Today I was called "bloody snotty" at work

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Limey, were you looking for a Cross of St. Andrew? That's a saltire.

[limey]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

Limey, were you looking for a Cross of St. Andrew? That's a saltire.

Thanks UG. Wasn't in the list when I last updated my sig.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by limey

I work in a clothing and accessories shop, with most goods selling for around the $50 mark. In walks mother and 2 year old child, mother starts to try on slippers, child moves around fiddling with things. I see her taking childrens' goods off a display and politely say to her "Please don't do that." Mother takes an interest, gets the child away from the display, returns to her slippers. A little later child marches behind the sales counter, right beside me, and proceeds to stuff paper into a storage pigeonhole containing $40 leather gloves. I say "Don't do that, it's not for rubbish you know" keeping my voice pleasant. The child is not bothered and certainly not scared by me; the mother goes apeshit. "Go easy on her she's only two! In fact you I won't buy any slippers here if you're going to be so bloody snotty about it!" shoves slippers back at me and marches out.
So ... should I have addressed the parent ("Please stop you child from doing that") or the child? Was I snotty?

A very restrained response I would say on your part Limey. I would have told the mother to police up her spawn or I'm putting the child in the trash compactor. Of course like others have said, that is why I don't work in retail either.

[Aliantha]

Some parents have no respect. I wouldn't waste any time worrying about the stupid twat if I were you limey.

[Sundae]

We get the same, Limey. Especially being a nursery store - there are often older brothers and sisters in tow when parents come in to buy things for the baby.

Unless it involves actual damage I turn a blind eye because it's not my shop and I hate confrontation. We've had a child ram a £60 ride-on toy into the legs of a £600 cot while the mother said weakly, "Oh Noah, don't..." Yes, it's a display model, but we sell our ex-display stock afterwards and that's one that's going to be heavily discounted now. Some parents think that shop items are public property and can be mauled with impunity (right up until it's their time to buy, when they want one from the back, wrapped in plastic, rather than the one that's on the shelf).

My 60yo co-worker is the best in these situations as she will barrel out from behind the counter blaring, "NO! Don't touch that! Not safe for little ones!" She'll literally follow the child around the shop if the parents don't start adressing the behaviour. She's a pretty tough rock chick in reality, but being of an older generation she can come across as a Grandma figure and so she doesn't get the back chat.

Don't worry - your reaction was fine, the mother is the one in the wrong. You never know, she might actually go home and think about how her child was behaving once the first defensive reaction has passed. Hmmm, maybe not!

[xoxoxoBruce]

Dress like Mary Poppins... uh, make that Mrs Doubtfire... and they'll fall into line.

[Griff]

You did fine limey. This is the same parent who won't believe the teachers/ bus drivers / baby sitters / coaches when they talk about how disruptive she is. You do them all a favor when you make an assertive but measured and cool response.

[TheMercenary]

I still say a Nine Iron would have had a more lasting statement and been a more effective behavior modification tool.

[Rexmons]

i would have just gave her a "Ello, ello govna waz dis?"

[Radar]

Originally Posted by limey

I work in a clothing and accessories shop, with most goods selling for around the $50 mark. In walks mother and 2 year old child, mother starts to try on slippers, child moves around fiddling with things. I see her taking childrens' goods off a display and politely say to her "Please don't do that." Mother takes an interest, gets the child away from the display, returns to her slippers. A little later child marches behind the sales counter, right beside me, and proceeds to stuff paper into a storage pigeonhole containing $40 leather gloves. I say "Don't do that, it's not for rubbish you know" keeping my voice pleasant. The child is not bothered and certainly not scared by me; the mother goes apeshit. "Go easy on her she's only two! In fact you I won't buy any slippers here if you're going to be so bloody snotty about it!" shoves slippers back at me and marches out.
So ... should I have addressed the parent ("Please stop you child from doing that") or the child? Was I snotty?

Clearly the woman lacks parenting skills. It happens here all the time. People bring their children to restaurants (sometimes upscale restaurants) and let them run around like wild animals between tables, throwing things, and I've even seen then shooting spit wads all the while the parents sit there doing nothing and when someone has a complaint, they lose their minds.

When this happens, I lose my mind too. I've grabbed 2 kids shooting spit wads in my direction by the scruff of the neck and brought them back to their parents table and when their father stood up to say something I said, "Your kids are shooting spitwads in a restaurant. If I see it again, I'll whip their asses and yours too."

I've also seen parents bring screaming 2 year olds to 3 hour long epic movies when they know the child can't sit still that long, or others allowing their children to run around the theater (with blinking and glowing shoes)

[nitro1364]

Originally Posted by limey

Was I snotty?

i think you'll have to answer this for yourself

do you have a cold?

[limey]

Thank you, thank you!!
Of course I was looking for validation, but the fact is that although I have very strong views on parenting I have no kids myself (because I have very strong views on parenting ...) so am uncertain whether my behaviour would be considered out of line by actual ... parents.
I confessed the lost sale to the boss this morning, thinking that a pre-emptive strike would be better than Mrs Mummy writing to complain about me, or worse still, turning up at our other shop (where I usually work) today while the boss is there. She (the boss) was cool ...
Hey ho.

[limey]

Originally Posted by nitro1364

i think you'll have to answer this for yourself

do you have a cold?

Do I dod't.