Poor Mrs Barry, having to walk a few yards with her child to reach the shop doorway (Letters, July 14).

Good job she didn't have her kids in the early Eighties, when there were no huge, out-of-town superstores, 24-hour opening, disposable nappies and so on.

Why on earth do parents persist in dragging their poor kids round the supermarket anyway? It is hell for the bored kids, stress for the parents and nothing short of a nightmare for others trying to dodge them.

Here's a revolutionary idea, Mrs Barry. Do your shopping alone. When Mr Barry comes home one evening, let him give junior his tea, bath him, read him his bedtime story, sing him a lullaby and put him to bed.

Benefit all round - you can have a couple of stress-free hours to shop and a lovely father-and-offspring bonding session for the child.

I bet you manage to walk miles and miles to reach the boutiques to buy your trendy clothes and they don't have mother-and-baby parking spaces.

-Wendy Taylor, Manor Road, Lancing