Dr. Leslie Dobson, a clinical and forensic psychologist in California, didn’t mean to start a controversy when she shared her thoughts on returning shopping carts. But that’s exactly what happened after the mother of two posted a 16-second video on TikTok, which has since gone viral.
In the video, Dobson is sitting in her car and says, “I’m not returning my shopping cart and you can judge me all you want. I’m not getting my groceries into my car, getting my children into the car, and then leaving them in the car to go return the cart. So, if you’re going to give me a dirty look, f— off.”
@drlesliedobson #protectourchildren #protectourkids #saawareness #drleslie #educationalpurposes #forensicpsychology #childabuseawareness ♬ original sound – Dr. Leslie
Dobson told Today.com that she made the video because “predators watch our patterns and routines, and I wanted to give people permission not to return their carts if their intuition tells them they aren’t safe.”
In 2023, there were 265 children abducted during car thefts, which is an all-time high according to Kids and Car Safety.
While Dobson intended her video to be a public service announcement, many people saw it as a perfect example of “the shopping cart theory.” This theory suggests that a person’s moral character can be judged by whether or not they return their shopping cart.
Some people agreed with Dobson’s stance:
“I absolutely believe in the shopping cart theory. Maybe the return was across the lot, maybe it was literally across from the spot where you parked. Either way, the theory holds true.”
“Mom of a 6-year-old, 3-year-old, and 9-month-old. I simply unload groceries, return the cart with the kids, and then load them in. Same way that we got out of the car. Simple.”
“I’ll always say the shopping cart is the ultimate test to see what kind of person you are 🤷🏻♀️ Even with a baby, I bring her with me to return the cart.”
Others questioned her logic:
“How did your kids get to the shopping cart safely? Did you leave them in the car alone and go get the cart? Or were they portable enough to make it without a cart?”
While Dobson raises a valid point about safety, there might be other ways to return your cart and keep your children safe. What do you think? Let us know your comments on Facebook.
