Dear Retail Customer in My Store:
I realize that you have a lot to get done for the holidays. That basket o' stuff in your hand will surely help our store's bottom line. What will not help our bottom line is the damaged merchandise that met it's death at the hands of your child. I am thinking glass ornaments and 3 year old children do not mix. What do you think?
Sincerely,
Me
PS. BTW, no honey, you can't carry off those Juicy sweatpants.
Update:
Dear "Daddy"
If you call me 'condescending' and then don't have the stones to post anyway but anonymously, I seriously suggest you don't come back. If you think I cared about a stupid glass ornament, you missed the point entirely and are not smart enough to read my blog. If you actually ever worked in retail you would see the parents that come in on their cell phone, not paying any attention to what their child is doing while making merchandise unsellable. It isn't about the $ it's about the respect for things that do not belong to them. If I had seen your child I would have told her it was ok and not to worry about it, as I have done before. If she was tearing around the store and you allowed the behaviour, all you would have gotten from me was a disgusted look. This is my blog and I am allowed to vent here, just like parents do about their kids and idiots like me that 'just don't get it' because we don't have kids. My advice, lighten the eff up or your kids will be as uptight as you.
28 comments:
I think the parent needs to watch over her kid a little more closely ... just sayin'.
amen
I shouldn't be allowed near glass ornaments either. I broke one on Friday at World Market. Opps
Love your P.S. - rofl!!
Dear Retail Salesperson:
I think you need to have a little more compassion and understanding. My 3 year broke a ceramic figurine at Michaels's the other day. She was crushed. Accidents happen.
Losing customers due to your condescending attitude will surely hurt your store's bottom line more than a broken $2.00 glass ornament.
something tells me that you are so right and that you should get a broom.
Oh man. Shopping with really little kids can be a nightmare. And if your child breaks something, you have to offer to pay for it.
Yeah, many places young kids don't belong and that's one of them...fine restaurants and adult bookstores are two other examples.
Hey Scargosun,
Yeah I think kids should be welcome in stores but with supervision and parents who are sensible!
When I was a store manager in Cheltenham, a bloke left his 3 year old behind; I wandered up and said 'Good morning young man, how may I be of assistance?' and he burst out crying...
Retail + unsupervised kids = drama for sure.
Ohhhh... I really can't stand unruly kids. Mine stay right with me like ducklings. I'm all over them.
I'm a military brat so my kids are straight when I'm around.
I love your response to "daddy". Too funny!
This is how I roll...
I do not shop with my kids.
Ever.
If for some ungodly reason I'm forced to, they are by my side AT ALL TIMES. If by some chance an accident does happen, that child is required to let the management know, offer to help with the clean-up, and then I fully expect to pay for the damages. With money from their allowance.
It's as easy as that.
Yes, I am the meanest mother on the planet...but I also have children who say "excuse me," "yes ma'am/yes sir," and "thank you." And they are well-behaved...I attribute that to discipline. I do, indeed.
Brilliant post...loved it...and your response to "Daddy."
Amazing how a critical comment manages to send you into tantrum worthy of a 3 year old.
Good thing you're taking that writing course, maybe next time it will help you communicate more clearly that your scorn and condescension is directed towards the parents and not the kids.
It would help if the glass ball ornaments were not at eye level to the said 3 yr old. Ive seen it first hand at Target.
I read 'Daddys' comment, and I have to wonder, where the heck did you find glass ornaments for only 2.00????
I will be first to admit, my kids are shits. They throw tantrums, and go into Diva mode at the drop of a hat..I blame this on them being female.
However. That being said.
If they were to break something, I would offer to pay for it. It isnt a lack of 'not watching' them, its more of them being kids. Kids break things. Hell, I break things. It happens, thats why its called an accident.
Where can I get 2.00 glass ornaments again?
oooo boy! A male (questionable) troll!
Daddy Dearest, if you will look at the original post, it is all directed at the parent (hence the catty remark about the Juicy wear). Either be a man and out your true identity or go back to worrying if your child's entire life will revolve around the breaking of an object from Michael's. Maybe the store should have offered her therapy on how to get over the crushing blow of breaking that toy. What exactly do you think made her feel this bad? Was it the store? No. Was it the store worker. No. Where on earth would someone teach her that the breaking of an object in a store could have such dire consequences that she would need to cry? Hmmm.... It might just be someone who spends lots of time with her...Do you have a pet? Because it certainly could not have been you. No, you are compassionate and it's ok if stuff like that happens because it's ONLY $2 and probably made in China. As long as the store continues to appriciate your patronage you will forgive them for putting the object in your child's way. Maybe the store should be apologizing to YOU! There's a thought!
BTW, don't get into the verbal sparring with me. You will lose.
OH!
I'm gonna to stay tuned to see how this plays out!
Daddy can suck it. I've got your back.
Way to handle the troll. :o)
Yeah, Daddy must be new to your blog. He doesn't understand how you roll. We do, so don't let him get to you.
Oh, I heart you.
And yes, he will go down if he chooses to go all verbal war-y with you!
Do I sense a new inhabitant of The Island?
he he, I have a 3 yr old and keep him away from the glass goodies, i really am not up for buying broken stuff!
You break you pay, even if you are three right?
You Go Girl! I NEVER took my children shopping with me. I'm not an idiot! I always shopped when they were at the FREE Mother's Day Out at First Presbyterian, our church (a mere two days a week for 5 hours each time). Almost all churches have them these days, so there is really no excuse.
Frankly, I never wanted the headache of having them with me & handling everything they saw. I knew full well their capabilities.
What the Hell do most Dad's know anyway? Not much...
rrrreahnrrrr...(with claws out)...hey, dog people can be cat fighters too! :)
Wow, lots of fun stuff going on over here. I don't need to watch my soaps this week.
I love it when people come to make snide comments on other peoples rants but cann't man up when leaving a way to find them. I had one such anony person try to do this. But luckily tracking people is very easy with the help of a good counter. And pay backs are always a bitch.....or in daddys case he is the bitch so it would not be much of a difference.
And on the topic of parents that dont know how to parent:
'Your kid broke it now you bought it, and if you try to leave without paying for it I hope you like being brought up on charges. Stores can and sometimes do if they are not willing to pay for damages.'
i agree...the blog is yours! say what you feel! i have a 4 year old and was in a friends interior decorator store...i was buying candle holders. i had absolutely no eye contact with my friend because Teagan ( my girl) kept on touching stuff! I felt like I was yelling at her constantly. Why couldn't she just stop touching stuff???!!!! Kids and impulse control are frustrating sometimes. Anyway, we got out of there unscathed and my friend kept on saying..no problem no problem...but I was a mess. And she didn't even break anything. Shopping with a 3-9 year old ( that age range where they're walking around and unable seemingly to control their hands) is not fun. period. In fact, it's best to avoid it.
Being in the retail business Its not the glass ornament. I had a customer who knew the owner very well allow her 5 year old boy to pretty much knock down every bottle at the 3 shelf up including glass bottle. I could hear the "brat" doing something in our 5,000+ square store. I discovered 7 aisles completely wiped out. It cost additional 4 hours for me to reset the shelves, cost 100.00 in broken products. After that signs were posted thruout the store that children are to be supervised by parent all times in the store. The next time that lady came in with the "brat" I handed him a feather duster and said in the presence of him mother."If you want to rearrange my selves here dust them first." The mother still didnt get it. Our retail store deals in vitamins and fitness supplements so the potential for them opening up a product and taking it could be a costly one in more ways than one. I also recently purchased a bench for customers to sit and talk with staff. But the cool thing about this bench it turns into a picnic table. I call it the magical table and only special kids get to sit there I change it while there eyes are closed. The kids are so curious as to how I did that they dont have time to destory my store.
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