Author: Rebecca Weigand
Tagline: Nothing speaks for a store like the experience of its shoppers! Learn from Rebecca’s why Karma is great for kids.
This March Break, I brought my five year old daughter to Karma Co-op for the first time in a long time. And then, due to a mysteriously lost item, we had to come back again a few days later. This gave me lots of opportunity to reflect on why Karma is a great place for kids.
1. It’s friendly and playful.
People smile at each other at Karma (even behind masks). Starting with the animals at the door, my five year old feels welcome and excited to shop. (She’ll miss them now that capacity limits have been lifted.)
2. It’s small.
As in, not quite so many temptations, and fewer places to get lost. Like most shoppers, we anchor ourselves at the centre table between produce and bulk, and from there I feel pretty safe letting her explore (a little).
3. It helps normalize our striving-for-zero-waste values.
Although the zero-waste movement and shift away from plastic is growing, it still sometimes feels a bit lonely. Being at Karma, seeing other shoppers using their containers helps motivate me, and keep my standards high. I think it helps my daughter too, to see other people using their containers and bags from home. In a world where many of her classmates are bringing to school granola bars, goldfish crackers, juice boxes, and those annoying hard to recycle fruit pouches, our homemade cookies don’t seem as shiny and exciting. At Karma, she can see that other families eschew plastic packaging too, and she can get a few treats for her lunch in bulk (potato chips and fruity gummy bears are a hit).
The new(ish) set-up of the bulk section is great for helpful kids too. (Just don’t forget to supervise closely, and watch out for fast-moving gravity bins).
4. There’s a bathroom.
This is a huge bonus if your kid (or yourself) has a small bladder. And my daughter loves that Karma’s bathroom looks like our home bathroom. Extra bonus – if you go play at the nearby school park after shopping, you can come back here in case of an emergency.
5. Karma is community.
Back before I was a parent, I remember doing cash shifts and watching kids and families shop together. I remember seeing kids hanging out in the old community room, doing homework or playing together. I remember kids being a bit noisy, and there being a bit more running around and excitement than there might be at a regular grocery store. There’s a sense of comfort and community at Karma, a mellowness, a slowness at the same time as an acceptance of people for who they are, both kids and adults.
One of the reasons I haven’t shopped much with my daughter is that she is a strong-willed kid and we have had a few too many big meltdowns at a particular local organic grocery store in the east end. My tolerance for strangers glaring at me and my kid is not high. Now that I’m re-energizing my Karma membership, I’m excited to be able to shop with her again. I may not always bring her (it’s nice to shop without having a debate about marshmallows every time) but knowing that I don’t have to always squeeze grocery shopping into the workday is freeing too. I can’t guarantee that our Karma visits will always remain drama-free, but I know the sense of community helps.
What makes Karma a great fit for your family? What do your kids like about shopping at Karma? What tips do you have for other shoppers with kids?