"Good Mothers"

Yes, it's been a long time since I've posted....But it definitely wasn't for lack of head shaking moments.

Today at work, I was helping a few customers when in walks a women and her young child. I would guess he was between 5 and 7 years old. Anyway, in his grubby little hand is a melting ice cream cone. It is all over his face, and hands. I do my standard greeting of 'hello' and then I added to him, "be very careful with that, okay?" He nodded and said he would...no problem. I turned to get him a paper towel.

Well apparently I was totally out of line.  His "GOOD MOTHER" threw a fit. According to her, she will never shop here again. (oh well) And she is his mother and it is her job to watch him. And she didn't appreciate a "salesperson" saying anything to her son.

Needless to say, I was dumbfounded as were the six customers in the store. They couldn't believe that she actually thought it was acceptable for her to even have food in a store, let alone her reaction. I think we are the only store on the street that doesn't have a sign that prohibits food and drink. Do I need to post one, just for people like her who apparently have no common sense?

Okay, so my other customers validated me, but why am I still fixated on it? What I really wanted to do was let into her, and tell her that she isn't doing her son any favors by teaching him that it is okay to bully people and disrespect them and their property. But I didn't, I held my tongue.

Is it wrong to speak up?

PS: I imagine she is the same mother that allows her kid to kick the back of the seat continuously for an entire flight while she takes a nap. Or the mother that lets her kids run around in restaurants while she talks with her friends. This is the same mother that runs out of a store when her child breaks something instead of paying for the item.

My Rant of the Day!

I work in a small retail store...privately owned. So far today, I have had eight sales ..all under $10 (averaging $4 per ticket)...all charged on a credit card. Do you people not realize that there are merchant fees?

The 3/50 Project

I work in retail for a lovely couple .... a true mom and pop business which is a rarity today with all the competition from the big box stores. All the shop owners I know are really struggling just to keep their doors open and to earn a living. Many have closed their doors.

For quite awhile now we have had a lot of "customers" come in to "just look" and then go home to make their purchases online to save a few dollars and sales tax. (I know this because I am invisible to them and they don't realise that I can hear what they say.) They don't seem to understand (or care) that there is a lot of overhead to run a business, and if they don't start supporting their local small businesses they will no longer have store fronts to visit and actually see the merchandise.

We and other small business deal with this mentality on a daily basis and it is hard to be polite and cheerful when you just want to scream. There is a movement going on by Cinda Baxter, a retail consultant. It is called the 3/50 Project, and I hope everyone who reads this takes it to heart and passes it on to their friends, relatives and acquaintances. If we as Americans don't consciously make some changes, our quaint and unique small businesses will just be a fond memory.