I still love my "new" job. I've worked for a small-town optical shop as an optician for just over 2 years. For those who don't know what an optician is, basically I: help people pick new glasses, make recommendations based on their prescriptions for what would work well for them, educate customers on different technologies available for their glasses, verify that the lenses are right when we receive them from our labs, cut the lenses to fit frames, put new lenses into frames, make sure that the lenses are in the frames correctly, let the customers know their new glasses are ready, adjust their new glasses to fit, and in the cases of customers using their own frames and getting new lenses, take all the necessary measurements if they cannot leave their frame with us, putting their new lenses into their frame when we have them ready.
Whew.
Sounds like a lot? Yup, opticians do a lot more than just fit your glasses.
Like anything else, the retail optical business has changed. More and more eye doctors are deciding to own their own optical shops, and more places are popping up online to purchase inexpensive pairs. Neither of these really value a well-trained optician. Now, before I worked as an optician, I too purchased a pair of cheap glasses online. However, knowing what I know now, I would not make that same decision. And then just the other day, I came across this article that makes me realize just how strongly the internet has waged war on the optician.
I'm going to go over point-by-point from that article ("7 reasons why you should buy your glasses online") explaining why my job as an optician is just as important as a good deal on a new pair of glasses.
1. You'll save up to 70% on prescription glasses
True. You can buy glasses online and get an exceptionally good deal, price wise. But can you really be sure you are getting your correct prescription?
In the two and a half short years I've been working in the optical business, I cannot even count the times someone has come in with a copy of their prescription from their doctor and a pair of glasses they bought online, complaining that they just aren't seeing well with their new glasses. We take the script from the doctor, and take a PD (pupilary distance, or the distance between your pupils) and we check everything. And what do we find? That either the prescription in the new lenses are wrong, or the PD is wrong, or both. And either one being incorrect can cause a lot of discomfort to your eyes. Not fun.
2. You can expect the same top-quality
This is a bold-faced lie. Out and out. Sure, some companies purchase really great quality frames and sell them just a fraction cheaper than your friendly, hometown optical shop. But that's where the help ends. Online stores can't help fit your glasses, and quality control is lacking.
And then they claim to offer high quality bifocals, trifocals, and progressives. I know for a fact that is not true. Of the most notable brands, most people are familiar with Varilux, or Essilor, products when it comes to progressive lenses (Varilux progressive lenses, Crizal Anti-glare treatment). Essilor, the company that manufactures those products, does not sell to any box stores (ex. Sam's Club, Wal Mart, Costco, Lens Crafters, just to name a few) or to online companies. So, I'm not sure what kind of "high quality" lenses these companies are selling, but I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them. My eyesight is one of my most treasured possessions, something I wouldn't risk for anything. And why should I? Why should you?
3. Online retailers don't work off commission
Neither do I. And actually, where I live I don't know of a single optical shop that does. So, making a sale does nothing for me personally. But I do really enjoy helping you pick a pair of glasses that you are going to love. And bonus, we'll fit your glasses to be comfortable, time and time again, even if we didn't make them for you, and it's always free of charge.
4. Bigger online selection
Also true. Online companies have higher inventory than your neighborhood optical. That's because there are a lot of frames out there, and they all cost money to have on the shelves. Online stores get better discounts buying in bulk, where your optical shop doesn't have that option (because again; cost!). We can't carry every frame in every color. But we are more than willing to try to find exactly what you are looking for, in the color you are looking for, by searching our online catalogs, checking with our sales reps, and ordering frames in for you to try.
5. You can try them on
Another lie. A virtual "try on" is not the same thing as actually feeling how that frame fits on your face. Particularly plastic frames, which are really in high demand right now. No amount of adjusting will keep those glasses up where you want them if they don't fit well on your nose to begin with. Myself, I've decided to stick with metal frames with nose pads because I have a very hard time finding frames that sit where I need them to. I hate constantly pushing my glasses up, and nose pads keep my glasses snug up on my nose. Then there is also the fact that a photo of you, with a photo of a frame you like, is just not reliable. Does the word "proportions" ring a bell? It should. Something that looks proportionate in a digital assumption could very easily be really disproportionate when you actually have it on your face.
6. You'll have reliable customer service
Again. Really? Part of the eyeglass customer service world is having your glasses adjusted to you; no online retailer can do that. Sure, they can trouble shoot your order, but really, what else can they do for your actual glasses? Any customer service number you call will not be able to fix your glasses; they are call centers. No offense, but there is so much more to customer service with glasses than just being able to talk to a customer service representative. Repairs? Bring 'em in! We'll see what we can do to fix them! Adjustments? That's just our jam.
7. Shopping for glasses online is safe, secure, and fast
Generally, buying online is relatively secure and safe. Fast? Eh, that's debatable. Where I work, we keep basic prescription lenses in stock, so if you want a regular plastic lens with a scratch resistant coating and don't have a crazy-strong prescription, we can usually have your glasses ready while you wait, which can take about 20 minutes. And when they are done, we'll adjust them to you so they are just so darn comfortable! Top that, internet store!
(And while we are talking about lens materials, pretty much anything available is a variation of plastic. Don't let anyone suggest otherwise. There are different thicknesses and what they call "indexes" which make your lenses lighter and thinner. And despite the scratch resistance, by all means, DO NOT let anyone ever talk you into glass lenses--your nose and ears will hate you because they are so freakin' heavy. Plus, they can shatter if your glasses ever get dropped or hit or anything like that [because, well....glass breaks, after all], so there's that.
Also, polycarbonate is another NO-NO for lens materials. As far as optics are concerned, glass is always the best to look through [although heaviest] and polycarbonate is always the worst to look through, especially if you have a stronger prescription [but lots of places like to sell it anyways because it is a smidge cheaper to manufacture]. If you need a very impact-resistant lens, ask for trivex; cost-wise it's usually pretty similar in cost to polycarbonate but is so much better for your eyes. Bonus, it also helps make your lenses lighter and thinner.)
I know it may seem tempting to save a couple (or more) bucks by ordering glasses online, but you can't be sure that you are getting what you need. Your local optical shop will have the expertise to make sure you get the right prescription, and help your glasses to be comfortable. I don't know a single online eye glass shop that can do that for you.
I am a local optician working for a small optical shop that has been open for over 75 years. My job is to help you pick the perfect pair and fit them to you. And I love every moment of it.
Shop local; support small businesses.
Monday, January 11, 2016
Saturday, November 16, 2013
New job, better life
Its been three months to the day since I started my new job. It has been such a blessing! Better hours, better pay, and I go home every day feeling like I made at least one person's day better. I work full time, and still work a few nights a week at my part-time job. It's busy, but I feel so much more appreciated in just these last three months than I have in the past four years.
While no longer working conventional retail, as an optical assistant I still technically work retail. It is a much slower paced environment, with more reasonable expectations.
My job is sometimes difficult. Having to learn a completely different set of job skills has been trying but so rewarding.
And I cannot evenbeing to tell you how lovely it is to not have to stress about Black Friday. I still will be working, however, because of my part time job commitment, but there they do not decide that all employees are required to work twelve or more hours.
And while I'm thinking about Black Friday, I just have to take a moment to rant. I recently found out that Best Buy is not allowing their employees a Thanksgiving day. Best Buy is opening for their Black Friday sales on 3:00PM on Thanksgiving afternoon.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Are sales really so important that you are killing a holiday for them?
I mean, come on!
While no longer working conventional retail, as an optical assistant I still technically work retail. It is a much slower paced environment, with more reasonable expectations.
My job is sometimes difficult. Having to learn a completely different set of job skills has been trying but so rewarding.
And I cannot evenbeing to tell you how lovely it is to not have to stress about Black Friday. I still will be working, however, because of my part time job commitment, but there they do not decide that all employees are required to work twelve or more hours.
And while I'm thinking about Black Friday, I just have to take a moment to rant. I recently found out that Best Buy is not allowing their employees a Thanksgiving day. Best Buy is opening for their Black Friday sales on 3:00PM on Thanksgiving afternoon.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Are sales really so important that you are killing a holiday for them?
I mean, come on!
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Loyalty not rewarded
Retail. I have worked for the same company for almost five years. In those five years, I have attempted to get promoted about five times, starting three years ago. The first few times, I wasn't really bummed about not recieving said promotion, because there were still so many things I needed to learn. However, in the last year, I have attempted to get a certain position. Twice. And both times, I have been told I lack one thing or another. It didn't matter that, aside from the management part, I've been doing the job for the better part of three years (I have been doing markdowns since I was hired as a temp five years ago, and signage on-and-off for three years, steadily for two years).
The most recent pass over on this management position was about 4 months ago. They did as they always do, posted the position and have a signup for interviews. Right up until the last day, I was the only one interviewing for the position with any significant experience with the job. On the last day it was up, one of our merchandisers decided that she was going to interview for this position too. And as soon as all the rest of us on the list saw she had written her name too, we all knew it was superfluous to interview any of us; we were ALL that certain that she would get the position.
And inevitably, she did. They did the first round of interviews, and I had felt that mine went swimmingly. The managers decided to do second interviews with only two of us, and the girl who signed up on the last day (who, might I add, at the time she interviewed had been with the company only seven months, was barely 18, drinks alcohol heavily and smokes pot heavily. Real pillar of the community) was bragging that she had a second interview. And for a few days, she was the only one who knew she had a second interview. They eventually got around to telling me that they wanted me for a second interview.
I felt that this interview also went well. I had all the experience necessary for the position, where the other girl had absolutely none. As a merchandiser, part of her job was to move the signs with the correct product so it was always signed correctly. I always did signage in the departments she moved the product for and she couldn't move signs correctly to save her life. I thought that experience and loyalty would be big benefits in my favor.
I couldn't have been more wrong.
About a week after we had second interviews, they pulled everyone into the office separately to "pow-wow" with them about their interviews. They never clearly stated in mine that I hadn't gotten the job. It was so unclear to me that I asked the store manager when they were making the decision. Later that day, I received a very condescending phone call from our assistant store manager, saying that I must not have understood that I didn't get the job. The tone, together with the words, angered me. Not once was it said, "You didn't get it." Instead I received "We don't think that you were very confident in yourself" and "We don't think you have enough experience". (Excuse me, does five years of experience in one thing and three in the whole of it not count as experience?) I suppose in my interviews, I could have bragged myself up more; but I have a hard time doing so, and I thought that my knowledge and experience would help. Clearly, not.
They made a big to-do about the girl who got the job. But everyone else who interviewed for the job felt like the wrong choice had been made. I was told one day by the assistant manager that people were wondering why I didn't get it, when I've been with the company for so long. She plainly stated to my face, "It doesn't matter how long someone has been with a company if there is someone more qualified for the job."
How is no experience more qualified than my five years?
I was so furious about being passed over again that I actively started looking for a new job. It was hard, because I love what I do, I love customer service, and I love the people I work with. However, as much as I loved what I did there, I realized that if they were so willing to pass up me and my experience for someone with no experience (and they know about her underage drinking, at the very least) then I had reached as far as they were going to let me grow within that company and it was more than time for me to find a new job.
Note: At this point, I was working part time for two companies: the one I was so frustrated with, and one that the store manager loves me.
I remember reading something that really hit me close to home while I was looking for a job. I don't know who it is quoting, but it says "Go where you are celebrated, not where you are tolerated."
I couldn't have read that at a better time. And now, just 4 months after feeling so angry and frustrated with my job, I am employed full time, starting in just a few days. I cannot even being to express my relief when I gave my notice.
A weight lifted from my shoulders.
Here's to learning new things.
New opportunities.
New growth.
And one of the times I can clearly see how God has blessed me. It could not have come at a more perfect time, could not have been any better.
I am blessed.
And inevitably, she did. They did the first round of interviews, and I had felt that mine went swimmingly. The managers decided to do second interviews with only two of us, and the girl who signed up on the last day (who, might I add, at the time she interviewed had been with the company only seven months, was barely 18, drinks alcohol heavily and smokes pot heavily. Real pillar of the community) was bragging that she had a second interview. And for a few days, she was the only one who knew she had a second interview. They eventually got around to telling me that they wanted me for a second interview.
I felt that this interview also went well. I had all the experience necessary for the position, where the other girl had absolutely none. As a merchandiser, part of her job was to move the signs with the correct product so it was always signed correctly. I always did signage in the departments she moved the product for and she couldn't move signs correctly to save her life. I thought that experience and loyalty would be big benefits in my favor.
I couldn't have been more wrong.
About a week after we had second interviews, they pulled everyone into the office separately to "pow-wow" with them about their interviews. They never clearly stated in mine that I hadn't gotten the job. It was so unclear to me that I asked the store manager when they were making the decision. Later that day, I received a very condescending phone call from our assistant store manager, saying that I must not have understood that I didn't get the job. The tone, together with the words, angered me. Not once was it said, "You didn't get it." Instead I received "We don't think that you were very confident in yourself" and "We don't think you have enough experience". (Excuse me, does five years of experience in one thing and three in the whole of it not count as experience?) I suppose in my interviews, I could have bragged myself up more; but I have a hard time doing so, and I thought that my knowledge and experience would help. Clearly, not.
They made a big to-do about the girl who got the job. But everyone else who interviewed for the job felt like the wrong choice had been made. I was told one day by the assistant manager that people were wondering why I didn't get it, when I've been with the company for so long. She plainly stated to my face, "It doesn't matter how long someone has been with a company if there is someone more qualified for the job."
How is no experience more qualified than my five years?
I was so furious about being passed over again that I actively started looking for a new job. It was hard, because I love what I do, I love customer service, and I love the people I work with. However, as much as I loved what I did there, I realized that if they were so willing to pass up me and my experience for someone with no experience (and they know about her underage drinking, at the very least) then I had reached as far as they were going to let me grow within that company and it was more than time for me to find a new job.
Note: At this point, I was working part time for two companies: the one I was so frustrated with, and one that the store manager loves me.
I remember reading something that really hit me close to home while I was looking for a job. I don't know who it is quoting, but it says "Go where you are celebrated, not where you are tolerated."
I couldn't have read that at a better time. And now, just 4 months after feeling so angry and frustrated with my job, I am employed full time, starting in just a few days. I cannot even being to express my relief when I gave my notice.
A weight lifted from my shoulders.
Here's to learning new things.
New opportunities.
New growth.
And one of the times I can clearly see how God has blessed me. It could not have come at a more perfect time, could not have been any better.
I am blessed.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Retail No More!
I did it, y'all! I finally quit my retail job! Final day is Thursday! I cannot ever express fully the relief I felt after putting in my two weeks. No more black Fridays, no more screaming children and babies.
On Friday, I start new job. It a new adventure in an optical shop. There are so many new things to learn, I can't wait to start.
So to the job I have dispised for the last two years, SUCK IT!! You took advantage of my knowledge and abilities while refusing to promote me. You treated me like I was the problem, that I didn't have the qualifications.
I am so grateful for the new opportunity. I once read "Go where you are celebrated, not tolerated". I may not be quite to the point of being celebrated at the new job, but it is infinitely better than where I was.
On Friday, I start new job. It a new adventure in an optical shop. There are so many new things to learn, I can't wait to start.
So to the job I have dispised for the last two years, SUCK IT!! You took advantage of my knowledge and abilities while refusing to promote me. You treated me like I was the problem, that I didn't have the qualifications.
I am so grateful for the new opportunity. I once read "Go where you are celebrated, not tolerated". I may not be quite to the point of being celebrated at the new job, but it is infinitely better than where I was.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Squeaker shoes
Someone became very wealthy with the invention of the squeaker shoes. For those who do not know what they are this site sells them and explains them on the homepage. If you don't feel like linking, basically, these are regular toddler sized shoes, but with one fundamental change: They SQUEAK as the child walks. Very loudly, supposedly to make it easier for a parent to keep track of their child.
I was thinking about these today at work, where several children came in wearing them (although thankfully not all at the same time). While I think the product is an interesting idea, a thought occurred to me today. If you are a parent and you need shoes that squeak to find your child, you aren't paying close enough attention to your child.
I have said before I'm not a parent, and therefore am not really qualified to make too much of a judgement. However, I feel that if a child wanders away enough times that a parent justifies the purchase of special shoes just to be able to find their child, clearly there is something wrong with the picture. As I have said before, there is nothing so important in a retail environment that a parent should have to pay that little attention to their child.
Call me old fashioned, but when I was a kid, if I wandered off and got lost, I didn't get to go shopping with my mom. I had to stay right with her or be in the cart, and if I walked by her and she couldn't find me, I was in serious trouble. I learned very quickly not to leave my mother's side.
Then there are the parents who do not pay attention to what their child is doing, even if they are in sight of the parent. Today, for example. The store I work at has toys near the registers. There are balls, plush toys, candy; so many distractions. There was a little girl, couldn't have been more than three years old. She found the bin of balls, and was clearly thrilled. I was working in our fitting rooms when I wasn't needed at the registers. This little girl's mom was on one side of the waist-high wall that has all the toys and candy displayed, and the little girl was by the balls. One by one, this little girl picked up the balls and bounced them away from her. A call over the walkie had me headed up towards the registers, and I didn't even make it out of the fitting room before nearly tripping on several of the balls this little girl tossed around. She made no effort to chase them, feeling content to merely bounce one and reach for another.
There was a woman keeping an eye on this little girl; not a relative or a family friend. Just a random woman in line. The mother was so preoccupied with whatever was going on at the register she was at that she was not even watching her own daughter. As the mother finished her transaction, she walked back around to the other side, saying to the woman, "Thank you for wrangling my children." The mother then tried to get her daughter to follow her (rather unsuccessfully, might I add) and made her way back towards the kids department, calling for her daughter to follow her as she walked. She paused for a moment in the fitting rooms to answer her cell phone, still calling for her daughter (who, coincidentally, was wearing squeaker shoes).
I don't remember the daughter actually following the mother, who couldn't seem to be bothered to watch her own child. Nor did the mother help pick up the balls the daughter threw. Not one. The daughter put a few away, but the majority of them were put away by employees and other customers. I could not believe it.
I understand being busy and having things to do. But I feel as though you should never be so busy that you don't teach your child to pick up a mess they make (or to not make a mess in the store to begin with) or help them clean up.
Sometimes, I feel so frustrated with the way other people raise their children. I know everyone is different, but it feels as though common sense and courtesy are leaving our culture faster than they can be taught.
Please be kind and considerate shoppers. Teach your children courtesy. Teach them to be considerate of others. The world will thank you for it later.
I was thinking about these today at work, where several children came in wearing them (although thankfully not all at the same time). While I think the product is an interesting idea, a thought occurred to me today. If you are a parent and you need shoes that squeak to find your child, you aren't paying close enough attention to your child.
I have said before I'm not a parent, and therefore am not really qualified to make too much of a judgement. However, I feel that if a child wanders away enough times that a parent justifies the purchase of special shoes just to be able to find their child, clearly there is something wrong with the picture. As I have said before, there is nothing so important in a retail environment that a parent should have to pay that little attention to their child.
Call me old fashioned, but when I was a kid, if I wandered off and got lost, I didn't get to go shopping with my mom. I had to stay right with her or be in the cart, and if I walked by her and she couldn't find me, I was in serious trouble. I learned very quickly not to leave my mother's side.
Then there are the parents who do not pay attention to what their child is doing, even if they are in sight of the parent. Today, for example. The store I work at has toys near the registers. There are balls, plush toys, candy; so many distractions. There was a little girl, couldn't have been more than three years old. She found the bin of balls, and was clearly thrilled. I was working in our fitting rooms when I wasn't needed at the registers. This little girl's mom was on one side of the waist-high wall that has all the toys and candy displayed, and the little girl was by the balls. One by one, this little girl picked up the balls and bounced them away from her. A call over the walkie had me headed up towards the registers, and I didn't even make it out of the fitting room before nearly tripping on several of the balls this little girl tossed around. She made no effort to chase them, feeling content to merely bounce one and reach for another.
There was a woman keeping an eye on this little girl; not a relative or a family friend. Just a random woman in line. The mother was so preoccupied with whatever was going on at the register she was at that she was not even watching her own daughter. As the mother finished her transaction, she walked back around to the other side, saying to the woman, "Thank you for wrangling my children." The mother then tried to get her daughter to follow her (rather unsuccessfully, might I add) and made her way back towards the kids department, calling for her daughter to follow her as she walked. She paused for a moment in the fitting rooms to answer her cell phone, still calling for her daughter (who, coincidentally, was wearing squeaker shoes).
I don't remember the daughter actually following the mother, who couldn't seem to be bothered to watch her own child. Nor did the mother help pick up the balls the daughter threw. Not one. The daughter put a few away, but the majority of them were put away by employees and other customers. I could not believe it.
I understand being busy and having things to do. But I feel as though you should never be so busy that you don't teach your child to pick up a mess they make (or to not make a mess in the store to begin with) or help them clean up.
Sometimes, I feel so frustrated with the way other people raise their children. I know everyone is different, but it feels as though common sense and courtesy are leaving our culture faster than they can be taught.
Please be kind and considerate shoppers. Teach your children courtesy. Teach them to be considerate of others. The world will thank you for it later.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Retail Hell
I work retail. And usually, it's pretty fun. Of course, it has its days just like anything else. Days where you would desperately love to kick someone's shins. Like today.....
Parents come into our store with their kids all time time. More often than not, the kids are cute, and that makes my job more enjoyable. But the exception to that rule is very frustrating and most of the time I end up wanting to say a few choice words to the parents. Today there was a little boy, who couldn't have been more than two, who I could hear over a divider telling her little boy that he needed to sit down in the cart. We all know that sitting down in the cart is about safety, especially when the child isn't old enough to understand it. After about five minutes of telling her son that he needed to sit down, I'm guessing that she finally used to restraining belt to keep him sitting.
And that's when all hell broke loose.
For the next half hour, all you can hear all over in the store, is the sound of this little boy having a tantrum. And when I say all over the store, I mean that literally. You could not hear the music playing, which is saying something, because our music (in my opinion at least) is pretty loud. When this little boy started screaming, he was right over the divider from me, so he was pretty shrill. At one point, I could tell his mom had wheeled the cart up to the registers, that is how loud this child was being.
I really do understand that it is hard for parents, especially moms, to go shopping with the kids. But I feel that it is very rude to subject other shoppers to relentless screaming and tantrums, particularly when the parent(s) choose to meander through the rest of the store at their leisure. Either they do not care about how their child is behaving and think it is appropriate to just "wait it out", they are plain rude, or they are making the decision not to parent in public. Whichever it is, I have to bite my tongue, nearly on a daily basis, when the parent of a toddler lets the child scream.
My other personal pet-peeve is the new parents; the ones with babies that are a few months old. I cannot even count the number of times that I have heard the wailing of a new baby. Where I do not have children of my own I'm not sure of the all the different cries babies have, but I am pretty darn good at deciphering the "hungry" cry. It is the most awful sound in the world, and it always wrenches my gut when I hear a baby crying like that for over five minutes. I may not be a parent, but as far as I understand babies tend to want to be fed every couple of hours, almost like clockwork. Why, I want to know, does it seem okay to let your new baby make the most awful cry in the world, trying to let you know that "Hey, I'm awake and hungry", and choose to ignore it?
My work has fitting rooms where you could come and feed privately, we have sinks in the bathroom where you could get water for a bottle if you don't feel the need to breastfeed. But as a generally courtesy, please don't bring a child into a store (unless you are prepared) that you know will be crying at some point during your visit.
No one wants to hear your child scream for half an hour.
No one.
So if your child is screaming and you can't control them, please to the considerate thing and leave the store.
Nothing in retail is so important that it can't wait, either for your child(ren) to stop screaming and behave, or for you to come back on your own when you do not have your child (ren).
Please consider other shoppers and the employees....
......
Because, at least on the retail end, I know from personal experience, as soon as you leave the store, all the employees are talking about how rude you were and how they do not want to offer good customer service to you when you shop with us again.
Parents come into our store with their kids all time time. More often than not, the kids are cute, and that makes my job more enjoyable. But the exception to that rule is very frustrating and most of the time I end up wanting to say a few choice words to the parents. Today there was a little boy, who couldn't have been more than two, who I could hear over a divider telling her little boy that he needed to sit down in the cart. We all know that sitting down in the cart is about safety, especially when the child isn't old enough to understand it. After about five minutes of telling her son that he needed to sit down, I'm guessing that she finally used to restraining belt to keep him sitting.
And that's when all hell broke loose.
For the next half hour, all you can hear all over in the store, is the sound of this little boy having a tantrum. And when I say all over the store, I mean that literally. You could not hear the music playing, which is saying something, because our music (in my opinion at least) is pretty loud. When this little boy started screaming, he was right over the divider from me, so he was pretty shrill. At one point, I could tell his mom had wheeled the cart up to the registers, that is how loud this child was being.
I really do understand that it is hard for parents, especially moms, to go shopping with the kids. But I feel that it is very rude to subject other shoppers to relentless screaming and tantrums, particularly when the parent(s) choose to meander through the rest of the store at their leisure. Either they do not care about how their child is behaving and think it is appropriate to just "wait it out", they are plain rude, or they are making the decision not to parent in public. Whichever it is, I have to bite my tongue, nearly on a daily basis, when the parent of a toddler lets the child scream.
My other personal pet-peeve is the new parents; the ones with babies that are a few months old. I cannot even count the number of times that I have heard the wailing of a new baby. Where I do not have children of my own I'm not sure of the all the different cries babies have, but I am pretty darn good at deciphering the "hungry" cry. It is the most awful sound in the world, and it always wrenches my gut when I hear a baby crying like that for over five minutes. I may not be a parent, but as far as I understand babies tend to want to be fed every couple of hours, almost like clockwork. Why, I want to know, does it seem okay to let your new baby make the most awful cry in the world, trying to let you know that "Hey, I'm awake and hungry", and choose to ignore it?
My work has fitting rooms where you could come and feed privately, we have sinks in the bathroom where you could get water for a bottle if you don't feel the need to breastfeed. But as a generally courtesy, please don't bring a child into a store (unless you are prepared) that you know will be crying at some point during your visit.
No one wants to hear your child scream for half an hour.
No one.
So if your child is screaming and you can't control them, please to the considerate thing and leave the store.
Nothing in retail is so important that it can't wait, either for your child(ren) to stop screaming and behave, or for you to come back on your own when you do not have your child (ren).
Please consider other shoppers and the employees....
......
Because, at least on the retail end, I know from personal experience, as soon as you leave the store, all the employees are talking about how rude you were and how they do not want to offer good customer service to you when you shop with us again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)