If I have my two kids (1 and 3) with me. My personal preference is to put them in the car first thing. Why, cause one is in the cart and one is holding my hand. Soon as I start unloading the groceries one is in a weighted cart that I am not holding on to, and the other is not holding my hand. Sure the 3 year should know not to run into traffic, but not everything you do should be a lesson in darwinism. Also, don't like the little one smelling exhaust (i can handle being called neurotic when it comes to my kids).
I put them in the car, and buckle them up otherwise they will get into everything. Then I unload the groceries and look for a cart repository. Occasionally I don't see one close by (by close by I mean to the point where I can walk to it and still see my kids), I put it somewhere else. Curb, parking space divider thing, or with a group of other carts that are just sitting (probably from the last time I was there, since I am the only one in the world who does it). Not like I am just pushing it down the parking lot. The alternative is getting my kids back out, or walking away from them (**** that, I can secure it good enough to that it is not going anywhere in the 5 minutes it will be until a "cart wrangler" comes out to get it.
Congratulations to all the parents who would never ever ever ever do this. You level of dedication to grocery store parking lot maintenance is admirable, but the ones talking **** are just sad. I am a lazy **** and the problem with this country, because I don't secure my shopping cart to your liking, please. I hope you see me do it one day and stroke out, then I can dream of your family cheering at your funeral cause your miserable *** is dead.