do you let your kids run around, or stay by your side?

They stay with me. Even though I know it's a safe place and I can still keep an eye on them from anywhere in the store I am wise enough to know that everyone doesn't love my children as much as I do:) My children are 8 1/2 and 2 1/2.

Heck no my son doesn't run around, he's 5 and if we are in public he's right next to me. It annoys me so much when I'm in a store trying to shop and there's these kids running around with no momma around and the kids are acting crazy disrupting everything.

My kids stay with me at all times....There are a bunch of crazy people out there and you cant trust anyone...you never know when someone is going to just snatch your child...it could happen even when they are with you.

Well, as my daughter is only 16 months, yes I let her run around, that what she wants and needs at her age, BUT I follow her like a hawk. I love that she is mobile now, and I love to watch her explore, but I'm ALWAYS right there behind/beside her.

she stay with me at all times ...well, shes only 16 months but i can assure u she will never roam around on her own eve when shes older..its a safe town but with all these kids missing and bodies being found...its never TOO safe

daughter is 5 and she stays with me..not willing to risk anything!!

Until they are odl enough to take themselves to the store they will stay with me so at 16 my children can roam the store alone, I however don't think they will want to at that age.

She stays by my side at all stores. I had a very bad experience at a little corner dollar store when she was in Kindergarten. She needed some glue and she went into the aisle a head of me. The owner started to yell at her asking why she was there alone blah blah and I just looked at him and said "Because you didn't hear her scream MOMMY I FOUND IT! Right?" Needless to say we didn't buy his glue. Ever since, I never let her away from me, unless I personally know the store owner, like at the corner bodega, I let her go get her snack and come back, but I have know the lady who owns the store for 24 years, since she is the same lady who owned it when I was little lol

my 3yr old stays in the shopping cart or holds my hand. The only store he is allowed to wander around in is the little shoppette near my house that is seriously like an 8x10ft building. Not big at all and the woman who runs the place LOVES my son. If he is in there with me she talks to him and me like old friends, but if I go in without him I get "wheres Andrew?" and thats about it.

my 6yo stays with me at all times, but if im in walmart i let my 12yo walk around by herself if she likes...even to different departments as long as she meets me at a certain spot at a certain time...the only reason i allow this is because i know almost every single person that works in this particular store and they know my children VERY well! my mother has worked at this one for over 11 years so they all know me...but its the only store im comfortable doing this in.....if we are in a different store then the rule is she has to stay within eyesight...but she can still walk ahead and browse around.