Things Not to Do When Shopping With Children and the Crazy Slap Happy Man

By now I am sure we all have heard the story about the man who slapped the 2 year old girl at an Atlanta Walmart. If you have not heard it, you must have been out of the country, but here is a link: Walmart Crazy Man.

First of all the slap happy man, pictured above, does look...let's just say not nice. It is never, in my opinion, going to quiet a child down by trying to knock them out so I think he was very out of line.

While it is not appropriate to slap a child who is misbehaving, I must admit there have been times in my life that I have wanted to slap the parents.

Years ago, when I was a teenager, let me change that..a couple of years ago when I was a teenager, I worked in a department store. This experience really helped me see what NOT to do if I ever had a child.

• Do NOT send your child to the toy department by themselves and use said department as some sort of daycare center while you shop peacefully. If you do not want to shop with your child, find a real babysitter. Nobody making minimum wage wants to tape up toy boxes, find all the little parts, make sure your child isn't choking on a Lego, etc.
• If you are taking a toddler shopping put them in the basket so you can keep up with them. If that doesn't work, hold their hand. If that still isn't doing the trick, and I only recommend these as a last resort, get one of those leash things. Please, though, if going this route get one of those cute backpack ones. Let the kid have some dignity! You don't want him to be the laughing stock of nursery school.
• Don't be the parent who ends up finding out over the intercom that they have found your child and you didn't even know your child was missing!
• If your child needs to go to the restroom please take them there! It is bad enough having to shovel doggie poo when I take Barkley to the park, but retail employees should not be shoveling your children's! Trust me this happened at my old store, twice! In the middle of the aisle!
• If your child is having a hissy fit don't continue shopping for another hour. Maybe they are tired, or hungry, or need to go poo, whatever! Take them home! Just because they can't drive they should not be held hostage in Walmart!

Although I no longer work in retail, I am sure some employee out there will be MORE than happy if everyone takes this advice.