My EARS!

[ralerin]

Went to Wally World a few days ago to pick up some prescriptions for me, some shampoo and some waterproof mailing envelopes. The minute I step into the store I hear an AWFUL scream that keeps getting louder as I venture towards the pharmacy. There's a toddler in a cart, SCREAMING like a wounded animal, high pitched shrieks that would break glass. His 7ish year old brother is next to him, telling him not to get out of the cart, stop it, mommy's going to get mad. Mommy was on her cell phone a short distance away, looking at acetaminophen, ignoring kid, stuffing a finger into her ear to ignore the shrieks. Toddler's screams can be heard CLEAR across the store as I found out when I was wandering around waiting for my prescriptions. When I left, he was STILL screaming.

[telecom_goddess]

I never put up with that kind of behavior from my kids.....that's bullshit.

[jedimaster91]

You've just described a phenomenon that happens EVERY time I go to the WalMart. And I have a tendancy to end up there late-ish since ours is open 24 hours. I tell my husband every time that if our (future) kids ever act that way, we're going straight home and I'll finish the shopping later when he's home and the kids are in bed. Thank Yoda for the 24-hour WalMart.

[zzapp the witch]

Yeah, I whopped my kids on the butt for that. Never hurt em, but shocked them enough for them to get quiet.

[Aut]

You've just described a phenomenon that happens EVERY time I go to the WalMart.

It's one of the few reasons I stopped shopping there. I've even heard it at midnight.

[blas]

I'm never safe from the screamers. Adults or children.

One of these days, I will pull a Brian from Family Guy and just start screaming back at some bandshee toddler.

[Sunsetsky]

Both my parents would've kicked my ass if I ever behaved like that. I remember whenever I acted up out in public my mother would whisper in my ear "Wait until we get home."

When I was younger I went shopping at Walmart with my grandparents and sister. We decided to eat at whatever "resturant" they had there. In the booth behind us this little girl kept screaming (eardrum damaging) and then she would laugh.

[Magpie]

There's a toddler in a cart, SCREAMING like a wounded animal, high pitched shrieks that would break glass. ...Mommy was on her cell phone a short distance away, looking at acetaminophen, ignoring kid, stuffing a finger into her ear to ignore the shrieks.

I was thinking "poor kid, ill and they need to get him acetaminophen", until I remembered the mom and toddler I saw in emerg the other day. I heard later that they'd been there all night, and the mom was keeping that kid entertained, and telling him not to scream. It was impressive.

[PepperElf]

well i guess if her kids are screaming they won't get stolen at least
cos

1) no one will want them
2) she'll notice if the sound stops... hopefully

[fireheart]

Playing devil's advocate here, but the child could also have a learning or mental disability. Just saying. (I've seen a few disabled kids-and adults-SCREAM their heads off in the middle of a mall.)

Otherwise, the mother is an idiot.

[draftermatt]

Or maybe Mom was imploring the "ignore the screaming, they'll see it doesn't work and stop" technique.

Granted when the kid kept screaming it was time to go outside but there could have been a reason for it.

[morgana]

One of these days, I will pull a Brian from Family Guy and just start screaming back at some bandshee toddler.

I have done this, to the great embarrassment of the person I was shopping with. Got right up in the kid's face and just . . . drowned him out. The kid did this and Mom did this , and I said to her, "If he's allowed to yell, I'm allowed to yell."

I think she'd have gone off on me anyway, except that somebody behind her snickered. Loudly.

Yeah, I'm evil. Your point?

[vstorevigilante]

I'm never safe from the screamers. Adults or children.

One of these days, I will pull a Brian from Family Guy and just start screaming back at some bandshee toddler.

I used to go, "I CAN YELL LOUDER THAN YOU!" at my brother when he pulled shit like that for no reason. There's a 12-year age difference, so 3-year-old shrieking him really got on 15-year-old headached me's nerves. My parents sucked at disciplining him, and yet didn't look too kindly on my screaming back And not going to lie, I'd probably still do it now, and I'm an adult

[Magpie]

And not going to lie, I'd probably still do it now, and I'm an adult

That's nothing. My in-laws did a variation of that to both kids. Only once per kid was needed for some reason... (I'm fairly sure you're younger than they were when they pulled that trick).

[ralerin]

Or maybe Mom was imploring the "ignore the screaming, they'll see it doesn't work and stop" technique.

Granted when the kid kept screaming it was time to go outside but there could have been a reason for it.

Yes, but 40+ minutes of solid, banshee screaming when the cart is parked almost in front of the pharmacy windows on a semi busy Tuesday night?