What would you have done?

[Dreamer04]

Yesterday at about 3:30, I went grocery shopping. Our local supermarket is a Waldbaum's. The area to load your groceries into your car is blocked with bars, so that you can't take the cart into the parking lot.


I get a cart outside and as I am walking to the door, a woman with two kids in one of those "shopping cars" for kiddies comes out. She parks the cart right next to the bars and said to the kids, "Don't get out-I'll be right back". She then leaves to get her car. I stop and watch in disbelief. I estimate the kids to be about 3 and 4 years old. The mom has to walk all the way down to the end of a line of cars-about fifteen cars-get her car and drive back. Meanwhile-other cars are driving past where the kids are. I stayed where I was-right next to the kids' cart-to make sure the kids weren't adbucted or get out of the cart.

Sure enough-the mom gets into her car-at that moment the younger child starts to get out of the kiddie car. The older one says no-we have to stay. The little one continues to get out. I said-in a "Mommy" voice-No No-Mommy said don't get out. The little one sat back down. The mom pulls up in her car, gets out and I walk into the store. I didn't say a word. But, was I angry!!!!

My neighborhood is not the worst in NY-but it certainly isn't considered a low-crime area! What the hell was this woman thinking?? What would you have done?

Ursula

 

[Mishetta]

Aside from what you did, stayed there to protect those children, I don't know what I would have done, but it amazes me that these people with NO BRAINS are given these gifts from God.

 

[Samandmom]

I can't understand what people are thinking these days. We have a grocery store in which the carts are not allowed into the lot. I will take both of my kids with me and leave the cart. I will then get my car WITH the kids. I will also leave a cart in the middle of parking lot instead of putting it back in the carriage corral. It has to litterally be the next spot over for me to put it away. I have a remote lock so I will lock the door to put the carriage away. But yes depending on my mood I probaly would of said something. People then wonder why bad things happen.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

My pediatrician always says, "don't leave a child where you wouldn't leave a million dollars."

I don't know what some people are thinking when they put their children in danger. You must have been a guardian angel to those 2 children.

Lori

 

[Dreamer04]

Originally posted by pirateofthecarolinas
My pediatrician always says, "don't leave a child where you wouldn't leave a million dollars."

What a great way to put it!! I'll remember that one!

Thanks everyone. I did regret not saying anything. But, I didn't want to create a scene. I wonder if the kids mentioned to their mom that I told them to stay in the car? Sigh-I hope so.

 

[CEDmom]

I agree that the mother shouldn't have left her children there. I'm amazed every day by the lax additude some parents take with regard to their children's safety. That mother owes you a debt of gratitude for keeping her kids safe. I do have a question though, what does the store expect people to do if they have a cart of groceries and kids and can't take the cart into the parking lot? I've never heard of a store like that.

 

[Dreamer04]

CEDmom, what I usually do is leave the cart and take my kids. Then I drive up to the cart, and load my car. I turn off the car, take my keys and lock the doors. I open the hatch and load my groceries.
The supermarket doesn't want the carts stolen, I guess.

On another note. I stopped bring my DD 6 to the supermarket. She really wants to be independent and would run ahead to the next aisle. It drove me nuts!!

 

[KarenC]

I used to shop at a store like the one you described. I hated to leave my groceries there alone and would NEVER have left my children. I would have done EXACTLY what you did.

 

[swanmom]

OK.......so if I've got this straight, the mom's choices are:
-to leave the groceries (which I suppose might get stolen) and take the kids with her to the car, buckle them in and drive back.
OR
-to leave the kids (whom I suppose might get stolen, or fall, or get out of the cart) and take the groceries to the car, load them in and drive back.

Guess she decided that the groceries were more valuable than the kids? Those poor kids. And then, if something did happen to the kids, this is the type of person who'd probably sue the store!

 

[Dreamer04]

Originally posted by swanmom
OK.......so if I've got this straight, the mom's choices are:
-to leave the groceries (which I suppose might get stolen) and take the kids with her to the car, buckle them in and drive back.
OR
-to leave the kids (whom I suppose might get stolen, or fall, or get out of the cart) and take the groceries to the car, load them in and drive back.

Guess she decided that the groceries were more valuable than the kids? Those poor kids. And then, if something did happen to the kids, this is the type of person who'd probably sue the store!

Actually, she couldn't take the cart to the car. The only way is to leave the cart and come back with the car. Honestly, I've never heard of anyone having their groceries stolen, just taking the wrong cart.

In any case, I'm not leaving my kids! It was hard to watch, let me tell you!

Ursula

 

[binny]

People like that make me crazy!!


Ive never heard of a store like that either... to solve the cart stealing problem in Calgary the Real Canadian Superstore uses the carts with the coin box in them, you have to put in a Loonie ( a dollar) and then the chain comes off ( kind of like a luggage cart at the airport) when you take the cart back ( if you dont have anyone flagging you down giving you another loonie for for your cart lol) you put the chains back and your loonie pops out.