Sunday, March 3, 2013

Parenting: You're Doing it Wrong

Sooooo...something interesting and horrible happened last week when I went to work in the afternoon. And it pushed me to write about a few memories involving children and parents of those children. The first story is what happened last week. Everything else is from the past 5 years, or at least the most memorable ones, of parents who just shouldn't be parents.

Last week:
I was helping customers do returns as one of our security staff kept coming to the front desk and paging the owner of a van. They recited the license number. No one came up to claim the vehicle. I asked if someone hit their car or something, and security simply shook their head and said the owner of the van left a young toddler ALONE in it. He was screaming and crying. Apparently the police were outside with the child after getting him out. My thought was that if the parent or person responsible for the child hadn't come up yet, perhaps they were shopping somewhere else along the strip. Which either way is just downright wrong and neglectful. I don't care if you just need to run in for 5 minutes to grab something. You do not leave a young child alone in the car! Needless to say, I saw the police leave almost 40 minutes after I was told the news. Didn't get to see who they talked to, but that's absolutely unacceptable.

Some Time Ago:
 I remember going to the back one day to get a drink from the water fountain/bubbler (whatever you call it). Naturally, the bathrooms are located there too. In between the area that divides the men's and women's bathrooms, was a stroller with an infant girl. Not a parent or even another person in sight. Shocked, I stayed by her smiling side until...her grandmother came out of the bathroom. Didn't say a word. Just waved at me, took the stroller and walked on. What if I wasn't there?! Someone else could have easily taken that baby and walked off. This is the kind of crap that puts children at risk of being snatched!  

One of my fellow associates told me about how she witnessed a mother shopping, and kept moving to racks further and further away from her cart, not taking it with her. The cart also held her infant child. She was eventually half way across the department, leaving her child unattended. The associate finally went up to her and told her she needs to keep her child with her at all times. The woman's response: "Oh, but she's fine. I can still see from here." Not the point.....

Another associate told me about how another mother left her 2 or 3 children alone in our store while she went to other shops along the strip. She was gone for over an hour. WE ARE NOT A DAYCARE. Take your kids with you or find a babysitter.

I have more, but these are some of the most ridiculous stories I've encountered. But just in case, let me remind some of you parents out there of a few things.

1. Kohls, or any department store, is NOT a free daycare or daycare provider of any kind. Associates are not paid to watch your kids. THEY ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!

2. Do NOT leave them alone or unattended in the store, or especially IN A CAR. The police could get involved.

3. If your child starts to throw a fit/screaming/unstoppable crying, please leave and take them outside if they cannot be calmed within a minute. You can always come back when they've settled. We can always put things on hold for you too.


4. Why do you bring your tired 2 year old out shopping at 10:30 pm when we close at 11 pm (during certain sales)? Take your kid home! It's late, they're tired, you can come back in the morning. Or find someone who can watch them at home for an hour. That's like the parents who brought infants into a theater for a midnight showing of a horror movie! Well, maybe not as bad, but still.



 I would like to know if you have any stories involving neglectful parents or just poor parenting while shopping anywhere. I know people don't want others telling them how to raise their kids, but some parents just really need advice. So share some parenting advice for shopping if you have any as well.
Until next time folks :)

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