This morning at 7:00 am I found myself at Walmart after dropping husband off at work. With three kids under the age of eight. And we had not had breakfast yet. And I had not had my coffee. And....well, Walmart. 7:00 am. Three kids.
I digress.
It is my habit to put my little Goosie in the front of the buggy. Little Cheese walks beside me and Manny rides on the buggy. Never in the same place more than two minutes. But, I always know where he is so I am at peace with him riding on the side of the buggy.
Well, this morning I was on the search for a new telephone. Ours stopped working...due to a storm that we had. I have a cup of coffee every morning with my best friend while talking to her on the phone. She sadly lives five hours away from me. I wanted to have a phone so that our cup of joe conversation would not be interrupted. And would you believe that I couldn't find the phones? Or a sales associate?
Well, I finally snagged an associate just as another male associate came walking down the aisle toward me. I was busy trying to explain what type of phone I was looking for to the friendly female associate-who by the way never actually spoke to me, just looked and nodded and then walked in direct that she needed to go. Love Wallace World, really.
The male associate kept trying to get my attention. And finally he stopped me and said:
"Please make your son get down from there. It is too dangerous."
I immediately thought that he was climbing on a display. No, he was on the end of buggy, just as he had been for the last two minutes.
I thanked the kind associate and then the heat of anger rose in my ears. A weird, weird thing that I blame on childhood issues, but when I get angry, my ears get hot. It's a middle child thing.
I should have appreciated the gentleman being concerned about my child's safety. But I wasn't.
I should have made Manny get down. But why?
I was in full control of my child. I chose to let him ride on the side of that buggy. I am fully responsible for the actions of myself and my children.
I did not think it was appropriate for this gentleman to assert his opinion onto my day.
I fumed all the way home. But I had my phone. I made my coffee. I picked up the new phone to call my friend (to rant just a little). No dial tone. New phone politely blinked "Check phone cord". I love that machines can now tell you how to fix them. The problem was not my phone's but Verizon's. I hadn't needed to even stop at Walmart this morning!
What do you think? Was I completely (and I mean completely) wrong in thinking that this associates remark was unnecessary?
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
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Honestly, they probably have gotten an earful from their managers about such things. The store is ultimately responsible for what happens to you while you're in there, so maybe they've had a string of accidents lately caused by kids falling off carts?? It would cause their insurance to go up too because they do have to report all the accidents that occur in their store....regardless of whose fault it was. Just some thoughts.....but I'm with you....I don't think I'd be happy about him 'telling' me that either!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the previous poster, the store would be at fault legally. Of course, non of us like when we are corrected about our kids!
ReplyDeleteyou know whats wrong? you need a vaction. yeah, to your best friends house. you know things never happen like that at myyyyy wally world. everything is jolly and perfect here, maybe you should just move here. much nicer walmart peoples. and we also have dirt tracks.
ReplyDeleteI know some carts actually have "pictures" showing the children should be seated in the cart and showing not to let them stand on the outside. That being said, we do it all the time. How else am I supposed to keep track of an infant, a toddler and a preschooler?
ReplyDeleteLast week, while waiting in line to check out of a store, the child in front of us was standing on the edge of the cart. When her mom put something heavy on the counter, the weight in the cart changed. The cart toppled over, falling on top of the 3 year old girl and narrowly missing my 2 year old - who was standing in front of me. She wasn't badly injured, but it scared the living daylights out of everyone around.
ReplyDeleteWe, as mommies, have to do what works best for us in the store, so I get where you're coming from. {My 2 year old often rides in the basket of the cart because my baby is in the seat of the cart, and I know that's not the safest.} I, too, am annoyed when strangers tell me how to care for my children.
In this case, though, I think he was probably truly looking out for your child's safety.
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I've noticed that they do that these days. You are not alone. It seems that you can't even let your kids ride sitting nicely IN the buggy (except for in the belted seat one at a time) anymore. I don't know how they expect families with more than one small child to shop! We like going to Lowe's where they have the nifty two-seater versions of carts. Have you seen those? But they are still not enough seating for us, if I want to actually keep track of my four who are six and under and am by myself. It's the fact that some people have nothing better to do than sue other people to try to get free money that does it. Blame it on that first lady who sued McDonald's for her coffee being too hot when it spilled in her lap. It's sad...
ReplyDeleteWhat to do, since I expect they aren't going to change things in our favor any time soon? I had a prof once who advised that you should go into whatever situation is likely to heat you up with a plan (like the perpetually long lines at WallyWorld...I now see them as opportunities to browse the cooking magazines I never buy). That way you don't have to think too much when the stressor happens. Such as: "Oho dear gentleman who just cut me off in traffic and caused my drink to spill on the newly shampooed rugs (yeah, right...newly shampooed? Ha!)...you must have a pregnant woman with you in the car and are on your way to the hospital or you are on the way to attend your dying mother's bedside. I will pray for you. Have a good day!!" >big smile<
Seriously, minus the sarcasm, it really does work. I even find myself verbalizing these thoughts out loud to my kids and it seems to be helping my oldest (19 yo) to not have so much road rage. Maybe it will make up a bit for all the years he heard me grumping at all the poor folks who don't know how to drive.
I would love to have my kids behave at Walmart, but 95% of the time the buckles don't work. I have had several people tell me to get my kids down...get working buckles on your cart and it wouldn't be an issue!
ReplyDeleteOur Walmart has a handful of carts with molded plastic seating on the push side of the cart, between the pusher and the top child seat in the basket. They are a little harder to steer as they are longer than the typical cart, but when taking multiple kids, they provide between 2 and 4 extra seats with belts. I only have the one daughter, 4 years old, who prefers to ride on the outside of the basket standing up. I can see the dangers of it. Like, when she steps off while in motion, without saying anything to let me know. It can be as frustrating as when she stops in front of me while we are walking to the house carrying groceries. I think the employee has probably been there long enough to see some of the accidents that can happen from the child riding outside the cart, and was probably just concerned. Although I don't like criticism any more than the next parent, I try to remember that most (not all) proffered help is coming from a a genuinely good place and just say, "Thank you." It can be hard to be gracious at times though.
ReplyDelete