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I work in the toy department of a major retailer, and am home to do some work over the Christmas break between college semesters. This is pretty much all good for me - I make a little money and don't have to put up with it for long enough to get in too much trouble.
It was a few days after Christmas, so things were gradually getting calmer, and normal shoppers were returning. I was organizing the childrens books when two women came through with a young boy of maybe four (in the cart) and a girl who looked about 11 or so. I watch them out of the corner of my eye and realize that the little girl seems to have some kind of a mental problem. I've been around a lot of mentally challenged children and have a basic feeling for the way they act and speak, though I'm no expert and can't diagnose at all.
The girl pulls a book off of the shelf and starts leafing through it, talking about Beauty and the Beast. The one woman stays for a little bit with the girl, then as I'm leaving the aisle asks her to put the book away so they can finish shopping. I come back a few minutes later and the girl was still there, sans adults and boy.
She didn't seem perturbed by being left there at all. She just kept leafing through books, then putting them back in the right place. Once or twice she showed me a picture she liked or talked to me while I was working, but just stayed in one place.
I'm no childcare or etiquette expert, but leaving a child, especially one who has mental problems, alone in a store seems like pretty crappy parenting to me. Well, one of the women came back and talked to the girl for a little while, so I sighed with relief and went away for a few more minutes before peeking back to see if they had gone. And there was the girl, still sitting there reading. I asked her where her mom went and she just said that she was shopping. I really didn't know what to say or do, so I kind of stayed in the area and kept an eye on her.
I had to leave to clock out only a few minutes later, so I never got to see the end of this, but really, while the child was sweet and well-behaved, don't leave them in my section unattended! The books are not your babysitters, and neither am I! I won't be responsible if she hurts herself or is kidnapped!
It was a few days after Christmas, so things were gradually getting calmer, and normal shoppers were returning. I was organizing the childrens books when two women came through with a young boy of maybe four (in the cart) and a girl who looked about 11 or so. I watch them out of the corner of my eye and realize that the little girl seems to have some kind of a mental problem. I've been around a lot of mentally challenged children and have a basic feeling for the way they act and speak, though I'm no expert and can't diagnose at all.
The girl pulls a book off of the shelf and starts leafing through it, talking about Beauty and the Beast. The one woman stays for a little bit with the girl, then as I'm leaving the aisle asks her to put the book away so they can finish shopping. I come back a few minutes later and the girl was still there, sans adults and boy.
She didn't seem perturbed by being left there at all. She just kept leafing through books, then putting them back in the right place. Once or twice she showed me a picture she liked or talked to me while I was working, but just stayed in one place.
I'm no childcare or etiquette expert, but leaving a child, especially one who has mental problems, alone in a store seems like pretty crappy parenting to me. Well, one of the women came back and talked to the girl for a little while, so I sighed with relief and went away for a few more minutes before peeking back to see if they had gone. And there was the girl, still sitting there reading. I asked her where her mom went and she just said that she was shopping. I really didn't know what to say or do, so I kind of stayed in the area and kept an eye on her.
I had to leave to clock out only a few minutes later, so I never got to see the end of this, but really, while the child was sweet and well-behaved, don't leave them in my section unattended! The books are not your babysitters, and neither am I! I won't be responsible if she hurts herself or is kidnapped!
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