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I was in the produce section of Whole Foods when a mob of children appeared. I was standing next to the sample station for apples and cheese. These kids were reaching in and grabbing the food like wild animals. They were probably between 5 and 10, and there were so many (mabe 8?), I realized they couldn't be siblings. One kid in a camo outfit came running up and yelled "they said we have to go, come on everybody!" and they all ignored him. I looked around to see where the parent might be, and didn't see a likely subject.
They wiped out the samples. Some kids were standing on the other kid's knees to reach the tray. I just stood there in shock.
Then I heard a voice and saw 2 women about 30 feet away calling to the kids. The pack of children ran away. I next saw them near the hot food serve-yourself section, and I went elsewhere so as not to witness what might have transpired.
It was bizarre. I bet their faces (the mothers) are posted on the wall in the back office!
Any time I see a kid not with in ear shot or line of sight of parent I usually bellow the following" HEY KID! where are your parents?" That usually brings the offending parents running or sends the kids running, either way I make out.
If they start crying , I kind of a big guy, that's OK also. Makes them think twice before leaving mommy's side again.
....
yesterday he acted this way in the post office after i had specifically asked numerous times for him to stand next to me etc. guess what his answer was? "but the other kids were running mommy--so it's ok"
of course their mother didnt even give them a second glance!
Maybe I'm being a little passive aggressive when I do this, but my response to my son telling me something like that, is to say audibly enough for the other parents to hear, "it is not my responsibility to raise those children to become civilized adults, but it is my responsibility to raise you, and I take that responsibility seriously."
Maybe I'm being a little passive aggressive when I do this, but my response to my son telling me something like that, is to say audibly enough for the other parents to hear, "it is not my responsibility to raise those children to become civilized adults, but it is my responsibility to raise you, and I take that responsibility seriously."
unfortunately i waited until i left to ask him why. if he had told me in the place, i would have said something to that affect--or at the very least not to do something just because you see others doing it.
I have to say it's not only little kids that are bad in stores. As someone who was a retail sales associate for 5 years I have seen it all.
Where as the 10 and under crowd might be the more "obnoxious" age group, from a sales perspective 12-15 year olds are THE WORST. I'll never forget I was working the front room of the store and two 13 year old girls came in eating pretzel dogs. They walked over to a table of shirts and when they talked away I saw the top shirt had ketchup all over it. I picked it up and asked her if she did it and the girl laughed in my face and said "What are you going to do about it?" and really I couldn't do anything. Also if I had a dollar for every food court cup I picked up and the gum I scraped off the fitting room walls I would have more than my pay check.
Sorry /end rant
I would have said, "You may pay for the shirt or I will call mall security and have them handle it as vandalism."
I was in the produce section of Whole Foods when a mob of children appeared. I was standing next to the sample station for apples and cheese. These kids were reaching in and grabbing the food like wild animals. They were probably between 5 and 10, and there were so many (mabe 8?), I realized they couldn't be siblings. One kid in a camo outfit came running up and yelled "they said we have to go, come on everybody!" and they all ignored him. I looked around to see where the parent might be, and didn't see a likely subject.
They wiped out the samples. Some kids were standing on the other kid's knees to reach the tray. I just stood there in shock.
Then I heard a voice and saw 2 women about 30 feet away calling to the kids. The pack of children ran away. I next saw them near the hot food serve-yourself section, and I went elsewhere so as not to witness what might have transpired.
It was bizarre. I bet their faces (the mothers) are posted on the wall in the back office!
I'm a bit shocked that this would happen. I know at Costco, the parents must give permission for the kids to take samples of food. At least at my Costco.
I'm a bit shocked that this would happen. I know at Costco, the parents must give permission for the kids to take samples of food. At least at my Costco.
Same at my Costco although I did see a parent once get very offended by that rule. Sort of like how dare you not let my child ( who was quite an obese little fella) trample all the old folks patiently waiting for their sample so he can stuff his fat little face some more.
My concern, as I'm sure was the concern with the "sample ladies", is potential liability in the case of allergies or dietary restrictions...I'm really surprised that the sample people at Whole Foods would open themselves up to this liability.
My children in their later teens and now their 20s find it funny to act like fools in stores with me because they were not allowed to breathe wrong as kids.
I think they were 21 and 23 and went mattress shopping with me. These fools were jumping up and down on the beds. They also have been known to hide in clothes racks.
The difference now is I laugh my head off. I don't need to parent anymore, right? Right?
I'm a bit shocked that this would happen. I know at Costco, the parents must give permission for the kids to take samples of food. At least at my Costco.
These were unattended sample stations in the produce section. You know, the plastic trays with covers and toothpicks. You help yourself, and that's what these kids were doing.
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