The Lego store is not your babysitter

[An Haddock]

She was actually going to leave them there the entire time she was at work? What was she expecting them to do for lunch, ask Gord to buy them something?

Like I said... mother-of-the-year material.

[siskaren]

She was actually going to leave them there the entire time she was at work? What was she expecting them to do for lunch, ask Gord to buy them something?

[An Haddock]

The Gord had this happen in his video game store (may it rest in peace)

Woman dumped her two kids there but he was in the middle of a phone call and couldn't stop her in time.

"Kids, where does your mom work?"
*gets phone number*
"Hi, this is Gord from Gamer's Edge. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be spending the next 20 minutes ordering games from my distributors."
"So what?"
"So if you're not down here to pick up your kids by the time I'm done the next call I make is to child protective services (or the Canadian equivalent thereof)"

So mother-of-the-year rushes back to get her kids, complaining about Gord's lack of service the whole time and that she'll never be back.

"That was entirely my point. Door's to your left."

(paraphrased)


aha! found the original story:

http://www.actsofgord.com/Chronicles/chapter27.php

[Seshat]

When I was a toddler, there was a casual childcare place at the shopping centre Mum most often used.
She actually made arrangements (in advance) with them to drop me there when she went into labour with my brother. So she would drop me off there whenever she was shopping, so I would both be out of her hair, and would be with familiar people when baby bro decided to come.


Anyway: it'd be nice if there were more casual childcare places in shopping centres. Though sucky customers would probably whine about having to pay!

[cleorose]

I bet these are the same people who sue when their kids get hurt or kidnapped because they didn't realize that dropping them off at some place with other kids doesnt mean free daycare.

I have 3 kids. If i did this I would be dead. Hubby or Mom in law would murder me and bury me in the backyard.

[winner every time]

Ooh, I hated that in games. SCs did it all the time at the duck pond... dump their kids and run off to ride rides. They never asked either...

[otakuneko]

I used to get dropped off at various places... but not when I was that young.

[Legacy_of_Torment]

We often have parents that do that where I work. They look at you appalled when you turn down their asking if you can keep an eye on their child while they go off and shop in peace. No, your child, your responsibility. The police should be called in each instance

[LillFilly]

We did that at my mall, after we'd made several mall-wide announcements for the parents. Sadly though, some of the kids were too young to even know their parents' names or phone numbers! It was great watching the parents get a dressing-down from the store and the police in front of all the other customers!

[JambaBamba]

Last night at the mall we were in the Lego store. See a kid playing by the bins and there are some random adults around so I didn't realize that the parent wasn't there until I heard this exchange:

LW = Lego Worker
K = Kid (looked maybe 6 or 7)

LW: Do you know where your mom is?
K: Yes.
LW: ...What store is she in? Do you know the name of it?
K: Yes.
LW: What's the name?
K: Oh the name? Well...you know the store....
LW (patiently): yeah....
K: The one with the clothes in it? With the colors? That's where she is.
LW:

When checking out the LW told me the kid had been there for almost an hour and needed to go to the bathroom but that LW can't take him. I asked if it was common for kids to get dropped off at the store and he said it happened all the time. I told him he should have his manager get the mall police and report an abandoned child.