In the 40s my mother would take one child with her to shop and to help carry packages. It was a really big deal- we were farm kids and there were a lot of us so outings, especially alone with a parent, were memorable.

My mother has said that she used to take a $5.00 bill for the weekly shopping. We had a large farm and grew just about everything we needed. Exceptions were yardage (Mom made our clothes) and shoes and staples like sugar, flour and rice.

Anyway, after the shopping was done Mom would take the child to the lunch counter at Woolworths and buy him or her a milkshake or sundae. Heaven.