Laura Ashley does not employ on-site babysitters...

[Mr Hero]

I think it's godawful that H&S get involved with that. FFS, it is always the responsibility of the parents to watch their own kids.

I wouldn't dream of giving a store person a hard time if my kids did something dumb/annoying/stupid.

If I had a child (still looking for Mrs. Hero. Any volunteers? ) acting up in a store and the employees told him/her to stop, I'd thank the employee for watching out for my child's safety.

I wonder if a good response to the "don't tell my child what to do" line would to remind the SC that you may not have control over the child, but you do control what goes on in the store.

[Emerald Knight]

^ Why not tell them that in the interest of Health and Safety if they do not wish to listen to you they can leave? That's what I tell people when they ignore me about going down the escalator.

[LillFilly]

There was a little boy in my mall running around like crazy, his parents thought it was the most ADORABLE thing in the world....Until he careened into a metal sign standing outside one of the stores. Made a little cut on his head, nothing serious, and his parents didn't want medical attention, but they bitched and moaned about how it was a DANGEROUS SIGN and shouldn't have been there!

[EricKei]

and if we said anything about their precious angels knocking over bolts of fabric, jumping on displays etc. they would freak out that we were traumatizing their babies!

It's sad that their lack of discipline -- the adults', that is -- can lead to problems like these for their children:

Reminds me of an incident that happened at the supermarket. ... It was a shame that the child paid the price for her mother's stupidity.

I don't like getting yelled at either, but it seems to me that the best bet is to speak to these alleged parents before anything happens to the kids -- tho of course some of the worst will try to deny that you did if anything DOES happen; that's what security cameras are for -- but better a kid be "traumatized" by the apparently novel notion that they must behave themselves in public than traumatized by an incident worthy of the term, like LNS's anecdote.

Keeping an eye on the kids is 110% the job of the PARENTS. I agree with the others in here who have suggested asking the customer to leave if they refuse to watch their liddle kiddles. I'm fairly certain that these very same customers would have an absolute shit-fit if someone else's kids either caused injury/annoyance to their own children, or even so much as got in their way. They'd care about control of the little ones then, I'm sure...

[Librarian]

I heard this FOAF tale that i was told really happened. I take it with a grain of salt.

A customer is standing in line for groceries.
Customer 2 is behind him, and her child is holding the grocery cart.
The child keeps banging the cart into Customer 1 up to the point where he turns around and asks the parent "can you please stop your kid from doing that?"
C2: "No, i believe in a free education!"
The child keeps banging the cart into C1 one or two more times.
Customer 3 at that point is standing behind customer 2. He takes a half liter pot of yoghurt, takes off the lid and pours it over the parent's head. Mom looks absolutely shocked.
Customer 3: "i too madam, have enjoyed a free education"

True or not, i still laugh every time i think of that scene :P

[Moosenogger]

I'm starting to wonder if it's the way the employee says it. I had a young girl (probably around 2 years old - she was still in a stroller), who was trying to take a glass mug off a shelf. I figured she'd immediately drop it, because those things are made out of heavy ceramic. I told her, "Be careful, those are heavy." The mom heard me, turned around and said, "Sorry" and took the girl's hand away from the shelf. I didn't want the mom to think I was trying to police her kids, so I told her, "It's alright, I just didn't want her to drop it on her foot because they're really heavy." I didn't get any kind of lecture from the mom, and the situation ended positively.

I dunno, maybe I've just had intelligent parents who understood that I was trying to help their kids - not tell them how to parent.

[wolfie]

To be honest, as its such an expensive store, first of all, chances are the people buying are of an older age, and second of all...you probably wouldn't trust your kids running around all the breakables and probably send them next door to Pets at Home to look at bunnies while you shopped!

On behalf of pet store (and toy store) employees, please don't encourage parents to use "attractive to children" stores as free babysitting. Appropriate action would be to call CPS about "abandoned" children who wandered into the store.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Agreed. I still remember the time that an SC's little cherub let out all the rabbits and guinea pigs at the pet store where I worked, while her stupid mother shopped in the garden centre part. Took me ages to catch them all and put them back, and it was a miracle none of them died of heart failure.