"Kids will be kids!" ~ Retail Story Time: Under 18 SC Edition!

[flyonthewall]

Kids are kids, thus it's wrong for us to want to murder them. IMO, there should be exceptions. Like the really annoying/brats ones who get great joy from tormenting us. You know, that kid who has a high chance of being a convicted felon in 15 years? I do in general enjoy children but there are certain children who I find most unpleasant. Maybe it's because I was raised by parents who were good at controlling unruly children and minimizing the torment they inflict on society, so I have a higher standard for children and their parents in general? I'll start with stories my mom and dad have told me of my childhood when I was the brat at the store and how the punished me and kept me contained.

Young Fly story #1: Young fly was at Disney Store with mommy at the age of about two. My mom describes this as my worst incident. I saw something I really liked but it was expensive and big so my mom said no. I didn't like this and went into brat mode. She removed me from the situation, humiliated me once we were outside, got me to shut the up, and set me straight. She said something to the effect that I was being "A big baby and no one likes big babies. No one wanted to be friends with big babies. Did I want everyone to dislike me and think I was a big baby? Did I want to have no friends?" She told me how I humiliated myself in front of all those people. It worked. Young fly got the message that public temper tantrums made young fly disliked. When I see parents do this, I applaud them. Yay mommy! Yay daddy! A++!
Young Fly story #2: Young fly was an obnoxiously hyper child. So mamma and dada fly started hiring a baby sitter to stay home with me while they did errands for the sake of humanity. Or if possible, one would stay home with young fly while the other did errands. Mama and dada fly didn't take young fly to civilized or quiet places until young fly was ready. Good job mommy and daddy fly!

I admit to my own brattiness but alas, I was contained and sufficiently guided to being a decent human being. I would like to thank my parents for teaching me not to humiliate myself and not murdering me. Which I probably deserved.

NOW, onward with the stories! I will share my own observations later. Right now I have to get ready for a late shift at work. *grumbles*

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Three words:

F*cking half days.

[flyonthewall]

Okay, one quick story before I go to work. This is an example of the standard "ignore it" parent that I see often. I remember it especially well because I had a headache the rest of the day and had temporary hearing loss. IT was that loud.

A mom is talking to one of our senior sale associates who does the big time transactions. (Rich ppl sales.) She's planning some kind of event where they are coming back on the child's birthday to do birthday shopping. IT who is about four does not understand that IT is getting what IT wants, just not today- gets on the nasty floor on IT's belly and kicks and screams "I ONLY WANT OOONNNNNEEEEEE." The mom and the rich people sales person continue making plans. The mom just ignores her kid. Meanwhile, people are walking out of the store because of the ear splitting screams. I wanted to leave but I would've been written up for not completing a shift. Suddenly, the part of the store they are in is completely empty because no one wants to be around them. The kid is red/purple/blue in the face, to the point of where I'm surprised it didn't pass out from lack of oxygen or break a bone from slamming limbs against the floor.

I believe the mom was following the "ignore and it will go away" principle. Well, it wasn't going away. It was just getting louder and more hysterical. Why didn't she LEAVE with it and then proceed to ignore IT when it was at a safe distance from innocent people? Why did she have to ignore IT while it was physically assaulting everyone in a 500 yard radius's ears? Finally, the mom finishes up her business and IT is unable to walk, so the mom carries it out. It kicks displays and products as they leave. I comment about it and a CW says "Well, sometimes parents just have to get things done." ORLY? She couldn't have gotten it done over the phone when IT was asleep? I would agree with CW if telephones did not exist. I was so mad because I was in physical pain until the next morning.

Being a decent human being FAIL.

[notalwaysright]

"Well, sometimes parents just have to get things done."

Omg, a CW said nearly the exact same thing to me the other day. I had commented that my ears were still ringing because of a kids (not baby) shrieking. Now I will do my standard spiel. We don't sell groceries. We don't sell medicine. We don't sell anything anyone will die without. A little consideration is all I ask. Yes, people "have to get things done." But that logic only goes so far before it's just an excuse to do whatever you want.

I just want to add, the way a parent acts goes a long way. If a parent acknowledges the disruption it makes me less irritated. I don't mean saying sorry, but even just attempting to finish up the shopping, instead of reading a magazine or something. Or the parents who actively cause the screaming. I've told the story about the mom who let the kid hold some fabric, and when it came time for me to cut it, just RIPPED it out of the kids hands. Then as the kid is screaming was joking "she has fabric withdraw, LOLZ!"

[nutraxfornerves]

I volunteer at a museum. We do a lot of programs for school groups. One day, one of our college student interns spotted a kid showing his buddy some stuff that he had stolen from the gift shop of Other Museum earlier in the day. The intern did what he'd been instructed to to, tell the teacher. "Oh, boys will be boys, ha ha ha." The teacher honestly did not think there was a problem. So the intern, rather distressed by this, unearthed a museum staff person. That person called the gift shop at Other Museum.

We later heard that Other Musuem was able to demonstrate a shortage that coincided with this school's visit and charged the school. We really hoped that someone was able to get through to the teacher that "boys will be boys" is not an excuse for theft, but I am not optimistic.

(We mostly get great teachers and chaperones, but the bad ones are truly awful. "Let's all leave and get coffee for the next hour" is not the definition of chaperonage.)

[Monterey Jack]

I believe the mom was following the "ignore and it will go away" principle. Well, it wasn't going away. It was just getting louder and more hysterical. Why didn't she LEAVE with it and then proceed to ignore IT when it was at a safe distance from innocent people?

While I can understand the "tough love" philosophy of not caving into a child's demands for whatever shiny thing they want at that moment, it does NOT give a parent leeway to make the lives of everyone within earshot miserable for however long they're in a public place. At least other customers have the ability to leave when a child starts screaming the store down...us poor employees just have to grit our teeth and endure it until the parent takes their little monster out. Parents forget what it was like to be kids and want something (toys, candy) desperately that their parents denied them...you don't just stop wanting the item in question until you are FIRMLY disciplined to zip it or else there will be consequences later. The kid is NOT going to stop screaming until you either cave in and buy what they want, or else remove them from the vicinity of said item and/or threaten them with punishment if they don't stop. Sadly, in an era where a good spanking is grounds for child abuse charges, too many kids are allowed to get away with bloody murder. I had my rump paddled more than once growing up, and I feel I turned out better for it.

[bainsidhe]

spotted a kid showing his buddy some stuff that he had stolen from the gift shop of Other Museum earlier in the day. The intern did what he'd been instructed to to, tell the teacher. "Oh, boys will be boys, ha ha ha."

It angers me this teacher would react this way about stealing. I'm sure the teacher back-stepped a bit once the school questioned why they were being charged for a theft that their own staff knew about.

[workerbee222]

My late husband remembered the last time he had a tantrum.

His mother scooched down until she was eye-to-eye with him, and in a quiet, firm voice said, "If you don't stop this instant, I'll pull down your pants and spank your bare bottom in front of all these people."

[MoonCat]

Yep, sounds exactly like Baby Wart who lives next door. This kid is almost three and rarely asks for anything in a normal voice. No, she has to throw a screaming fit every time. This is how she announces that she can't open the door...by instantly going into hyper scream mode. That kid could break glass without touching it.

[HotelMinion]

Yeah I like kids but not brats. Just like adults, I like nice people but not d bags. They can take a flying leap. My parents used to spank me whenever I acted up in public. Once I was horsing around in a bank and fell and landed on my uh, girl stuff. Ouch. It hurts. I never did it again.
I don't have kids but I took care of my younger sib a LOT and whenever he acted up in public I would say firmly "Everyone's looking what a brat you are, so stop it! No one likes a brat and you'll be embarrassed" and it worked. He never acted up again.
At my hotel I get so many children we might as well be a daycare. THe worst I saw was in the day, when these parents were checking in and their brats were running around, trashing up the lobby (not exaggerating). Later the parents screamed for a crib, and I had to bring it cuz the housekeepers were busy. I got a peek inside and the brats (4, all under 6) were trashing up the room! Jumping on the bed wildly, knocking the lamps over and screaming. Oh the screaming. Their parents must've been deaf.
Funny thing, tho, when I watched a wwyd on UTube, most people defended the shrieking brats' parents...maybe they were just being polite.

[LesserSouthernFroglet]

I love kids...

... but I couldn't eat a whole one.



A few months back Friend and I had dinner at the local pub on a Friday night. There was a large family table there, including 3 little girls.

Auntie (or something) decided it would be a fun thing to get the girls going.



Oh she got them going all right. They were shrieking at the top of their lungs, that high pitched, almost ultrasonic shriek only small girls can do, three of them, at decibels that would have done the Concorde proud.



After about 5 minutes of this I had ringing ears and the start of a pounding migraine. After 10 minutes the migraine was pretty much full blown, and I'd partially lost hearing.

After 11 minutes we left. I don't think I'd even finished my meal.

I still had a headache and tinnitus the following Monday.

Now, we were seated inside, and they were seated outside on the verandah. I cannot imagine how bad it would have been sitting next to them.

[flyonthewall]

Another story: shoplifter in training~

Background: it is the child's third birthday. Child got expensive product we sell that is designed for 10 year olds. Mom seems more interested in product than child. While mom is picking an add on feature for the product(that the child is supposed to pick), child is trashing display of small items. Open scene:
*Fly picks up opened product that Fly thinks is already purchased because it is open.*
Me: I think this fell out of your shopping bag.
Sucky Mom: Oh, I didn't buy that!
Me: Okay. *Fly begins to close product and notices 1/3 of items included are missing. At this point, Fly connects the dots.*
Fly scowls at now unsellable product and decides to not push it, just report the incident to security.
SM notices I'm pissed.
SM: Is something missing?
Me: Yes, something is missing.
*SM frantically looks for brat, finds brat around display trashing our stuff. SM rips brat's hand open. In brat's hand is missing items. SM quickly gives me items.*
SM: I am SO sorry!
*SM hands stollen items to Fly. Fly repackages items as SM begins to babble.*
SM: I am so, so, so sorry! Please forgive me!
*Fly remains silent and walks away to tell security and carefully examine product for damage.*

Note: I expected SM to use this as a teachable moment, that stealing is illegal and WRONG. Nope, she doesn't say anything to her child. I spied on them the rest of the time they were there. A good 30 minutes. She did not address the incident. From my reading of the situation, this was a common occurrence and the mother had grown to expect stealing.

[EricKei]

Funny thing, tho, when I watched a wwyd on UTube, most people defended the shrieking brats' parents...maybe they were just being polite.

Sadly, I'm thinking that their noble defenders were people who are of the unquestioning "kids will be kids" variety, and don't think that discipline is necessary -- in other words, people who don't have to care for misbehaving kids themselves. I'll be the first to admit that kids need their freedom, but it's up to the parent to recognize when things have gone to far, and reign them in. That's their job.

[Aria]

Yep, sounds exactly like Baby Wart who lives next door. This kid is almost three and rarely asks for anything in a normal voice. No, she has to throw a screaming fit every time. This is how she announces that she can't open the door...by instantly going into hyper scream mode. That kid could break glass without touching it.

Bet you anything she does that because she's learned that anything like a normal request will be ignored by her parents.

[flyonthewall]

I respect a child's freedom. Until it impedes on my own freedoms and on the freedom of other innocent bystanders.

I.e. Things that impede on my freedom:
-screaming/talking too loudly/making unnecessary noises
-being excessively hyper in inappropriate situations
-being obnoxious and/or distracting in general
-messing with things that are not theirs and making messes