Stranger takes a photo of this family at a grocery store for a very important reason

Taking your little ones shopping can feel like a punishment for something you did in a previous life.

The kids, who insisted on going with you, get bored after about five minutes, and you'll spend the majority of the time putting back the tub of ice cream they keep sneaking into the trolley.

But, as one woman recently learned, these days are as much to be treasured as the days spent doing fun things together as a family.

Jess Wolfe was out shopping with her kids recently, when a stranger asked could she take a picture of the family.

Jess, who had a baby strapped to her back, a hungry three-year-old, a hyper six-year-old and a seven-year-old who was on a mission to spend his only dollar bill with her, said that yes the woman could take the photo – and the mum is now glad she did.

"This was my trip to the grocery today," the photographer from Indiana wrote on her Facebook page. 

"While I was bagging up my groceries (thanks Aldi) and trying to quietly keep from losing my ever loving sh*t, the lady next to me asked if I have one of those phones that takes pictures.

"Trying not to convey my annoyance to someone else adding to the million questions that make up my day, I replied that, yes I do have one of those fancy phones. She asked to take a picture of me with the kids."

At first, Jess was confused as to why the woman thought now was a good moment to capture forever, but when she did finally understand, the mum was grateful.  

"She told me that she wishes she had photos of herself doing every day things with her kids," the mum-of-four explained. 

"She validated the fact that a simple grocery trip is hard. She told me that what I do matters. She doesn't miss what made the days hard, but she misses what made them sweet. I will always cherish this picture and the message that came with it."

The stranger does make a valid point… however, sometimes it's hard to find the things that make days sweet when your little ones are having a 'moment'. 

What do you think? Does this make you look at grocery shopping with the kids in a whole new light?