I reckon the easiest way to train toddlers is to plan ahead and be ready
to drop everything and depart as *soon* as they act up. I know there are
times when it's not possible, but this method sure worked with my DD. I
only had to leave off shopping a few times when she realised her
behaviour had direct consequences!

The other thing is not to linger about, browsing, while a small child
gets bored. You need to keep up a running commentary with them about the
groceries you're buying. Ask what it tastes like. Ask whether it'd be
nice with ice cream or tomato sauce. Ask if it's something Dad would use
or Mum would prefer. Ask if the child could possibly reach for some
items (eg. toilet rolls, which don't generally break when dropped).
Although, beware of the store-built booby-trap in the pyramid at the end
of the aisle...

I always found it *much* easier to keep the kid in the shopping cart
seat thingie. Once DD was too big for that, I made her my little
apprentice shopper and purposely kept shopping expeditions to less than
an hour. Small kids can't last much longer than that without a chance to
let off steam!

When kids become tired and fractious, it really is time to cut the trip
short. If an adult companion told you 'I'm beat! I need to go home right
away!', you wouldn't stop to argue. It makes me *so* mad to see Mums
shrieking at overtired kids in supermarkets when, really, the kid has
done nothing wrong.

Of course, the other side of this coin is to give real praise and reward
for good behaviour. Most kids will bend over backwards to be praised and
told what a great helper they are. The effort you put in during the
toddler phase pays *huge* dividends later on! I promise!

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Trish {|:-} Newcastle, NSW, Australia