OT-I need to vent..Some Parents

[sdoll]

Hang on tight this is a long one!!
I am so frustrated about the way some people act as parents. I am a manager at Target and I had the most frustrating night tonight. I can't believe how people act.
I had a guest upset about our return policy on open DVD's it clearly states that once it is opened we can only exchange it for the exact same item. It say's it right on the receipt. This is not a Target rule but a Federal Copy Right law. I got calle dup to guest service and had a guest screaming, freaking out and cussing at me not even giving me a chance to help her or figure out what was going on. She started freaking out right away. As she was yelling at me her little girl (5ish) was crying "mommy no" I don't understand. I know things are rough and policies don't always make sense But this woman was out of control. I felt so sorry for her little girl. Its sad and makes me wonder what else this little girl hears.

My next vent takes the cake.
I came upon a group of young boys pulling a suitcase in the store. I noticed one kick it really hard then I heard the suitcase say "ouch" so I stopped the kids and told them to open up the suitcase. Sure enough 2 kids come out (I have to admit to being impressed I have no idea how they got them in there) So I asked the kids who they were shopping with. The youngest kid (maybe 5 years old) responds " we are orphans" (not a shock I would have probably left my kids too if they acted like these kids) anyways I told them to go find there parent and to behave. About 5 minutes later the youngest comes up to me with two boxes of condoms and asks me which one I prefer. I was so ticked off I went to his mother and advised her that her son was playing in the condom aisle and that they were tearing our store up. She laughed. I was so mad. I hope and pray that my son at that age has no clue what a condom is. The only thing that made it ok was that 3 other guests clapped and thanked me for finding the mother. Who lets there kids act like that.
This was about 15 minutes before we closed and we were working hard to get our store cleaned up after a super busy day. These kids were taking their arms and knocking off all the clothes from our folded tables. I just don't understand.
Sorry for venting but this has been a rough week. I work in a great store and in a great community but our guests have been awful this week. I have been yelled at more times than I can count. I just want the holiday to be over so that I can enjoy some time with my family.
25 days until we leave for our 3 night Disney cruise and 5 night Disney World vacation. Boy do I need it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Disney1976]

WOW! The nerve of some people! It's a shame that people let their children behave like that. And for that mother to laugh at you when you told her about her child? Incredibly rude. I'm glad I don't work in the retail field anymore, I wouldn't have hesitated throwing them all out on their behinds. You are to be commended.

Isn't it funny how you're required to take a test and must have a license to drive, but anyone can have a child?

 

[trivial]

I hate customer service, not because of the 95% who are great to deal with, but for the 5% who like to treat service people like worthless garbage. I feel for ya. Just remember, what doesn't kill ya will only make you stronger. Although I had to grin at the little bugger's condom question, heh.

 

[Not so Dumbo]

I too am glad I no longer work in customer service. It is really hard to smile and tell a customer that "you're sorry for blahblahblah" when you'd really like to just deck them.
It took a lot of restraint on your part leave the situation as it was, I think I would have kicked them out.

 

[pixiewings71]

I worked at Target for 6 years so I hear you!! Some people make it really hard to enjoy the holidays. Sorry you had to deal with that and I would have applauded you as well. I would have also asked security to follow them, visually so they would know we were doing it. That would have been as am employee not as a shopper. LOL (((HUGS))) to you!! Enjoy your vacation, you surely do deserve it!!

 

[annie1995]

 

[MiniGirl]

I used to joke that there should be some kind of law or something where each person had to work a certain amount of time in Customer Service somewhere. Imagine if you had to do this to get credits to grauate from high school. If everyone saw how people act, I bet we'd have a bit friendlier place to live.

I used to be a flight attendant, so it wasn't technically customer service but definitely service oriented. I've been cussed our more times than I can remember because it was raining or snowing or something and we couldn't leave. Once we had paramedics on board (pax had a heart attack while still at the gate), and I had 3 people yell at me because of the delay. Once I was performing CPR (heart attack inflight) and a pax got made at me because I wouldn't get him a soda. Hello!?!?!?!? I'm-a-little-busy-now-BREATHE.

 

[katiesmom2]

I'm sorry you had such a bad day. Some people just don't have a clue how to control their children.

We own a small party supply store. Last week, a woman and her friend came in with 3 small kids. DH said they proceeded to take things off the shelf and throw them on the floor, rearrange displays, generally make a mess. As they were leaving, the friend says "Don't you think you should clean up the mess the kid's made?" to which the mother replied "Naw...it will give the guy something to do after we leave". I can't imagine being so absolutely rude.

The sad thing is, we have a whole generation coming of (many) kids who don't have a clue how to be polite because their parents are rude and never taught them any better. God help us.

 

[trivial]

I agree katiesmom2, and I don't think it's just a case of "The Good Ol' Days" Syndrome. Plenty of people have been around a lot longer than I have, and yet, in general, I see a noticeable difference in the way children behave (and they way they are raised) compared to when I was a child. How is it that these parents were raised so poorly by their parents? It's despairing.

 

[maxtomsmom]

When you are on your cruise, order yourself a nice large tropical drink and toast it to the #$%@ of a mom. You can always state that old toast saying, "Here's mud in your eye." You never know it may actually come true given the description of her children. You are probably a million times happier than she at that moment. Remember she has to live with those kids.

 

[TheDizMom]

It's called being oblivious to the world around them. It's also called wanting to be your child's friend instead of their parent, and the stupid belief that we should let our children express themselves in any way they want without repercussions. Some people just should not be parents, unfortunately it seems like everyone who shouldn't is also determined to populate the world with way too many !

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

I prefer the condoms that keep me from having bratty children!!

I worked in retail for one holiday season. Never again!! Is it my fault you couldn't find your receipt? Is it my fault you decided HALF WAY through your bottle of hair product that you didn't like it? Is it my fault that you can't return the curling iron you bough in 2004? Some people...

I agree...order a large drink with a pretty umbrella once you're cruising away from Target and its loving customers!!

 

[sdoll]

Thanks for the responces. The reason I love these boards is that tonight every response made me smile and laugh. I agree that everyone should work customer service at one point in their lives. As everyone was freaking out on Christmas Eve because they waited until the last minute to shop all I could wish for was to be home with my little boys sharing in the magic of Christmas. Some people have no idea the sacficies that people make. But thank you all for making me smile. This seems to be the longest Holiday season I have ever had. Its getting harder as my boys get older. But rest assured I will be taking a drink for the %$#%# mom that was in my store last night she is the reason that I rememberd to take my birth control this morning and she is the reason I have a job that makes my cruise possible. I guess I should be thankful she is still shopping.

 

[Nanu57v]

I understand this wouldn't "look" good, but is it ever possible to call the police on kids acting like that? Just curious.

I'm sorry you had to go through that. I used to be a complainer when I was younger, but now I realize its almost never the CS's fault and try to get them to work with me, instead of feeling like its a battle.

 

[chipmunk226]

sorry to hear about your bad day sara

i honestly think that the generation of current parents of young kids were
give too much control in childhood... just think, when a lot of us 30 to 20 somethings were of the age when corporal punishment was taken out of school. where children were taught that no adult should ever lay a hand on them and they also learned to take advantage of it.

we also have a lot of 20-30 year olds that are from broken homes, or parents who couldn't be around as much because of having to work two, three jobs or having to have both parents work... not to mention the age of motherhood seems to progressively be getting younger and younger.

well, could go on and on but I will say I will NEVER work in retail or customer service again if I can help it.