Shopping with munchkins
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Most shops do not allow kids even though there are some that do. Kids are a distraction and may distract you from getting correct timings, concentrating on your conversation with the salesman etc. Luckily my kids are grown and when I started mystery shopping, they were old enough to stay by theirself. Good luck to you in finding shops that allow you to take your children.
I actually stopped shopping for a few years when my kids were young(er). I look VERY carefully to see which shops allow kids and which don't - one shop I do I was able to take my ten year old on a 'date', which was awesome - but he couldn't have been under 8, per their rules. I did another shop that didn't specify that was a super quick shop, where I was able to let him hang out playing a game on his whoosimiwhatsit on a bench outside while I went in and did the shop. Would not have done that with my younger kids. In general, you don't WANT to bring little ones with you - they can pull you away right when you need to time something (esp if they are too young to go to a restroom by themselves, what a dilemma!), or make you very memorable on a dime based on their behavior. On the flip side, there are shops that require you to bring a child of a certain age - but yet, check all requirements first, and make sure YOU feel you can do the shop with your child there, even if it's 'allowed' it might not be a great idea.
LA
LA
I wouldn't want to bring kids on my shops even if they're allowed. Aside from the possibility that they would be a distraction, children tend to be memorable in many ways. I "borrowed" my teenage nephew once to do a video game shop and one of the sales clerks, who was probably in her early 20s, flirted with him the entire time. It was at that moment that I realized yeah, he's memorable and I'm never doing this again.
I don't know how old your kids are but you don't want to be remembered when you're mystery shopping, even if they're allowed to go with you.
I don't know how old your kids are but you don't want to be remembered when you're mystery shopping, even if they're allowed to go with you.
There are some shops that specifically ask that children accompany the shopper if possible, usually because the shops are geared to children and their activities.
Mystery shopping is a business and most shops are not designed to bring children. Many say in the guidelines that children are not welcome.
Unless I am doing a Disney Store or a LEGO shop, I would prefer not to bring my children as I think they are a distraction. Also, as mentioned above, children tend to be memorable and can lead to the shopper being more easily identified. They can also change the outcome of a shop. For example, I remember another Mom writing on the forum that she was doing a Dairy Queen shop with her young daughter. When she purchased the ice cream cone (which she was required to photogragh), her daughter was standing with her and it was clear that the cone was for the child. With a big smile, the DQ employee made eye contact and handed the cone to the child - who immediately took a BIG bite. Ooooopppppsssss........no photo!
There are few jobs that would encourage a worker to bring children with them to the workplace.
Mystery shopping is a business and most shops are not designed to bring children. Many say in the guidelines that children are not welcome.
Unless I am doing a Disney Store or a LEGO shop, I would prefer not to bring my children as I think they are a distraction. Also, as mentioned above, children tend to be memorable and can lead to the shopper being more easily identified. They can also change the outcome of a shop. For example, I remember another Mom writing on the forum that she was doing a Dairy Queen shop with her young daughter. When she purchased the ice cream cone (which she was required to photogragh), her daughter was standing with her and it was clear that the cone was for the child. With a big smile, the DQ employee made eye contact and handed the cone to the child - who immediately took a BIG bite. Ooooopppppsssss........no photo!
There are few jobs that would encourage a worker to bring children with them to the workplace.
Kids can be a distraction. Heck, my adult friends and family members are distraction enough on certain shops. It's handy to have someone who can take my refilled drink out to the car while I evaluate the restroom if I can't check the restroom at the beginning of the shop for whatever reason.
Look into phone and online shops. They can be done in the comfort of your home. If you can keep the kids quiet for a 20 minute phone call, then you're set. Most of the phone shops I've done don't pay that much, but doing 2 or 3 a day every day can really add up.
I do some shops with my children. I have an 8 year old, who is old enough to handle herself on shops where she's allowed. We do dinner dates and have a great time. The baby, I will bring if she's sleeping and it's an easy shop. Sometimes I find if I have multiple interactions but no intent to buy from that area my 8 year old is helpful- I can say, my daughter wants to know if there are other flavors of donuts, etc.
I also have a toddler though, and I try my hardest not to bring him along. He's loud, and distracting. He actually peed on the floor on a "kids preferred shop" (which wound up costing me money because I had to buy him a new outfit and return to the store to finish my transaction). It just depends.
I actually prefer not to do phone shops when my kids are at home with me, because they're loud and they often interrupt. It's doable to shop with kids, but not ideal. Some companies completely forbid them.
All that said, I do most of my shopping around my husband's work schedule, so I can shop alone. It's not impossible to shop with children, just more difficult.
I also have a toddler though, and I try my hardest not to bring him along. He's loud, and distracting. He actually peed on the floor on a "kids preferred shop" (which wound up costing me money because I had to buy him a new outfit and return to the store to finish my transaction). It just depends.
I actually prefer not to do phone shops when my kids are at home with me, because they're loud and they often interrupt. It's doable to shop with kids, but not ideal. Some companies completely forbid them.
All that said, I do most of my shopping around my husband's work schedule, so I can shop alone. It's not impossible to shop with children, just more difficult.
I've seen haircut shops where you,could get the cut for your child. I can't envision taking my preschool grandson to a Disney store so haven't done one.
Lol, by the way, to having a hobby where you want to make money instead of spend it...when you are bringing kids. You have no idea how many bribes a little one needs to behave in a store...how much more you will spend than planned on a $2 reimbursed shop...how hungry little one gets while you are out, and needs food immediately!...or how hard it is to not spend on a non-reimbursed toy store shop when Junior is there with you, begging... 
If you think of it as shopping with a discount..more likely
If you think of it as shopping with a discount..more likely
true, I took the kids the other day for a pharmacy shop inside a big grocery store and we wound up having to wait 30 min for the RX and spent more on snacks than I got paid!!
Shopping with teenagers is even worse! At least the little ones stay in the cart when bribed. Teenagers just walk around and find stuff that they have to have and slip it in the cart. The worst is a shop to teenage clothing store where they try to talk you out of an entire new closet of clothes!
Shopping across Indiana but mostly around Indianapolis.
I do sometimes bring my toddler or even both of my toddlers to the quick sandwich shop, which is allowed by MSC. Fast food shops are doable with kids because food keeps them occupied and they behave well knowing that french fries or doughnut is coming. I however prefer to bring my spouse for dining assignments along with kids when possible because he can watch them while I'm focused on ordering and timing. I never bring kids to non-food shops, too much distraction.
Which sandwich shop allows kids plusha? The fat pig one or the eastern state one?
Half the time I ask if I can bring kids and half the time I email schedulers who want me to do shops for them and let them know my kid free availability and then they let me know if I can bring a kid or not.
Half the time I ask if I can bring kids and half the time I email schedulers who want me to do shops for them and let them know my kid free availability and then they let me know if I can bring a kid or not.
There are drive-through only shops and drive-in shops I will do with my five year old son. (Not the ones where you go in after to talk to the manager, but the ones where you don't have to get out of the car unless it's a trip to the loo.) He loves it, and is happy for the occasional cheeseburger.
The Blue Light shops in my area were kid-friendly and used to bonus well, but have not been offered in months. (Client treading water?) If have seen them with a new MSP but am not sure about the kid-freindliness because "discreet" photos are required.
Car shops would really be hard, even with the best behaved kids. Car seats are hard on leather and upholstery and you can't take children for a test drive without them. The dealership might not have car seats on hand, anyway, so might not offer a test drive to someone with wee'uns for that reason.
It has been a few years, but there was a cell phone shop that allowed kids. We have a small collection of US Cellular dummy phones because the salespeople kept giving them to the (then) toddler to keep him pacified. If they are still shopped they have a new MSP.
The Blue Light shops in my area were kid-friendly and used to bonus well, but have not been offered in months. (Client treading water?) If have seen them with a new MSP but am not sure about the kid-freindliness because "discreet" photos are required.
Car shops would really be hard, even with the best behaved kids. Car seats are hard on leather and upholstery and you can't take children for a test drive without them. The dealership might not have car seats on hand, anyway, so might not offer a test drive to someone with wee'uns for that reason.
It has been a few years, but there was a cell phone shop that allowed kids. We have a small collection of US Cellular dummy phones because the salespeople kept giving them to the (then) toddler to keep him pacified. If they are still shopped they have a new MSP.
Look into Amusement Advantage. A friend of mine who has 3 kids under 5 wanted to start doing mystery shopping and I told her it would be really difficult for her to pick up any shops with kids. Then I remembered that I don't do Amusement Advantage shops because most require you to bring a kid, or recommend it. Reason being, they are typically zoos, amusement parks, museums, etc. that are perfect for families. Althoug, I have heard that they can have many requirements and very lengthy reports, but it doesn't hur to check them out.
A shop recently popped up for a restaraunt that I have been wanting to shop at (but didn't know what MSC shopped for them). The requirement was that you had to bring a child under 10 but not a baby. I don't have kids, so my sister told me I could "borrow" her 7 y/o so I can do the shop. Yay. Date night with auntie and nephew. It will be my very first shop with a child, so we will see how that goes!
Another shop requires a teenager between 14&17 and pays the teenager as well as the adult. I coach high school soccer, so I was thinking of taking a "star of the game" along with me as a reward (but really so I could do the shop) and they'll get paid for going with me and helping me out.
A shop recently popped up for a restaraunt that I have been wanting to shop at (but didn't know what MSC shopped for them). The requirement was that you had to bring a child under 10 but not a baby. I don't have kids, so my sister told me I could "borrow" her 7 y/o so I can do the shop. Yay. Date night with auntie and nephew. It will be my very first shop with a child, so we will see how that goes!
Another shop requires a teenager between 14&17 and pays the teenager as well as the adult. I coach high school soccer, so I was thinking of taking a "star of the game" along with me as a reward (but really so I could do the shop) and they'll get paid for going with me and helping me out.
IamAMYsteryshopper
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