Archived Demon Spawn

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Ncondor83

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Reading the guest horror stories brought to mind a specific genre of guest tales...the children. Dont know if this has been done before, but lets hear some stories about guests with kids.

My personal fave was the guest who was in on a certain busy bts weekend, left her kids in toys as so many do, to shop. These kids were bouncing balls up to the ceiling tiles, racing carts, building aisle-long magnetic trains, climbing the bike wall, and just bringing chaos to every aisle. LOD and I chased them out of toys once, returned them to their mother twice, and after she let them go again, finally told her she had to go.
Of course, by then she was done anyway. I truly feel sorry for whatever other stores she went to. Even Wally.
 
On another forum we were listing our pet peeves and my only real one was parents who leave their kids assuming other people will watch them?
They did it at the bookstore I worked at and they would tear down the books, sometimes even tear out pages.
Then like you talked about the ones who leave them in the toy sections.

These are your damn kids, you are responsible for them, I don't care if it takes a village.
Don't walk away from them and hope that some poor damned retail worker who barely has enough time to do their job as it is will look after them.
If you didn't want to take care of them you shouldn't have had them in the first place.

Sorry, had a moment there.
Carry on.
 
I was pushing in shoes and came up the aisle to see a boy about 6 or 7 standing in the cart, holding on to the top of the seat, jumping up and down screaming and laughing. I simply said honey, please sit down. He did immediately . The mother looked at me and said thank you. Looked at her son and said see there's someone else telling you to sit down. He didn't open his mouth or move a muscle while they finished in shoes. A couple years ago in stationary, on the other side of my aisle, I heard a toddler hit the floor. I can still hear that sound in my head. If I see kids getting too rowdy, I always speak up. Kids will listen to someone else, before their own parents. More often than not, parents are very appreciative!
 
Our major problem at our store was more pre-teens and teenagers. Yes we had the demon spawn who would destroy toys while their parents watched, but these kids were let lose on the mall every Friday night cause their parents did not give a crap. They seemed to live for coming into Target and wreaking havoc.
One group repeatedly trashed one of the kids bedroom accessories aisles.
The best one was the group of kids who repeatedly messed around with the one electric scooter. They did it for several weeks in a row. We finally managed to kick them out when we caught one riding it, one hanging off the back being drug around the store, and another recording it on their phone.
 
Once a woman asked me, "Can I go back and get another (item from seasonal)?"
"Sure," I say, followed by "Wait WAIT please take your children with you!" as she tried to leave her infant and toddler in the cart in the middle of the lane.

The other story doesn't come through well in text but oh well. The sound this one toddler made. Holy crap. It was a shriek that everyone in the building could hear. It was literally painful and my ears rung for a good half hour afterwards. Mom acted like she didn't even notice. So awful. If I had any latent desire to have children, that shriek squashed it.
 
Jill of All Trades said:
Once a woman asked me, "Can I go back and get another (item from seasonal)?"
"Sure," I say, followed by "Wait WAIT please take your children with you!" as she tried to leave her infant and toddler in the cart in the middle of the lane.

The other story doesn't come through well in text but oh well. The sound this one toddler made. Holy crap. It was a shriek that everyone in the building could hear. It was literally painful and my ears rung for a good half hour afterwards. Mom acted like she didn't even notice. So awful. If I had any latent desire to have children, that shriek squashed it.
Click to expand...


I have to admit as a parent it is easy to get enured to the worst your kid can put out.
You can even forget the rest of the world doesn't have your tolerance.

So I'm willing to be understanding if the kid screams once or even twice and the parental unit seems a bit oblivious.
Past that it is time to figure out why your kid is unhappy and deal with it.
Stop inflicting them on other people.
 
Sometimes I'll get the register by the job application kiosks and kids will always run over there and try to use the computer and phone. I try to ask them nicely to stop while their parent (usually a mother) will either scream louder than any child I've heard or completely ignore it (love the extremities).

As mentioned, you also have the kids who cry at your lane. I ask the parent if there's anything their kid wants to hold to stop crying (it's usually a toy or a small snack like goldfish). Now, if you need to scan a toy the child is holding ... oy.
 
I've had parents bring another drink from the cold case for me to scan rather than try to pry the one out of their kid's hands.
I've posted more than once about parents leaving their kids in the cafe while shopping.
 
The parents that get on my nerves the worse are the ones that actually do tell their loud kids to be quiet but in doing so they are 20 times louder than the kinds were to being with....I want to say lady...just let the kids yell...I would rather listen to them.
 
tgtguy said:
The parents that get on my nerves the worse are the ones that actually do tell their loud kids to be quiet but in doing so they are 20 times louder than the kinds were to being with....I want to say lady...just let the kids yell...I would rather listen to them.
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There was a mom in the store one early morning with 2 sisters who appeared to be under 1 and under 2. The 2 year old started babbling in a singing sort of way and her sister imitated her. They seemed loud because it was one of those days when the store was deserted. The mom was upset and told the older one "please! if you stop, she'll stop!". I felt bad for the mom because she was really upset. I went up to her and said "Mam, don't worry about it, no one minds happy baby noises". She looked like she was about to cry and said thank you. The girls continued to "sing". It was actually very cute. Sadly, it's the only cute noisy kid story I can think of. The rest are demons.
 
That probably meant a lot to that stresses
researchr said:
tgtguy said:
The parents that get on my nerves the worse are the ones that actually do tell their loud kids to be quiet but in doing so they are 20 times louder than the kinds were to being with....I want to say lady...just let the kids yell...I would rather listen to them.
Click to expand...
There was a mom in the store one early morning with 2 sisters who appeared to be under 1 and under 2. The 2 year old started babbling in a singing sort of way and her sister imitated her. They seemed loud because it was one of those days when the store was deserted. The mom was upset and told the older one "please! if you stop, she'll stop!". I felt bad for the mom because she was really upset. I went up to her and said "Mam, don't worry about it, no one minds happy baby noises". She looked like she was about to cry and said thank you. The girls continued to "sing". It was actually very cute. Sadly, it's the only cute noisy kid story I can think of. The rest are demons.
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That was really nice of you & probably meant a lot to that stressed-out mom.
 
I was on the register closest to the bathroom and a woman asked if she could leave her things while she used the restroom. I said yes and didn't really look up. When I turned around I noticed she left her twin infants in the cart.. I left the register and went into the bathroom.. "Mam, I can't be responsible for watching your children!"

Things? She called her children things.. Smh...

Her only comment was -oh - and she came back out then Left the store.
 
I dealt with my fair share of screaming children as a cashier. I have a mom's ability to tune them out for the most part. The two kid related peeves I had were more parent related. 1- the kid that tries to climb out of the seat, while mom/dad/gram/nanny or whoever is completely oblivious. Many times I've been ready to dive over the counter to possibly save a kid from going head first out of the cart and onto the floor. Mommy reflexes I guess. The other peeve... when parents give the kid something to play with off the shelf for the entire walk through the store, only to rip it from their hands when the get to the register "Can I give you this? I just grabbed it to keep little Suzie occupied while we shopped" While little Suzie is screaming her little heart out. Seriously... get something from freakin dollar spot and actually GIVE it to your child.
 
We had a savvy grandma-type cashier who kept spent gift cards in her drawer, the cute ones with flowers, trucks or critters & the like (back when we HAD neat gift cards). Whenever a wailing child came thru her lane, she'd tell them she had something for them & curiosity usually quieted them down long enough for her to dig one out. She said they were the best thing because they were too big to swallow/choke on & she ran them thru sanitizer before giving them out.
 
tgtguy said:
The parents that get on my nerves the worse are the ones that actually do tell their loud kids to be quiet but in doing so they are 20 times louder than the kinds were to being with....I want to say lady...just let the kids yell...I would rather listen to them.
Click to expand...

I get them all the time at my other job. It's a freaking library, you're supposed to be quiet!
 
FallenAngel said:
... when parents give the kid something to play with off the shelf for the entire walk through the store, only to rip it from their hands when the get to the register "Can I give you this? I just grabbed it to keep little Suzie occupied while we shopped" While little Suzie is screaming her little heart out. Seriously... get something from freakin dollar spot and actually GIVE it to your child.
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I have been this parent. You can't buy them something every time you go to the store. The reason the kid carries the toy around is so they're not screaming at the top of their lungs the entire time they're in the store, as my boy did when he was 2. Now he's learned you have to give the toys back, he even puts them back on the shelf & is proud to get it in the right spot. Be grateful you don't have to hear that 16 hours a day.
 
What I love is when the parent puts whatever the kid has been holding on the belt...fully intending to buy it, but never mentions to me that their child has slobbered all over it. Seriously...just give me a heads up.

Our job app kiosks are near guest services, so the kids always go running to them, and invariably they pick up the phone. Why the hell do we have phones at those stations that ring to the service desk not five feet away??? So then I am trying to help the guest, as well as calling over to little Johnnie to ask him to hang up the phone. Not everything is a toy, people!
 
Retail Girl said:
What I love is when the parent puts whatever the kid has been holding on the belt...fully intending to buy it, but never mentions to me that their child has slobbered all over it. Seriously...just give me a heads up.

Our job app kiosks are near guest services, so the kids always go running to them, and invariably they pick up the phone. Why the hell do we have phones at those stations that ring to the service desk not five feet away??? So then I am trying to help the guest, as well as calling over to little Johnnie to ask him to hang up the phone. Not everything is a toy, people!
Click to expand...
Ugh! I hate that! I've had them give me whatever their kid has been chewing on saying they don't want to buy it. My new rule when I'm on a register, I never let them hand me something to throw away. When they ask, "Do you have a trash can over there?" I direct them to one by the exit or the café. I won't explain why, believe me, you don't want to know.
 
Ringwraith917 said:
FallenAngel said:
... when parents give the kid something to play with off the shelf for the entire walk through the store, only to rip it from their hands when the get to the register "Can I give you this? I just grabbed it to keep little Suzie occupied while we shopped" While little Suzie is screaming her little heart out. Seriously... get something from freakin dollar spot and actually GIVE it to your child.
Click to expand...
I have been this parent. You can't buy them something every time you go to the store. The reason the kid carries the toy around is so they're not screaming at the top of their lungs the entire time they're in the store, as my boy did when he was 2. Now he's learned you have to give the toys back, he even puts them back on the shelf & is proud to get it in the right spot. Be grateful you don't have to hear that 16 hours a day.
Click to expand...

I am a parent. And I've heard my fair share of screaming when my daughter doesn't get her way. And there's no reason why these parents can't get their kid something from dollar. For one reason..

Retail Girl said:
What I love is when the parent puts whatever the kid has been holding on the belt...fully intending to buy it, but never mentions to me that their child has slobbered all over it. Seriously...just give me a heads up.
Click to expand...

If someone's kid has slobbered all over something, that they gave them as a temporary toy, that's just gross for the next person that purchases that item. That's great that your kid handles the situation well, but in my experience, 90% of them screamed blue bloody murder when the toy was taken. Bring a toy from home or spend the dollar. Save everyone the hearing loss.
 
Ringwraith917 said:
FallenAngel said:
... when parents give the kid something to play with off the shelf for the entire walk through the store, only to rip it from their hands when the get to the register "Can I give you this? I just grabbed it to keep little Suzie occupied while we shopped" While little Suzie is screaming her little heart out. Seriously... get something from freakin dollar spot and actually GIVE it to your child.
Click to expand...
I have been this parent. You can't buy them something every time you go to the store. The reason the kid carries the toy around is so they're not screaming at the top of their lungs the entire time they're in the store, as my boy did when he was 2. Now he's learned you have to give the toys back, he even puts them back on the shelf & is proud to get it in the right spot. Be grateful you don't have to hear that 16 hours a day.
Click to expand...

8hrs is enough. Its rude and stealing to let your kid slobber and destroy stuff you just used pacify you kid, that you no intention of buying. I find stuff that is chewed up all over infant hard lines.
 
BullseyeBabe said:
My new rule when I'm on a register, I never let them hand me something to throw away. When they ask, "Do you have a trash can over there?" I direct them to one by the exit or the café. I won't explain why, believe me, you don't want to know.
Click to expand...
Diapers, tissues, and other things coated with or containing bodily fluids, right? I had one lady ask if she could trow away a dirty diaper at the fitting room and I said "no." She replied with, "It's just wet!" Like I want to smell urine for the rest of my shift! I asked her to go get a bag from a lane and throw it away up there. I also hate it when a mom asks if she can change her kid's diaper in a fitting room. I'm sorry, but we have a changing table in the bathroom for a reason!
 
BullseyeBabe said:
Ugh! I hate that! I've had them give me whatever their kid has been chewing on saying they don't want to buy it. My new rule when I'm on a register, I never let them hand me something to throw away. When they ask, "Do you have a trash can over there?" I direct them to one by the exit or the café. I won't explain why, believe me, you don't want to know.
Click to expand...

This. There's a garbage can maybe 10 ft away, I'm not touching your garbage.
 
I didn't mind some screaming when its from babies/toddlers, at their age you expect it...my issue was a preteen girl who had a full blown tantrum because her mother wasn't buying her "real" school supplies (name brand) and held up my entire line until she got her way. I blame the mother too, but seriously.

As for gross stuff, I would just pull out trash so they could toss it in themselves...still have to wash/sanitize, but at least I mostly knew what I was touching.
 
Yeh, toddlers & infants are one thing but the ones who are old enough to know better....?
Had a tween have a meltdown in my line when her mom discovered refreshers have caffeine & wouldn't let daughter have one.
That got ugly quick.
 
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