2 year olds and knives don't mix...

[JoitheArtist]

I work in a call center that is half Member Services, half online store. We have one customer who I won't refer to as an SC: She's annoying sometimes, and calls for no reason a lot but she's nice enough and actually cares about us as human beings, so we sort of look on her with fond exasperation.

Anyhow. Her most legendary phone call came one day, when she was chatting away with my coworker:

Coworker (CW): Hello, N-------."
Customer (NN): Hello! How are you guys?

*a few minutes of pointless conversation*

NN: Ok, well, I just wanted to see how you were. I have to hang up now, because my 2 year old is carving his name in my coffee table.

CW: Uh....

NN: Bye! *click*


1. Why are there sharp things in reach of the 2 year old?
2. Why are there things SHARP ENOUGH TO CARVE INTO A SOLID WOOD TABLE near a two year old?
3. And why the heck are you on the phone when your 2 year old is running around with sharp objects???

[Shangri-laschild]

And why didn't she sound more alarmed about it than that?

[PossJB]

I'm impressed he could spell his name.

[marasbaras]

She should be proud. Carving is hard. Talented kid.

[tamezin]

because my 2 year old is carving his name in my coffee table.

If he is able to carve his name at 2 (spelled right or not), sounds like he is at least one up on Mommy.

[Sheldonrs]

"Now Timmy, put the uzzi back where you found it. Remember what happened the last time and we won't get another dog if it happens again."

[Jbball]

I was cooking dinner last night and my wife, mother, and 11 month old son were all in the kitchen with me. My mother is doing the dishes and talking to my wife when my wife notices that my son has walked up to the dishwasher and pulled out a steak knife. Not only just a steak knife, but these special kind that my sister bought as they basically cut through anything with little to no force.

Luckily, the blade was facing up and away from him, but he made a motion towards his face when my wife caught his hand.

I swear, they'll be the end of me. My job is to cook so they can watch him, but they decide to chit-chat and pay no mind to him at all. :T

[Pixagi]

It doesn't necessarily make her a bad parent. At two I'd pick up a knife, touch the blade just enough to know it's sharp, then put it back down. Freaked out my mother the first few times, but then she realized I wasn't likely to hurt myself with it, especially since I wasn't walking around with them.

Given, yeah, she should be paying attention to that kid, because if he had tripped and fallen on that thing while making his way to the coffee table... this is of course assuming the sharp in question wasn't actually on the coffee table in question.

[Bramblerose]

Dear God, you nearly stopped my heart!

I'm not sure what part of me is more horrified- the bit that works with very young children (whom I don't leave alone with knives) or the bit of me that has had all the first aid training and knows just what the wounds would look like!

[LifeCarnie]

"Now Timmy, put the uzzi back where you found it. Remember what happened the last time and we won't get another dog if it happens again."

"And, for the LAST time, pickup these landmines!! You remember what happened last time don't you? Well, you only have one grand ma left, so you'd better be more careful."

[JoitheArtist]

It doesn't necessarily make her a bad parent. At two I'd pick up a knife, touch the blade just enough to know it's sharp, then put it back down. Freaked out my mother the first few times, but then she realized I wasn't likely to hurt myself with it, especially since I wasn't walking around with them.

Given, yeah, she should be paying attention to that kid, because if he had tripped and fallen on that thing while making his way to the coffee table... this is of course assuming the sharp in question wasn't actually on the coffee table in question.

Well, you'd have to experience the cumulative effect of this customer. I did neglect to notice that EVERY time she calls us (sometimes upwards of 3 times a day), the kid is howling in the background. She sometimes puts the phone down to yell at him to be quiet.

Sigh.

Again, not an SC per se, but...yikes.

[Pixagi]

Well, you'd have to experience the cumulative effect of this customer. I did neglect to notice that EVERY time she calls us (sometimes upwards of 3 times a day), the kid is howling in the background. She sometimes puts the phone down to yell at him to be quiet.

Sigh.

Again, not an SC per se, but...yikes.

See, that's different! Given, the kid could just be tossing a tantrum, in which case you're supposed to ignore them entirely unless they go to more drastic measures to get your attention (like try to kill themselves with a TV set). However, screaming at them to stop is not a way to break them of a tantrum, sticking them in another room where you know they can't kill themselves on something 'til they quite, however, is.

That's of course assuming that the woman knows a difference between a tantrum and the kid actually needing her...

[Slytovhand]

"And, for the LAST time, pickup these landmines!! You remember what happened last time don't you? Well, you only have one grand ma left, so you'd better be more careful."

"No Timmy, we're going to use the barbeque tonight. You can put the napalm grenades back where you found them. But you can get me the kerosene".

[Ghostlightkeeper]

A two year old with a knife you say?! Am I the only one who thought of Stewie Griffin?

[Evil Queen]

Can you say "brain damaged"?