on yacking, but one finally did notice me and moved just enough for me to barely get by.

I made sure that my cart bumped theirs rather soundly as I passed...

My folks would have been fine with that too and I would have gotten it a 2nd time...

Bah! "stood there and waited", nope. I say "excuse me". Depending upon my mood, it may be normal or possibly a little loud and abrupt (which is often startling to oblivious morons).

THat reminds me of one of those things where 2 folks are passing each other going opposite directions on a 2 lane road, and stop to chat while blocking both lanes. In that case, I'll stop and wait for a sec, but they'll get a very short toot of the horn if they don't seem like they are stopping their conversation.

And what's with people pushing their dogs around in their shopping carts? Talk about unsanitary...

Interesting, a few months ago I was grocery shopping, and going down the frozen food aisle were three kids trying to play kickball, using the ball from one of those big wire enclosed displays they sometimes have for things like cheap kickballs, etc...

Well the ball came to me so I kicked it back to the kids... The mom was looking overwhelmed, while shopping and dealing with the three little terrors..

I smiled, the littles kids were happy to keep the ball in play.. and the mother smiled at me...

Maybe its me.. but, I wasn't upset with kids being kids

I was barked at plenty by known/associated parents. Complete strangers would have been case by case but never the cops being called.

A little spicy but realistic for the 70's time window:

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I usually go between 9am & 10am during the week to avoid all of the "old people", not to mention, I fall into that category so I can miss all of the dawdlers. This week, I walked to Target to pick up a few things and it was later than 10 and the store had quite a few teenagers running around dressed for summer or in their pajamas. They will be off of spring break next week so mid mornings will be the young mothers and seniors walking around.

When someone has their cart blocking the isle and they are on the other side looking at an item I will wait about 15 seconds and then I just move their cart. They look surprised but no one has said anything to me. If it is someone on the phone and just standing there blocking the isle, I move it 5-10 feet.

I announce I'm going to do it but do not wait for approval. If the person can easily pummel me, I'm more polite.