'Paranoid' mum shares suspect shopping trolley toddler hack

“Must be really stressful living your life this afraid."

Parenting a toddler in 2025 is honestly just trialling one TikTok hack after the other. 

Some appear to work, some we never speak of again. 

Then there are others that never make it out of my bookmarked folder. 

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I'm a stickler for a good hack!

However, a recent hack for making your toddler stay put in the trolley was exciting for many parents - including myself.

Karolina posted to TikTok the extreme measures she takes to keep her youngster safe while at the supermarket. 

Her first hack was to cut open a pool noodle to attach around the handle, to keep germs at bay. 

We practice safe hand hygiene and utilise the sanitiser at the store so this one didn’t really strike me as something I'd use. 

My 2-year-old living his best trolley life in Woolworths. Image: Supplied.

However, her second hack had me jumping for joy; using a carabiner to attach the back of her daughter’s jeans (via a belt loop) to the child’s seat in the trolley. 

Genius... at first glance.

My almost two-year-old has decided trolley seats just aren’t his jam. He attempts to stand up and wiggle out of the belt the second you place him in it. 

I thought this hack was the answer to my struggles. 

Not to mention the fact that it would stop sinister strangers from lifting him out of the seat or any other horror stories from unfolding. 

But, before I could even get in the car and be Bunnings-bound, the internet rained on my parade. 

Image: TikTok/karolina.my.motherhood

Trouble in Trolly-dise 

Many expressed concerns in the comments that Karolina was being 'paranoid', and that attaching your child to the trolley this way could be “dangerous.” 

“This must be really stressful living your life this afraid,” came one comment. 

“Aww honey. This isn’t “mum hacks” it’s paranoia.,” another criticised. 

@karolina.my.motherhood

Shopping with kids #momhacks #shoppingwithkids #mumhacks #firsttimemom #momlifebelike #momtipsandtricks

♬ Anxiety - Doechii

Then this viewer warned, “I think the clip on her trousers could be dangerous; if there was an emergency and you needed to grab her or she choked then it could be really dangerous.” 

The comment section definitely gave me reason to re-think using this hack.  

It’s a reminder to take these Tik Tok hacks with a grain of salt - and to do your own research about trolley use at every retailer.

Shopping trolley safety

Raising Children Australia recommends that children sit in the trolley seat, and not on the sides or where your items go. 

They also recommend that if a trolley doesn’t have a 5-point harness, use a pram or stroller instead. 

Originally published as 'Paranoid' mum shares suspect shopping trolley toddler hack