Bad Parenting meets the Retail Team

I get a call asking for my assistance and make my way to where I’m needed. A coworker is there with two young girls looking for their mother. Just as I arrive the mother is claiming her children. “See what happens when you wander off?” - is all she had to say. No - thanks for finding my daughters! No – oh I was so worried about you two!

So I asked what the story was and how they came to be with my coworkers. While one of the women was straightening aisles, the two girls came by alone and looking scared. The worker asked if she could help them find something. They told her they had lost their mom and were trying to find her. When the worker offered to have their mom paged on the intercom system, they were immediately terrified and begged her not to do that. “I remember what happened the last time I did that. I was in so much trouble! Please don’t do that.” What the?! Excuse me?? They began crying at this point so the employee told them she would just walk with them and try to help them find their mom and when they found her, she would walk away so the girls wouldn’t be in any trouble. And that’s what they did. What kind of mother punishes her kids so horribly that they are afraid to call her if they get separated or to ask for help? Suppose someone in the store colors who wasn’t an employee found them and tricked them into coming outside? Suppose mom didn’t come around the corner just a few minutes later and get them? NEVER should a parent make their kids scared to ask for help, especially in a large retail store! If you are embarrassed to have your name paged, don’t bring your kids with you. OR pay more attention. I’m willing to bet, she was the one who kept walking when the girls had stopped to look at something and didn’t realize mom wasn’t there. I also wouldn’t be surprised if she punished them when they got home. Like they say… Any idiot can be a mom. But it takes a lot of love, patience, and understanding to be a Mother. You Madam, are not worthy of being a Mother.

Ridiculous Ramblings in Retail part 4: Are You Security?

So, you know I work in retail. I’m a security guard in retail. I wear a Navy blue uniform with a badge and name tag, carry a mini Mag Lite and even a pair of real handcuffs. Most days I can stand for hours in the front and basically people watch. You strike me as suspicious or look like our “regulars” I might even follow you through the store.
This is what I really look like at work. Remember this for later:

One nice day, I’m trapped inside watching everyone coming and going. This guy had just finished buying his stuff and walks towards me as he heads out the door.

A puzzled look crosses his face. “Are you security?” (Remember the picture above??)

In my head I’m saying, “No, I just randomly dress like security and waste nice days inside.”

“Yes, sir, I am,” I reply with my plastered on smile.

“Well, you are the cutest security guard I have ever seen,” he says with a wink.

What?! Cute?? I’m going for intimidating!!! Security guards aren’t meant to be cute. Okay maybe the really hot guys with guns are classifiable as cute, but not the skinny chick wearing hand me downs from the previous guy guards.

“Why, thank you, sir.” I have to be nice after all. Its retail, dont'cha know!

About five minutes later, another guy walks in.  This one is older, wearing a black shirt that says CATS (yes, as in the play) across the front and has eyes in the back. He stumbles my way and gets just a little closer than I’d like. “Are you security?” Alcohol breath flows hot and heavy into my face.

I’m strongly tempted to reply with a sarcastic, “Nope. I’m just playing dress up as a security guard today. Tomorrow I’ll be a princess with a purple pony.”

“Yes, sir. I’m security. Can I help you with something?”

“Well, if I ever get arrested, I hope you’re the one arresting me!”

*Insert metal head slap here* This is probably what he thinks he sees:

“Where’s the pharmacy at?”

I point and give directions. He leans too close and looks at where my finger is pointing.

A few minutes go by and he comes back by. I get a call warning me about a drunk who just bought cough syrup wearing a CATS shirt. Good times people. Now if they will just let me come to work looking like this....

Ridiculous Ramblings in Retail part 3: The Missing Car Dilemma

I'm all for elderly having their independence and keeping their rights to live like they want. Just not when they can't remember something as simple as what they drove to the store in....
It's a nice afternoon. I'm standing at the front watching people as they come in and go out. It had been relatively peaceful that day.
The cart attendant comes up and asks if I was going to help "that lady". *Insert confused face here.*
"What lady?"
"That one". He points to the side door where two women are standing practically blocking the entrance.
"Which one? There are two. And why does she need my help?"
"I walked the whole parking lot with her because she lost her car."

Lost her car? I'm doing a mental forehead slap here as I walk over to this lady. She's got a cart full of merchandise that she just bought. She's blocking the entrance, talking to this other woman that's on the phone.
"Can I help you with anything?"
"Oh, yes! I can't find my car. I'm certain I parked it right here in front of the doors. And now it's not there!"
The other lady asks if she's sure it was the black car.
"Yes! I only have a little black car. I don't have another." The lady insists there's only one car.
"What about the green Miata? The dark green one?"

"I don't have a dark green car. It's black."
"Well, ma'am. I'd be happy to help you look for your car if you wanted me to." I mean that's my job, right? Helping people no matter how crazy they are...
"Oh that would be wonderful! Would you please?" She tries to turn and walk out the entrance doors only to find they won't open.
"Ma'am, the exit doors are this way."
We finally get outside and she keeps giving me the same description of a "little black car" that she "parked right here in front". We are standing at the side entrance though. I point to each black car I see and she keeps saying, "No, that's not it."
I'm beginning to think a cab would be a wonderful suggestion for her. We slowly go around to the front. I see a dark green Miata parked halfway down the lot to the side of the entrance. "Is that it? Oh wait, you said it was a little black car. That's a dark green Miata."
"Where?" She squints and puts her hand over her eyes even though dusk has already fallen. "Oh, my gosh! That's it! That's my car! How'd it get there? I thought for sure I parked closer to the door."
Another mental head slap.
"Thank you so much!"
Someone please take away her license before she forgets how to drive.

Keva Structures game review from MindWare Toys

I'm a home schooling mom of three. While my two boys are still preschool level, I use every opportunity I can to teach and enrich their knowledge. Children learn more from birth to five years old than they learn their entire life after. They have minds like sponges, soaking up concepts that we as adults might not understand. For my boys' learning, the best way to teach is through hands on activities. They are hyper active and don't like sitting still for long without some kind of stimulating exercises. MindWare sent me the Keva Structures game for a review.

It comes with 200 pine wood planks and a guide book with ideas for building. There is no messy glue, no connector pieces. Just wood and imagination!

I love these. Growing up, my dad had a wood shop. When he had small pieces of wood left over from a project he would let us play with them. In our minds it was more fun than any multi-gadget toys and noise makers. These planks smell like fresh pine. They are smoothly cut so as not to give little fingers splinters. They provide hours of quiet fun.

They actually used Keva planks to construct the worlds tallest Keva Structure in the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.. It was 51 feet, 8 inches tall! They used 5,123 planks and took 13 hours to build it.

Even my baby girl wanted to join the fun!

When the fun is all done, the kids get a chance to pick them up and practice their packing skills to fit everything into the box neatly. This game requires concentration and helps to refine motor skills as they design and build amazing structures.

As an added bonus, they also sent a sampler book of their MindWare Brain Teasers.

Extreme Dot-to-Dot anyone??

Highly detailed coloring pages.

And Venn Perplexors to really boggle the mind.

Everything at MindWare is based on learning and exploration. You can check out their website, Facebook or their Twitter to keep up with specials and news.