Menards Not Allowing Children Under Age 16 in Stores

[mommyoffive]

I had not seen this yet.  Not that I am taking my kids out right now, but for some places that don't have a SIP in place yet, maybe this is helpful. 

https://hip2save.com/2020/04/03/menards-not-allowing-children-under-age-16-in-stores/

[marbel]

I think that is great. [Edit: For those for whom taking the kids is not a necessity but how would the store know?] This is no time for kids (though 16 is not really a kid) to be out and about. Just before our county went on lockdown my husband and I went to Sams Club and there were kids all over the place, touching everything, getting in the way.  I do wonder, though, about people who simply have no one to leave their kids with, no options for pickup or delivery, etc. 

Edited April 3, 2020 by marbel
poorly thought out response at first. Ugh.

[purpleowl]

I think it's a good idea generally, but I do wonder how single parents of young kids are handling things.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Families with kids who cannot be left alone should be using grocery pickup. 

[alisoncooks]

1 minute ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Families with kids who cannot be left alone should be using grocery pickup. 

Assuming they can get it. I've been trying for 3 weeks to get a pick up slot...nope. (Luckily my kids are older and I leave them home.)

[RootAnn]

My DH pointed out that he would rather take our 14 yr old than his father (who is behaving as if nothing has changed & thus would likely touch things unnecessarily).

[bolt.]

I think there might be some parents who aren't yet thinking sensibly about Covid19, so I can see why a "ban" on children might make some parents pause and make other arrangements if they can. But, (and I'm just imagining my way here) I imagine there are more people in legitimate childcare dilemmas than there are people who just aren't with the program.

You can't leave little kids home alone. You can't shop with them. Delivery and pickup are extremely difficult to arrange. You can't not feed them. What do they expect single parents (or families when one parent is ill, or parents splitting shifts) to do? I suppose a ban might make them think harder (get a friend or neighbour to do their shopping?) but it does seem like a hardship.

[Murphy101]

Delivery and pickup can be really hard to get in places, and delivery is an additional cost that many already struggling financially can’t do. I mean I think I’m doing pretty good. I get delivery from 2 stores once a week, I can’t get everything we need from just one of them. But that’s an additional $20 a week/ $80 a month to have food delivered. Not everyone has money for that. And that’s not including that items online are often a bit more expensive too or that the cheaper options are often sold out. $1 or more an item sometimes. Not a big deal individually but it adds up quick by the time the order is placed. I think all that put together is going to mean my grocery bill is approx $200 -$300 more than is was in February. 

[Valley Girl]

20 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Families with kids who cannot be left alone should be using grocery pickup. 

That may work for many. There will still be those who, for whatever reason, may not be able to access that particular avenue. Hopefully, stores will be able to accommodate those people. I'm always wary of when people are told they "just" have to do XYZ. Not everyone has the same circumstances. But again, maybe stores will expand options for those in difficult situations.

[rebcoola]

Menards is a hardware store so I think it is completely reasonable to not allow kids at this time.   We have seen a lot of different rules pop up here because despite shelter in place people are bringing their whole family out shopping.

[Selkie]

People who work at our local grocery stores, hardware stores, and big box stores have been saying that there are entire families coming into stores to shop together - parents, multiple kids, grandparents, etc. There will be 5 or 7 people with a single cart. The stores are telling families to send in only one person, in order to cut down on crowding. I can see where the no kids under 16 rule would help with that.

[rebcoola]

I would guess they are being quite reasonable based on past experience but we don't have one in our current town.

36 minutes ago, bolt. said:

I think there might be some parents who aren't yet thinking sensibly about Covid19, so I can see why a "ban" on children might make some parents pause and make other arrangements if they can. But, (and I'm just imagining my way here) I imagine there are more people in legitimate childcare dilemmas than there are people who just aren't with the program.

You can't leave little kids home alone. You can't shop with them. Delivery and pickup are extremely difficult to arrange. You can't not feed them. What do they expect single parents (or families when one parent is ill, or parents splitting shifts) to do? I suppose a ban might make them think harder (get a friend or neighbour to do their shopping?) but it does seem like a hardship.

I can’t stand Menard’s and will never, ever give them my money again so it doesn’t surprise me they made some policy without thinking it through.  Sure, as a general rule kids shouldn’t be on the shopping trip, but not everyone has the luxury of grocery delivery or pickup or leaving the kids at home.  I leave my kids home because I can and I could afford delivery (if I could find a time slot), but it isn’t fair to place my decisions based on my options on other people with significantly fewer options and resources. 

[Daniel Hardy]

1 hour ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Families with kids who cannot be left alone should be using grocery pickup. 

If they live somewhere with this service, sure. But not all store and towns have this as an option. People in bigger cities should be fine. But rural areas, and maybe even some smaller cities, may not have delivery services available.

[May]

In our local Costco, only 2 people are allowed in with one membership card. 

[Sherry in OH]

An age limit of 16+ makes sense for Menards, Home Depot, Lowes, and other stores not typically located in walkable areas.  In most states, a child under the age of 16 is not driving himself to the store.   For those who absolutely must send a 14 year old into the store, order the part for customer pickup designating the child as the pickup person.  Child goes directly to pickup desk, gets part and leaves. Store employees are much more likely to be sympathetic to a lone teen or one adult accompanied by pre-teen children going directly to the pickup counter (with a pickup notice in hand) than an entire family browsing the store.  

I have more sympathy for parents who must take their children grocery shopping than I do for those doing other types of shopping.  Mostly because other than groceries, the shopping is rarely essential.  When it is, hardware and department stores have many more pickup and delivery slots than grocery stores have.  In my area, customers can call the hardware store and ask that an item be held at the desk for pickup.  Try doing that at a grocery store.

[BlsdMama]

Menards isn't my favorite right now.  Aside from the fact they are the only one of the Big Three to NOT offer a military discount, I had a special order (wide door for our bedroom to be accessible with my wheelchair) to be brought to store.  So we ordered a few other things for a "one and done" pick up by DH. 

They charged $8.40 FEE for pick up?? Nowhere else does it! Then I get an email saying one item, which shows 7 are instock, is actually out of stock, and my order will be ready to pick up on the 17th.

After this weekend, methinks any Menards policy won't ever affect me much in the future, kwim?

[Miss Tick]

2 hours ago, rebcoola said:

Menards is a hardware store

With a weird selection of food available, including milk and toilet paper (surely).

Why are they "banning" kids instead of posting strongly worded suggestions? Kids sound like the lowest risk group for complications. Perhaps if the ban is in conjunction with a curbside pickup I could see it. Why aren't they banning people in the high-risk categories? Oh, right, because those are the market they depend on.

I agree with many posters that this places undue stress on parents. What's next, people of Asian descent? People from New York City? I could totally understand if they posted an employee at the entrance with one of those laser temperature gun and barred entry to anyone reading above 100. That would be way more appropriate.

[Miss Tick]

16 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

But that's not really how either the virus or social distancing work.  We don't socially distance because we ourselves might get s

Ok, I get social distancing and I'm all for it. My kids haven't been out and about for two weeks, I strong-armed DH into working from home, I only grocery shop every 2.5 weeks, all for social distancing for other people, since none of my beloved elders live within a 1000 miles of us. I'm just thinking that if a corporation is going to "ban" a category of mankind, this is not a completely logical choice. Other posters have pointed out that this group is unlikely to be traveling places on their own, whether it is to a hardware store or Grandpa's retirement home.

CuriousMom I really like your posts and I have a lot of sympathy for your personal situation, so please don't take this personally in any way.

[rebcoola]

Maybe it's the wording that has people upset.  lots of stores are saying only one person may enter which is just as bad for single parents etc.

[Emba]

3 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Families with kids who cannot be left alone should be using grocery pickup. 

I don’t have a Menards  anywhere near. Maybe they are only found in bigger cities, or maybe just in a different region. I’m rural. No one delivers to my house, and only Wal-Mary offers pickup locally, and we’ve all heard how that’s going for most people lately. You’re making an awfully strong statement that assumes everyone has available to them the same things you have available to you.

[Farrar]

I've been sending one of my 15 yos in instead of me or dh sometimes. Don't tell dh, but he's not allowed to go in anywhere. He's not like a gross guy or anything, but he's always been very perfunctory about handwashing and while he's trying to be careful, he does not have the right instincts exactly.

I get why they have this rule, but it doesn't account for common sense. Then again, most people don't seem to be exercising much of that these days.

 

[Katy]

On 4/3/2020 at 3:29 PM, Jean in Newcastle said:

Families with kids who cannot be left alone should be using grocery pickup. 

 

While I don't think many Menards stores (which is more like a Lowe's or Home Depot with maybe 3 aisles of groceries) are doing grocery pickup, many stores that usually DO have grocery pickup have halted it because everything on people's lists is sold out.  It wastes a lot of employee time and frustrates customers. 

[kiwik]

On 4/4/2020 at 8:18 AM, purpleowl said:

I think it's a good idea generally, but I do wonder how single parents of young kids are handling things.

Yes the other day I was thinking that I was so glad this didn't happen when my kids were younger.  Even now at 10 and 13 I am not legally allowed to leave them home alone.  I normally would for a quick trip to the supermarket but now it takes 2 hours I park as close as I can to the doors and leave them in the car.  There is no way I could have done that even a few years ago.  Even if I didn't get arrested ds10 was simply not stable enough emotionally.  And of course I can't take them in.

I usually do pick up that has been impossible since the lock down as the pick up times have been completely booked out a full week ahead (as far as they allow) every time I have looked.  And even if I could book a week ahead my income doesn't allow me to pay for a lot to be delivered but not get them for seven days.  We have to eat now.

Edited April 5, 2020 by kiwik