Dec 11 2008
Shopping with your children~ how NOT to get kicked out
As it’s that time of year again, shoppers are out in even larger groups than usual. The one constant you see is mothers(and fathers) out shopping with the kids. As not only a worker in the retail business, but a mother as well, here are a few tips on how not to get kicked out of a store. And yes, we still do this.
STROLLER TIME
Rule of thumb, if your child is under 3 years old, you will be in the store for longer then 5 minutes, and or trying any clothing on, then you need to have your child in a stroller.
YOU BREAK IT YOU BOUGHT IT
It’s basic rules here, if your child breaks something in my store, you must pay for it. I actually heard a customer refuse once when her young wild son broke a lamp in a store. She had the gall to tell the owner that stores figure in broken items in their budgets! He told her yes, and then that passes on to customers when they have to raise their prices. Its the same as with shoplifters, the more who steal, the higher prices go.
I AM NOT YOUR GARBAGE CAN
When a store posts signs that say “no food or drink” they tend to mean it. Not only do I get customers who ask me to throw away their garbage(instead of doing it themselves outside), we get customers who spill food and drinks on our clothes. That then becomes a mark down item, we lose money, and raise the price back to you.
KEEP THE KIDS AT HOME
If you are going into a store for a whole new wardrobe, keep the poor kids at home. Its not fair to you, them, or me as they terrorize my store and other customers because they got bored due to mommy taking over an hour.
I AM NOT YOUR BABYSITTER
This is one of the most obnoxious things I have seen parents do. They come into a store with their baby in a carrier, and set it down by the counter, and then walk away to look at clothes!!! It happens at least once a week. How dare you assume I will stand here and watch your child, I am not a relative, a friend, or a paid sitter. I have a job to do here, and its not that. I have taken to telling customers, please don’t set your child down here.
WATCH YOUR CHILD
Seriously, having your three children chase each other around the store, bumping into customers, and displays is the fastest way to be asked politely to leave. If they cannot behave, it might be time for you to recheck your teaching of discipline time.
NO ANIMALS
Just because little Susie wants to bring her cute new kitten in with her, and cries and cries, does not mean its okay. Many retail stores do not have an animal license unless its a guide dog. In other words, I can get in trouble if a health worker walks in while Susie is playing her kitten. Keep the animals at home where they belong.
AGAIN…WATCH YOUR CHILDREN
I strongly feel this needs to be brought up again. There are three exits out of my store. There are two bathrooms. There is over $10,000 worth of computer equipment. I have glass displays all over the store. There are seven body length mirrors. Are you getting the picture yet? Your child could very well get hurt in my store, and yes I would feel bad for him or her, but it would be YOUR fault, not mine.
SPECIALTY STORES
Until your children have been proven good shoppers, in other words over the age of five and able to behave, keep them out of specialty stores such as lightening, candle shops, glass-wares, or any store where over 80% of the product is fragile. Even little ones in a stroller are a no no in these types of stores, those little hands can reach far.
Now, I am sure there are many mothers who will hate this post. They will complain about places not being kid friendly. Well, I am a mother, with three children, and yes mine misbehaved at times. But I am the type, I will walk out of a store, rather than make everyone else suffer with me. It’s called common courtesy, and it’s time we got back to it.
Amen. When my two youngest (who are five years apart) were still pretty little, I had them with me in a store as I did a big shopping. They rode in the cart and “helped daddy” pick out what to buy. We were in that store for about a half hour and getting pretty near being done when some woman with two screaming, fighting, fit-throwing children came up the aisle we were on. I, along with everyone else in the store, had heard her and her kids since the second she came in.
Next thing I know, the manager walks up to this woman and starts giving her kids candy so they’ll be quiet. He walked right past me and my kids who hadn’t bothered anyone. To this day–more than five years later–I regret the fact that I went on shopping quietly and didn’t just give the manager my full cart and leave.
I don’t blame you. I am so tired of seeing “naughty” children getting rewarded for their behavior, or bribed to behave. Good for you for raising your children right.
Well said - I can understand that solo parents have few choices, but when I see mum dad and multiple kids all doing the supermarket shop - I am WTF - its crazy the kids are bored, and they are going to end up costing you money as they are bribbed to behave! Also what is it with parents who alow kids to walk while pushing the stroller - it doesn’t make a lot of sense!