Just 'cause you're nearby doesn't make your kids supervised

[Crossbow]

Mrs Crossbow and I were out shopping for the last of the things we needed for our gift exchange. We decided to hit up a not-quite local B&N bookstore to finish off the list, then go see a friend's coffee-shop art show (My Little Demon- cool!) that was nearby.

I'm sitting at one of the little reading nooks going through the list while Mrs Crossbow is off trying to find a book. I look over and see a gentleman in the nook over with an open book and a note book, scribbling away. Two of his kids were reading quietly. The third, however.....

First, she decided that since her sister was reading the opened, display pop-up book, she would rip the shrink wrap off another copy and read that one. Left the shrink wrap right where she found the book, too.

A couple of minutes later, she found a Spongebob advent book (or something like it) with the flaps that kids can pull up, and promptly went through and opened each one. At least one wouldn't open to her little fingers, so she used her teeth!

Where was dad? Still sitting there. He never even looked up.

Before we left, I caught the attention of one of the staff in the area and quietly explained what happened and what she looked like (as well as where dad was). She went off to find a manager and have a chat with them...

By the time we were checked out and leaving, dad was still sitting in the same spot, still not looking up, but at least all 3 kids were sitting there, with no books in their hands....

[Sapphire Silk]

I hope they made Dad pay for those books.

Whatever happened to " you break it, you bought it!"

[MoonCat]

I hate when parents are RIGHT THERE and yet ignore what their kids are doing.

Our local library has a beautiful garden. On my way in one day, there was a woman with a toddler, and also a baby in a stroller. She was fussing with the baby. Right next to her, the toddler was literally ripping handfuls of grass out of the garden. He dug right down to the dirt, too. I told the security guard about it and a couple minutes later saw him outside speaking to the woman. That garden is maintained by volunteers, and it really pissed me off to see someone destroying parts of it, even if it was only grass.

[LillFilly]

Quoth MoonCat

it really pissed me off to see someone destroying parts of it, even if it was only grass.

We have real potted plants in our mall, and for some reason parents let their kids strip leaves off the branches. When I tell them to stop because the plants are real and they're hurting them, the parent's defense is always "Oh, I thought those were fake" So, if they're fake, that makes it ok to destroy them? Because fake plants won't grow back lady!

[PepperElf]

Personally I also hate the reading nooks they have in those stores too.... mainly because some "customers" use them for reading books for free when they have every intention of completing the book but no intention of ever buying them.

You want a free book go to a fucking library.

[bunnyboy]

Quoth PepperElf

You want a free book go to a fucking library.

Unless it's one of the 4 Authors I will by without question (Lieber, Briggs, Martin, Ecco) I would like to see just how the book feels before plunking down money on something I might not even read. That being said, I try to read one chapter and see if it fits me.

It's how I knew I couldn't stand Twilight, or Eragon.

[emax4]

It's tough because there have been those stories where an associate will tell the offending child, "stop doing that". Only then does the "parent" take notice, get offended and retort with, "you can't tell my child what to do" or, "you can't talk to my child that way!"

[Shalom]

Quoth emax4

Only then does the "parent" take notice, get offended and retort with, "you can't tell my child what to do" or, "you can't talk to my child that way!"

"No? I thought I just did."

[rose_metal_nz]

I've almost LOST my MiniMe in bookshops... Because we're both such book-a-holics we get so absorbed in what we're doing we forget about each other Luckily she's looong outgrown any tendencies to destroy or damage books (just turned 10 this year )
Tend to go looking for her & find her surrounded by other kids who've copied her sitting down quietly reading /proud
One (cuuuute) time I found her reading aloud to a circle of younger kids. Was so adorable!

[Amanita]

Personally, I like being able to have a good look at something before I drop $20-50+ on it.
A good chunk of the books I buy are of the reference or instructional variety, and before plunking down the money, I want to be sure the book in question is useful to me. However, I don't manhandle the things, or read the thing completely like a library book.
So I'm glad some places have the reading sections. It sucks that people like in the OP ruin it for everyone though, or get everyone who uses the reading nooks branded as some sort of freeloader.