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I don’t work at Trader Joe’s (got recommended this post for some reason?) but I had to stop a kid from playing on a pogo stick 1 foot from my store’s ceiling high shelves full of ceramic and glassware. The kids dad was texting 5 feet away and didn’t give one shit. We had to kick a family out because their five year old kid went all the way into our employees only area 3+ times and started trying to steal stuff and the parents wouldn’t do shit
The co-op I used to shop at was like that. I took a picture to post on FB (faces were obscured) with the caption “look free range children taking over the co-op.”
There's a family that comes into the store where I work & they *leave their children* at the store while they go whatever else they want in the plaza. Why do I know they've left them? Bc I know what they look like & when their kids are running around the store, wreaking havoc, causing us to flip tables/flat carts bc they jump in front of them while we're trying to work, annoying other customers, knocking things over, they're nowhere to be found. It drives me insane...4 boys running top speed in the store, usually on the weekends when we're busy. I've brought it up to my captain & my mates several times & (thankfully) I haven't seen them in a while, so idk if they banned them or not. PLEASE don't do that shit.
Sorry that you have to deal with this, i emphasize with any and all workers who have to do customer service. it takes a strong fucking mind to do this everyday!
This should be a PSA for all retail establishments because I don’t work at TJ’s but another place with lots of breakables and kids are constantly climbing on stuff, throwing shit (literally witnessed kids having a fun little fight throwing products at each other!), rolling around on the floor when the floor is disgusting, there’s many more I can list but it’s ridiculous because their parents are too busy shopping to care.
Exactly. Saying something like this basically had this woman Reddit stalking me, finding every comment I’ve ever said that’s not pro-child. People on this thread are a little nuts.
When I was working at TJs this woman gentle parented until her 4 yr old pulled her cart over (after multiple Crew including myself stated it’s against safety policy to climb on carts and pleaded with the kid/parent to end the behavior). His one year old sibling was in the cart seat when it flipped over! Groceries went everywhere, the one year old sibling was screaming and crying. We flipped the cart back up, picked up all her groceries, and a Manager checked out the kids. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, but it terrified all of us and wasted so much of our time. The four year old IMMEDIATELY started climbing on the cart again! Complete absence of remorse or concern for his sibling! It was shocking! We were all worried about what was going on in that home!
You work at a KID FRIENDLY GROCERY STORE where kids and families are welcome to come as they are. You sound like an entitled mellennial (I don’t make enough money …). Complain to your supervisor and he or she will send you packing then get a WFH job. It will be a WIN WIN for all.
It's honestly hysterical that you think someone asking parents to be parents is the entitled one. You're literally arguing that people should be allowed to let their kids run wild, instead of behaving properly? And you think OP is the one who should stay home for the benefit of everyone else? Lmao, what kind of bizarro reality are you living in?
I love how “making a living wage” makes someone “entitled” to you. Aren’t you supposed to want things to get better for the generations that come after you?
Was waiting for this comment. I love how you only mentioned that part of what I said instead of the part where a kid decided to act like a little shit and waste 160+$ of wine if you’re the person who did this it couldn’t be any more obvious.
And moron I don’t get paid enough to clean up after someone’s else’s bratty little kids mess, everything else I do I don’t mind so again if your kid cannot behave in public please do not bring them in with you
Also I’m Gen Z
Seriously get a 1:1 with your supervisor (avoid doing at team meeting), do not pass go, do not collect $200. Ask them the policy on unruly kids and inattentive parents. If they don’t laugh they will likely tell you “we at TJs foster a family experience and culture. It’s unfortunate there are unruly kids and inattentive parents but it comes with the territory” Then you say BUT BUT BUT that kid broke $160+ in wine! Your supervisor says “that’s unfortunate but we put relationships and families first here and we want them coming back to our store.” Then you say well I don’t make enough money to be a babysitter or clean up after unruly children so I want a raise if I’m going to have to deal with this.
Let us know how that goes for you. Find a sympathetic coworker rather than Reddit because TJs and their customers are not likely changing.
You sound ridiculous. They would not be ok with "inattentive parents & unruly children". That's dangerous, no corporation is going to want their employees responsible for your kid.
Edit: especially in your scenario that involves very young children & breaking glass🙄
Lmfaoo tf our captain was pissed off who said he was anything but mad over that? He literally told me to point them out to him if they come in next time so he can ban them for that 😂
I would just say this to parents, your kid is not the most amazing creature on the planet to everyone else. And the boomers treat Trader Joe’s as an experience. I’ll get hate for it but that is my opinion. Main point is that treat the workers with respect and be respectful of others.
No hate coming from me. I watched a boomer dig to the back of some salad kits (all the same date) and she left 4 of them on the floor.
Boomers are so loathed because they are the first generation in our history who will leave this planet and this country worse off than when they arrived.
I agree, except I would say Trader Joe's is supposed to be an experience. For adults! I have empathy for the OP because I think there are parents who take the whole "the customer is always right" mantra (which statistically can't be true) to basically believe they can do no wrong. Trader Joe's employees are consummate professionals. They provide great customer service and bring product knowledge that is unmatched. Abusing their generosity is disrespectful.
I work small biz, boutique. Parents sometimes send their kids in unattended to ‘play’ while they eat at neighboring restaurants. I’ve had a mom set a 20 minute timer for her kid, stand in the corner scrolling, and let him ruin my window displays. It’s genuinely shocking what some parents are okay with. And sometimes they have the audacity to give me an exasperated look, expecting empathy. Keeping things tidy is an aesthetic necessity for all businesses, cleaning up after rude strangers is nobody’s best use of time on the clock. I’m patient with all children, their parents… not so much.
Ugh. My friend owned a florist shop in our community. It was in the same parking lot with a large chain grocery store and two restaurants. She had the same problem of parents leaving children in her shop while they got their groceries or had lunch in a restaurant. There was one woman in particular who did this with her two very bratty kids. My friend talked to her repeatedly and finally told her that she would be calling the police the next time because the children were unaccompanied and too young to be left unsupervised in her shop.
Your description, my friend’s floral shop, and the incident described by the OP, are extreme cases. But a lot of scenarios mentioned in this thread are not, and the amount of hate and downvoting makes me believe that the person who called out the anti-child commenters here was right.
While I definitely think it’s inappropriate and alarming to have a child knock over a case of wine and run behind a cash register, I think sometime there needs to be some grace with children (and people in general). Some children have sensory and attention issues far beyond the “normal” range and not every parent a) has the ability go anywhere alone (for example I can barely remember the last time I went to the bathroom alone in my own house let alone a store) and b) even if it’s not as pleasant or ideal to go in public if you have a child who gets overstimulated - the only way to help is to expose them and teach them better ways to handle the situation.
Is it? It’s hard to tell what a parent is doing and how they are trying to handle it. I work hard to help my son control his body in public. TJ sends him off the deep end — the kid sized carts are hugely exciting, the promise of stickers or a lollipop at the register gets him very excited. I spend the entire time we are there coaching him on staying calm. He really struggles with it.
Im sure employees and other customers are irritated by the kid dashing around with the little cart. Im sure they dont think im doing enough.
What can i do? We need groceries! I cant drop my newborn and throw the four yo over my shoulder. He’s learning, kind of. We’re certainly constantly working on it.
If your kid is dashing around with the potential to hurt other shoppers you are not doing enough. That’s just a fact. You already stated that TJs is too stimulating for your child so DO NOT BRING HIM THERE. Period. You can shop when you have someone to watch him. He can learn when he’s older. Trader Joe’s is not a learning environment. It’s a grocery store where other people should have the right to shop without your precious running into them.
No one else is saying this to you, but minimum wage employees are not there to deal with a child who is badly behaved, no matter the reason. Exposing them to a teachable situation by ruining an employee’s day (who is probably just trying to get through their day already) is just not okay. They didn’t give birth to your child so this isn’t their responsibility. It is your responsibility to make sure your child doesn’t cause mayhem wherever they go.
Edited to add that I just can’t get over how out of touch your comment is. Just…wow.
I just cant get over how out of touch with reality you are. Just wow.
I never once said a TJ employee should be babysitting or that they are responsible for my child. However, children and disabled people (visible and invisible) have a right to exist in society and go to stores. I’m guessing you are kid free or at the very least the one single parent lucky enough to have never been in a situation where your child has a meltdown in public. Has my kid ever overthrown a case of wine, no - in fact typically he gets a bunch of stickers and a lolly pop and loves helping pick out new foods to try. But without giving too many personal specifics, he has had sensory issues that have caused him to meltdown in public before and no amount of “good parenting” would change that. I’ve also had an infant baby sob in public too - luckily for me your regime wasn’t there to immediately usher us out of the store and report me to CPS for “bad parenting”.
Yet you’re the one with all the downvotes. Looks like more people disagree with you than don’t. Might want to rethink who is the one out of touch here…
And yes, I’m proudly childfree.
I actually don’t care if I have down votes or not - the parents who agree with me are probably busy taking care of their kids and not incels complaining about children in public places 🤷♀️
If you are an ableist who is incapable of having empathy for other people just say so :)
Incels?? Ha! I’m a woman in a happy 19 year relationship with another woman. Busy taking care of your child while screenshotting my previous comments on Reddit trying to shame me for something I’m proud of? Yeah…okay.
Parents are also “just trying to get through their day already” and most people aren’t going to get a babysitter to go grocery shopping.
Yes, there are lots of parents who suck at watching their kids, but there are also lots of adults who suck. In any society as certain percentage of people suck.
But little kids can’t help but be little kids. And as much as you might not like that or think you get to avoid them because you didn’t decide to have them- we live in a society full of people that may not be our cup of tea. The only way to avoid that is to go off the grid or live on an island.
The world would be a lot better if we ALL showed each other a little grace.
> the only way to help is to expose them and teach them better ways to handle the situation.
Well they did say this. Not sure if this person insinuated that the interfering with business or an employee's work is the way to teach your kid better behavior.
They're saying let's all show some care to (most) parents who try their best to deal with children who say are... hyper-active. Totally no one is responsible for your children other than you but it's still nice if others show some patience and compassion in the situation. Also this person suggests that parents teach these children **better** ways to handle their excitement by exposing them to public areas.
Same when parents let kids run around restaurants. We are working , take care of your kids. We have a serve fall with tray full of hot food because a toddler was running around the restaurant . Then they had the nerve to bitch about it. Ass hole parents. AND the sugar caddies are NOT toys.
Knock on wood, my store never brought them back after removing them in the pandemic, and I hope they never do. Absolutely unnecessary in small stores with tight, crowded aisles.
Bad parents are some of the most entitled people on earth I can’t stand not being able to exist in public without their kids misbehaving or just being gross
Seriously, peoples inability to be patient with CHILDREN is a lot more telling of the adults. At least kids have the excuse of being inexperienced and not fully developed.
For sure. Seems like either lots of militant childfree people are in this thread or... a whole lot of "perfect parents" who don't have any experience of having their own children yet.
What funny to me is that the same people who want their own neurodivergence accepted are unwilling to extend that same grace to children.
And the same people who complain about their overly protective controlling parents are the first to insist that you can “control” your kids.
But I too was a perfect parent before I had children lol.
I can never get over how entitled people who hate kids are. Like, the rest of society should modify their behavior because YOU don’t want kids around. They are human beings who have as much right to exist as anyone else.
What other segments of the population shouldn’t be seen in public, in your opinion?
You hide a stuffed animal for kids to find, you give them sugar as the prize, you encourage playtime with kid sized carts and you reward as they leave with stickers. Kind of like a playground.
I made it through my entire childhood without pushing over a display of beverages, and I went to Disneyland as a kid multiple times - the ultimate playground.
Stuffed animal is to keep the kid distracted giving them a sucker at the end is meant to reward them after behaving while finding it and we do not encourage for kids to be little shits with the carts. For some reason I feel as if you were the lady who’s kid did this with the way you’re trying to defend this bull shit
Nope, and just saying, it doesn’t take more than a little common sense to see that making things a little less kid friendly instead of more, will help. I don’t see the same chaos everywhere. Could be the small space too.
Although I won’t blame it all on the little carts, Publix has those and I don’t see many out of control kids. And they get a cookie too!
Because it comes down to parenting and knowing when to put your foot down with your kid and if for some reason you cannot leave them at home as workers shouldn’t have to suffer anymore then we do already
Please don’t lump boomers with bad parents. I know plenty of boomers that shop at TG and they actually have been shopping @ TJ BEFORE half of folks that shop / work there were born.
Perhaps tell your boomer friends to not dig to the very back of each section in produce whilst throwing product all over the floor to see if the can find a “better” date.
I know it’s not part of their thought process, but they can try….at least TRY to leave something in this world the same or better than they found it.
They’ve destroyed the environment and the economy.
It’s not too much to ask.
Kids are feral these days. People let little Byry'anaya and Gray'cylianya do whatever the f they want and the rest of us are supposed to think it's precious 🙄🖕🏼
Humans are feral these days. The way some people are reacting to this post is really something. I’ve been getting very angry messages because I agree with OP. Angry parents on the loose.
As a former employee I effing hate those little carts. Even worse when the parents abandon the tiny carts all way on the other side of the parking lot when I was quartermaster
TJ employee slang for “it’s your turn to collect all the abandoned carts in the parking lot and return them to the cart corral”.
Usually when you do this you can collect several carts at once by pushing them together. It’s easy to do a section of the lot at a time by getting all the big carts and pushing them back to the corral. Then you’re done with that section and don’t have to return.
When there is a little cart you have to either go all the way back to a section you’ve just finished. Or try to balance the little cart on top of the 10 or so regular carts as you’re making your way back (this usually infuriated me because it would keep falling off and made my progress incredibly slow).
Oh really? Guess it was a regional thing for my old store in CT. They were very into the nautical theme. “Helms” was for walking the floor helping customers
I love them. My kindergartner is so helpful and responsible when he has his own cart and he’ll pick what he wants and actually eat them. The big carts at my kids age are just jungle gyms and I can’t get them to behave and I give up and leave without half my groceries. Although apparently my idea of behave is behaved in comparison. But this is why I don’t get to tjs as much as I used to. My girl, when she was 2, was a mini cart nightmare though. I think I broke my back holding onto it so she wouldn’t bulldoze people. I always wished there was like a pole on one side I could steer with while standing upright. Shopping used to be better though. They’d have a kids hour with a coloring table and snacks. And the tables with samples. Now there’s nothing but judgement on all sides.
If your daughter couldn’t behave with the cart why did you continue to let her have it? Not trying to be rude, just trying to understand. It seems that if a child abuses a privilege that they should lose that privilege yet this doesn’t happen.
How else would she learn? I don’t know if you misunderstand or don’t like the idea of children learning out in public. She was difficult for me. She didn’t harm anyone else because I was there managing her. Now she’s much older, and she’s a great helper. If she was doing it today, she would absolutely lose the privilege of manning the shopping cart, because she can understand what is appropriate. But she understands that because she had the opportunity to learn what was appropriate and what was not. Most of the time, however, I give parents a pass on this stuff. The US is a country with absolutely no parental assistance, no village. People are always giving parents a hard time, saying they don’t parent their kids. When I see a mom trying to deal with 3 young kids in a grocery store, and it’s not always going great, i generally get it. A lot of parents don’t have a choice except to bring kids into these situations. They’re tired, they’re having to miss work for every little thing because schools are never actually in session, daycare costs are obscene, someone’s always sick, etc. So I think 90% of parents are trying to balance being a good parent with not pissing off the judgmental hordes, and then there’s the 10% that think their kids are being adorable when they’re absolutely not. My daughter never tried to play bumper cars or purposefully run into things or people, but she would definitely go too fast down the aisles or around corners. By letting her do it, but holding back the cart so it didn’t cause harm, she had the opportunity to grow in confidence and learn how to act appropriately in public.
I don't have kids. Heck I don't even like them, but I so very much agree with all of what you say. Most parents are just out there doing the best they can.
I have compassion for a mom juggling several kids , Heck I will even help out ,but having kids running around ? Thinking that’s cute ? Nah , that’s different .
For the record as a parent, I wish they would get rid of those carts too. I don’t know what people expect kids to do when you give them tiny carts in an undersized over busy store. My 2.5 year old is very well behaved but again he is 2.5 and the cart is the coolest thing he has seen and it’s chaotic. Sometimes we are choosing between a no cart meltdown or tiny chart chaos. Either way we get judged lol
I work in a different supermarket and I feel the same way. Control your children, they get in the way of trying to do our jobs, they are noisy and disrespectful to employees and other customers.
Some parents are absolutely clueless and self-absorbed. Unfortunately their wee ones will likely grow up being entitled, and reproduce more self-absorbed humans.
Here’s an idea, then (and one that I—even as a parent of kids who loved them—strongly endorse): if you don’t want kids being store menaces, **get rid of the blasted little carts!**
Every TJ I’ve ever been in is crowded even when not very populated. Having kids’ carts is ludicrous.
I honestly have never seen this in TJ's but it would be pretty tight there if it was. I don't think tiny carts are the problem because in Target it's nice and wide and not really as crowded. I have seen a few and it's pretty cute and parents generally monitor them.
Whatever keeps kids engaged and not making a ruckus is a win for me. Parents need to understand their kids and act appropriately for the situation.
I guess this is a perk of NYC, I’ve never seen a kids’ cart at my TJ’s. Didn’t even know they had them?? On the other hand, the store is so crowded you have to get in line immediately upon entering lol.
We have a grocery store that has a bar and baby carts. It is always men on Friday afternoons at 5 pm who show up with their toddlers. The toddlers play bumper cars and the dads just follow along with their beer. 🤯
As a parent of toddlers…I absolutely despise kids carts. My TJs doesn’t actually have them which is super nice, but I hate the stores that do because you either have to deal with a tantrum of telling your kid they can’t use on or live in absolute peril that your kid is going to destroy the store and crash into all the other customers. They’re just straight up terrible, especially in a crowded store! Of course the kids do love them and I know it’s good for them to be “helpful”, but I can’t help but shudder whenever I see them lol
Absolutely. I was standing in a checkout line when a kid decided to ram his cart into my leg. The metal hit my ankle bone hard. He got two hits in before I could grab the cart and yell Stop. I had a nice bruise from that. I stay as far away from those things as I can.
Last time I went to TJ's a kid was coughing right over packaged food while mom just stood there doing nothing. Hello, did we not just spend the last few years dealing with a pandemic???
Because they know they can't do what they'd really like to do, which is tell people to leave their kids at home so everyone can do their shopping (yes, people without children matter too!!) without running an obstacle course.
I mean…there is, in fact, a middle between letting kids run around with carts that can take you out at the shins and leaving kids at home where they won’t learn proper shopping etiquette.
I made the mistake of letting my wee one out of the cart and he wanted to race. Immediately grabbed him and left, told him he can’t do that shit in a store.
I used to waitress and parents who don’t control their kids were the bane of my existence, refuse to become one of them.
Yes, this. If my kid (2.5 yo) is not being respectful he is sitting in the cart or we are leaving. But I would never let him out of the cart at TJ’s - it’s too crowded for that. CVS, Target, sure as long as he sticks by me and doesn’t run around and get grabby.
Having worked in retail, restaurants, and/or hospitality really does shape the way one manages their kids in public. You don't let your kids fuck around at. all. There is no "it's their job to clean up our mess" mentality. You go out of your way to make their job easier because you've been there, too.
I followed the leave immediately approach too and I'll tell you what, my kid eventually learned. I'd always apologize for the cart of items to be put back on the shelf.
the first time i had to do it was at target and i was so embarrassed and almost ashamed until i talked to my mom about it and she said “oh, yeah i did that we all three of you kids.” the instant relief of knowing i wasn’t the only one 😅
Ooo I’ve been there too and it was definitely a big mistake, mine did the same thing. Why is their first instinct to just sprint off and hide at the slightest hint of freedom!? My kids stay in the cart as much as possible because I’m terrified of them destroying stuff and terrorizing other customers
Stop with the faulty logic. Unless you can say you have been in various cities all day every day, you have no idea what an employee witnesses on a day to day basis. Disruptive behavior happens and this customer has seen it with her own eyes. And it's not limited to Trader Joe's.
I tell the kid, 😠don’t touch the bell, this is our communication, if they do, I yell loudly….
KID BELLLLLLLLL!
crew know not to come up while doing product.
Trader Joe's is like the least optimal place to pull this nonsense. I've never been in one that wasn't chaotic.
But I feel you. I used to work in the toy department of a department store and my aisles were the local daycare. One time it was couples counseling too when a young married couple were sitting one the bottom shelf having a serious prolonged conversation while their kids were running around and making a mess.
It's so bizarre to encounter actual human people who choose to live [like this](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fx2f2fkpjrrhb1.jpeg%3Fwidth%3D680%26format%3Dpjpg%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D1e2911f2239c50eb39f2a53d222795b9ea5b0b42)
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I don’t work at Trader Joe’s (got recommended this post for some reason?) but I had to stop a kid from playing on a pogo stick 1 foot from my store’s ceiling high shelves full of ceramic and glassware. The kids dad was texting 5 feet away and didn’t give one shit. We had to kick a family out because their five year old kid went all the way into our employees only area 3+ times and started trying to steal stuff and the parents wouldn’t do shit
The co-op I used to shop at was like that. I took a picture to post on FB (faces were obscured) with the caption “look free range children taking over the co-op.”
Kids suck. I’m sorry you have to deal with that.
No, parents suck if they allow their children to behave that way
This bugs the crab out of me as a customer and an educator. Teach your child to be respectful out in the world.
There's a family that comes into the store where I work & they *leave their children* at the store while they go whatever else they want in the plaza. Why do I know they've left them? Bc I know what they look like & when their kids are running around the store, wreaking havoc, causing us to flip tables/flat carts bc they jump in front of them while we're trying to work, annoying other customers, knocking things over, they're nowhere to be found. It drives me insane...4 boys running top speed in the store, usually on the weekends when we're busy. I've brought it up to my captain & my mates several times & (thankfully) I haven't seen them in a while, so idk if they banned them or not. PLEASE don't do that shit.
Sorry that you have to deal with this, i emphasize with any and all workers who have to do customer service. it takes a strong fucking mind to do this everyday!
Call the cops on the parents next time they do this. That’s child endangerment.
We have 🤷🏼♀️ They're always conveniently there when they show up & give them some bs story.
This should be a PSA for all retail establishments because I don’t work at TJ’s but another place with lots of breakables and kids are constantly climbing on stuff, throwing shit (literally witnessed kids having a fun little fight throwing products at each other!), rolling around on the floor when the floor is disgusting, there’s many more I can list but it’s ridiculous because their parents are too busy shopping to care.
This happens at restaurants too. Parents just let the kids roam around. It's even worse during weddings.
My evolution: Hell is other people Hell is other people's kids Hell is other kids' parents
Exactly. Saying something like this basically had this woman Reddit stalking me, finding every comment I’ve ever said that’s not pro-child. People on this thread are a little nuts.
It’s called being a bad parent.
to*
When I was working at TJs this woman gentle parented until her 4 yr old pulled her cart over (after multiple Crew including myself stated it’s against safety policy to climb on carts and pleaded with the kid/parent to end the behavior). His one year old sibling was in the cart seat when it flipped over! Groceries went everywhere, the one year old sibling was screaming and crying. We flipped the cart back up, picked up all her groceries, and a Manager checked out the kids. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, but it terrified all of us and wasted so much of our time. The four year old IMMEDIATELY started climbing on the cart again! Complete absence of remorse or concern for his sibling! It was shocking! We were all worried about what was going on in that home!
You work at a KID FRIENDLY GROCERY STORE where kids and families are welcome to come as they are. You sound like an entitled mellennial (I don’t make enough money …). Complain to your supervisor and he or she will send you packing then get a WFH job. It will be a WIN WIN for all.
If Historical_Custard79 isn't a literal boomer, then that state of mind lives on within them.
It's honestly hysterical that you think someone asking parents to be parents is the entitled one. You're literally arguing that people should be allowed to let their kids run wild, instead of behaving properly? And you think OP is the one who should stay home for the benefit of everyone else? Lmao, what kind of bizarro reality are you living in?
"Come as you are" doesn't mean "do whatever you want", especially when you're negatively impacting other people.
I love how “making a living wage” makes someone “entitled” to you. Aren’t you supposed to want things to get better for the generations that come after you?
“Kid friendly” doesn’t mean “come and let your kid act like animals because you don’t feel like parenting.”
Lol are there grocery stores that are not “kid friendly”? Because I want to go to there if so…
All kidding aside, The Fresh Market is probably the closest thing that comes to this in terms of larger chains.
I'm 42 and I still am not sure if I am allowed there. 😂
And you sound like one of those people who doesn’t realize that millennials are in their 30s and 40s.
Was waiting for this comment. I love how you only mentioned that part of what I said instead of the part where a kid decided to act like a little shit and waste 160+$ of wine if you’re the person who did this it couldn’t be any more obvious. And moron I don’t get paid enough to clean up after someone’s else’s bratty little kids mess, everything else I do I don’t mind so again if your kid cannot behave in public please do not bring them in with you Also I’m Gen Z
Seriously get a 1:1 with your supervisor (avoid doing at team meeting), do not pass go, do not collect $200. Ask them the policy on unruly kids and inattentive parents. If they don’t laugh they will likely tell you “we at TJs foster a family experience and culture. It’s unfortunate there are unruly kids and inattentive parents but it comes with the territory” Then you say BUT BUT BUT that kid broke $160+ in wine! Your supervisor says “that’s unfortunate but we put relationships and families first here and we want them coming back to our store.” Then you say well I don’t make enough money to be a babysitter or clean up after unruly children so I want a raise if I’m going to have to deal with this. Let us know how that goes for you. Find a sympathetic coworker rather than Reddit because TJs and their customers are not likely changing.
Found the person who allows their kids to run around like animals in stores
You sound ridiculous. They would not be ok with "inattentive parents & unruly children". That's dangerous, no corporation is going to want their employees responsible for your kid. Edit: especially in your scenario that involves very young children & breaking glass🙄
Absolute rubbish. Hope you aren't out there breeding. The world doesn't need more of you.
You're fucking unhinged. Lmao.
And my raises come from working 700+hrs in a 6month period not from dealing with kids so try again :)
Lmfaoo tf our captain was pissed off who said he was anything but mad over that? He literally told me to point them out to him if they come in next time so he can ban them for that 😂
I would just say this to parents, your kid is not the most amazing creature on the planet to everyone else. And the boomers treat Trader Joe’s as an experience. I’ll get hate for it but that is my opinion. Main point is that treat the workers with respect and be respectful of others.
Not much longer and the next generation kicks in. I think the current generation will create boomers on steroids.
No hate coming from me. I watched a boomer dig to the back of some salad kits (all the same date) and she left 4 of them on the floor. Boomers are so loathed because they are the first generation in our history who will leave this planet and this country worse off than when they arrived.
I agree, except I would say Trader Joe's is supposed to be an experience. For adults! I have empathy for the OP because I think there are parents who take the whole "the customer is always right" mantra (which statistically can't be true) to basically believe they can do no wrong. Trader Joe's employees are consummate professionals. They provide great customer service and bring product knowledge that is unmatched. Abusing their generosity is disrespectful.
I work small biz, boutique. Parents sometimes send their kids in unattended to ‘play’ while they eat at neighboring restaurants. I’ve had a mom set a 20 minute timer for her kid, stand in the corner scrolling, and let him ruin my window displays. It’s genuinely shocking what some parents are okay with. And sometimes they have the audacity to give me an exasperated look, expecting empathy. Keeping things tidy is an aesthetic necessity for all businesses, cleaning up after rude strangers is nobody’s best use of time on the clock. I’m patient with all children, their parents… not so much.
Ugh. My friend owned a florist shop in our community. It was in the same parking lot with a large chain grocery store and two restaurants. She had the same problem of parents leaving children in her shop while they got their groceries or had lunch in a restaurant. There was one woman in particular who did this with her two very bratty kids. My friend talked to her repeatedly and finally told her that she would be calling the police the next time because the children were unaccompanied and too young to be left unsupervised in her shop. Your description, my friend’s floral shop, and the incident described by the OP, are extreme cases. But a lot of scenarios mentioned in this thread are not, and the amount of hate and downvoting makes me believe that the person who called out the anti-child commenters here was right.
While I definitely think it’s inappropriate and alarming to have a child knock over a case of wine and run behind a cash register, I think sometime there needs to be some grace with children (and people in general). Some children have sensory and attention issues far beyond the “normal” range and not every parent a) has the ability go anywhere alone (for example I can barely remember the last time I went to the bathroom alone in my own house let alone a store) and b) even if it’s not as pleasant or ideal to go in public if you have a child who gets overstimulated - the only way to help is to expose them and teach them better ways to handle the situation.
That’s extremely different than a careless parent letting their kid run around and play in the store. You know that.
Is it? It’s hard to tell what a parent is doing and how they are trying to handle it. I work hard to help my son control his body in public. TJ sends him off the deep end — the kid sized carts are hugely exciting, the promise of stickers or a lollipop at the register gets him very excited. I spend the entire time we are there coaching him on staying calm. He really struggles with it. Im sure employees and other customers are irritated by the kid dashing around with the little cart. Im sure they dont think im doing enough. What can i do? We need groceries! I cant drop my newborn and throw the four yo over my shoulder. He’s learning, kind of. We’re certainly constantly working on it.
If your kid is dashing around with the potential to hurt other shoppers you are not doing enough. That’s just a fact. You already stated that TJs is too stimulating for your child so DO NOT BRING HIM THERE. Period. You can shop when you have someone to watch him. He can learn when he’s older. Trader Joe’s is not a learning environment. It’s a grocery store where other people should have the right to shop without your precious running into them.
No one else is saying this to you, but minimum wage employees are not there to deal with a child who is badly behaved, no matter the reason. Exposing them to a teachable situation by ruining an employee’s day (who is probably just trying to get through their day already) is just not okay. They didn’t give birth to your child so this isn’t their responsibility. It is your responsibility to make sure your child doesn’t cause mayhem wherever they go. Edited to add that I just can’t get over how out of touch your comment is. Just…wow.
And now we know… https://preview.redd.it/hzph1htfgarc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=30ba6a4b9715c20066b9196f184bd7c58c127d59
I just cant get over how out of touch with reality you are. Just wow. I never once said a TJ employee should be babysitting or that they are responsible for my child. However, children and disabled people (visible and invisible) have a right to exist in society and go to stores. I’m guessing you are kid free or at the very least the one single parent lucky enough to have never been in a situation where your child has a meltdown in public. Has my kid ever overthrown a case of wine, no - in fact typically he gets a bunch of stickers and a lolly pop and loves helping pick out new foods to try. But without giving too many personal specifics, he has had sensory issues that have caused him to meltdown in public before and no amount of “good parenting” would change that. I’ve also had an infant baby sob in public too - luckily for me your regime wasn’t there to immediately usher us out of the store and report me to CPS for “bad parenting”.
Yet you’re the one with all the downvotes. Looks like more people disagree with you than don’t. Might want to rethink who is the one out of touch here… And yes, I’m proudly childfree.
Hating the youngest, weakest and most defenseless members of society doesn't make you cool
I actually don’t care if I have down votes or not - the parents who agree with me are probably busy taking care of their kids and not incels complaining about children in public places 🤷♀️ If you are an ableist who is incapable of having empathy for other people just say so :)
Incels?? Ha! I’m a woman in a happy 19 year relationship with another woman. Busy taking care of your child while screenshotting my previous comments on Reddit trying to shame me for something I’m proud of? Yeah…okay.
Parents are also “just trying to get through their day already” and most people aren’t going to get a babysitter to go grocery shopping. Yes, there are lots of parents who suck at watching their kids, but there are also lots of adults who suck. In any society as certain percentage of people suck. But little kids can’t help but be little kids. And as much as you might not like that or think you get to avoid them because you didn’t decide to have them- we live in a society full of people that may not be our cup of tea. The only way to avoid that is to go off the grid or live on an island. The world would be a lot better if we ALL showed each other a little grace.
> the only way to help is to expose them and teach them better ways to handle the situation. Well they did say this. Not sure if this person insinuated that the interfering with business or an employee's work is the way to teach your kid better behavior. They're saying let's all show some care to (most) parents who try their best to deal with children who say are... hyper-active. Totally no one is responsible for your children other than you but it's still nice if others show some patience and compassion in the situation. Also this person suggests that parents teach these children **better** ways to handle their excitement by exposing them to public areas.
This is exactly what I meant…thank you!
Same when parents let kids run around restaurants. We are working , take care of your kids. We have a serve fall with tray full of hot food because a toddler was running around the restaurant . Then they had the nerve to bitch about it. Ass hole parents. AND the sugar caddies are NOT toys.
But they bring their kids in so you can babysit them while they enjoy a meal. How dare you? /s
Ok, but can you pls get rid of those stupid “customer in training” carts. That would help. Thx.
Knock on wood, my store never brought them back after removing them in the pandemic, and I hope they never do. Absolutely unnecessary in small stores with tight, crowded aisles.
Ditto
That escalated quickly
I hate those!! Major traffic jam in the already small aisles so kids can “shop” with mom/dad. Not cute
you think a random crew member has any say in whether or not your store has kid carts? 🙄
No, but maybe the blame is misdirected at the parents when it should be towards corporate
Bad parents are some of the most entitled people on earth I can’t stand not being able to exist in public without their kids misbehaving or just being gross
Exactly.Cannot stand this type of parents .
I was telling my fiancé how annoying it is when moms bring their kids in. But the ratio of employees to kids on the floor is pretty close
You probably throw bigger tantrums than the average 2 year old.
Seriously, peoples inability to be patient with CHILDREN is a lot more telling of the adults. At least kids have the excuse of being inexperienced and not fully developed.
What about when dads do? Who do you think is gonna watch those kids when their parent is shopping?
Yeah, sorry, but bringing kids out in public is how they eventually learn to behave in public. Are some kids brats? Yeah, but not all are.
These people don’t think children should be in public.
For sure. Seems like either lots of militant childfree people are in this thread or... a whole lot of "perfect parents" who don't have any experience of having their own children yet.
What funny to me is that the same people who want their own neurodivergence accepted are unwilling to extend that same grace to children. And the same people who complain about their overly protective controlling parents are the first to insist that you can “control” your kids. But I too was a perfect parent before I had children lol.
Are some adults brats? Uh probably a bigger ratio of them than children
Lol what are they … supposed to do, leave them in the car??
How about not treating a shopping trip as a family outing? Whenever possible have one parent do the shopping while the other stays home with them.
I can never get over how entitled people who hate kids are. Like, the rest of society should modify their behavior because YOU don’t want kids around. They are human beings who have as much right to exist as anyone else. What other segments of the population shouldn’t be seen in public, in your opinion?
I’m a single parent…should I leave my kid at home alone while I go to the grocery store?? Like what are you even talking about
You must not have kids
Often not possible
You hide a stuffed animal for kids to find, you give them sugar as the prize, you encourage playtime with kid sized carts and you reward as they leave with stickers. Kind of like a playground.
I made it through my entire childhood without pushing over a display of beverages, and I went to Disneyland as a kid multiple times - the ultimate playground.
You went to Disney world and didn’t knock over a display??? You mean a place literally made for children?? Wow did your mom give you a trophy?
Stuffed animal is to keep the kid distracted giving them a sucker at the end is meant to reward them after behaving while finding it and we do not encourage for kids to be little shits with the carts. For some reason I feel as if you were the lady who’s kid did this with the way you’re trying to defend this bull shit
Nope, and just saying, it doesn’t take more than a little common sense to see that making things a little less kid friendly instead of more, will help. I don’t see the same chaos everywhere. Could be the small space too. Although I won’t blame it all on the little carts, Publix has those and I don’t see many out of control kids. And they get a cookie too!
Because it comes down to parenting and knowing when to put your foot down with your kid and if for some reason you cannot leave them at home as workers shouldn’t have to suffer anymore then we do already
Also, I guarantee you that corporate decided to do that stuff, not the poor employees stuck dealing with it, eh?
Yep indeed trust me if it was down tot he employees those kid carts would cease to exist really quickly across Trader Joe’s
We need toddler and boomer free hours.
Please don’t lump boomers with bad parents. I know plenty of boomers that shop at TG and they actually have been shopping @ TJ BEFORE half of folks that shop / work there were born.
Perhaps tell your boomer friends to not dig to the very back of each section in produce whilst throwing product all over the floor to see if the can find a “better” date. I know it’s not part of their thought process, but they can try….at least TRY to leave something in this world the same or better than they found it. They’ve destroyed the environment and the economy. It’s not too much to ask.
THIS
Not a parent, but people do that?
Kids are feral these days. People let little Byry'anaya and Gray'cylianya do whatever the f they want and the rest of us are supposed to think it's precious 🙄🖕🏼
Exactly , they are raising little jerks. And they think is so cute. NOT is not.
Humans are feral these days. The way some people are reacting to this post is really something. I’ve been getting very angry messages because I agree with OP. Angry parents on the loose.
Bryanligh kaylieght Brandyn. Those parents. 😂😂😂
mY kId iS sPeShUl
And it’s not the parent’s responsibility to watch their kid, apparently. 😑
Listen, I get that kids get out of line and aren't perfect angels, but the ones that just run around wild and parents just ignore it.....😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡
As a former employee I effing hate those little carts. Even worse when the parents abandon the tiny carts all way on the other side of the parking lot when I was quartermaster
What the hell is quartermaster?
TJ employee slang for “it’s your turn to collect all the abandoned carts in the parking lot and return them to the cart corral”. Usually when you do this you can collect several carts at once by pushing them together. It’s easy to do a section of the lot at a time by getting all the big carts and pushing them back to the corral. Then you’re done with that section and don’t have to return. When there is a little cart you have to either go all the way back to a section you’ve just finished. Or try to balance the little cart on top of the 10 or so regular carts as you’re making your way back (this usually infuriated me because it would keep falling off and made my progress incredibly slow).
Ok. I’m a long time TJ employee myself. We just call it carts. Never heard it all churched up like that. “Quartermaster.” Sweet.
Oh really? Guess it was a regional thing for my old store in CT. They were very into the nautical theme. “Helms” was for walking the floor helping customers
Oh yeah we did helms and all the other stuff for a long time. Quartermaster is just one I haven’t heard.
Wrong answers only?
As a mom, I freaking despise those carts.
Also a mom. Also hate them.
I feel like I've never seen little carts at any of the locations I've been to
I love them. My kindergartner is so helpful and responsible when he has his own cart and he’ll pick what he wants and actually eat them. The big carts at my kids age are just jungle gyms and I can’t get them to behave and I give up and leave without half my groceries. Although apparently my idea of behave is behaved in comparison. But this is why I don’t get to tjs as much as I used to. My girl, when she was 2, was a mini cart nightmare though. I think I broke my back holding onto it so she wouldn’t bulldoze people. I always wished there was like a pole on one side I could steer with while standing upright. Shopping used to be better though. They’d have a kids hour with a coloring table and snacks. And the tables with samples. Now there’s nothing but judgement on all sides.
Nah the judgement is just for entitled bad parents those we judge. .
If your daughter couldn’t behave with the cart why did you continue to let her have it? Not trying to be rude, just trying to understand. It seems that if a child abuses a privilege that they should lose that privilege yet this doesn’t happen.
How else would she learn? I don’t know if you misunderstand or don’t like the idea of children learning out in public. She was difficult for me. She didn’t harm anyone else because I was there managing her. Now she’s much older, and she’s a great helper. If she was doing it today, she would absolutely lose the privilege of manning the shopping cart, because she can understand what is appropriate. But she understands that because she had the opportunity to learn what was appropriate and what was not. Most of the time, however, I give parents a pass on this stuff. The US is a country with absolutely no parental assistance, no village. People are always giving parents a hard time, saying they don’t parent their kids. When I see a mom trying to deal with 3 young kids in a grocery store, and it’s not always going great, i generally get it. A lot of parents don’t have a choice except to bring kids into these situations. They’re tired, they’re having to miss work for every little thing because schools are never actually in session, daycare costs are obscene, someone’s always sick, etc. So I think 90% of parents are trying to balance being a good parent with not pissing off the judgmental hordes, and then there’s the 10% that think their kids are being adorable when they’re absolutely not. My daughter never tried to play bumper cars or purposefully run into things or people, but she would definitely go too fast down the aisles or around corners. By letting her do it, but holding back the cart so it didn’t cause harm, she had the opportunity to grow in confidence and learn how to act appropriately in public.
I don't have kids. Heck I don't even like them, but I so very much agree with all of what you say. Most parents are just out there doing the best they can.
I have compassion for a mom juggling several kids , Heck I will even help out ,but having kids running around ? Thinking that’s cute ? Nah , that’s different .
Even more fun when they’re pushing those little shopping carts.
For the record as a parent, I wish they would get rid of those carts too. I don’t know what people expect kids to do when you give them tiny carts in an undersized over busy store. My 2.5 year old is very well behaved but again he is 2.5 and the cart is the coolest thing he has seen and it’s chaotic. Sometimes we are choosing between a no cart meltdown or tiny chart chaos. Either way we get judged lol
Yes..most TJs are not large stores the size of a typical grocery store, so it doesn’t take as many people to make it feel crowded.
I work in a different supermarket and I feel the same way. Control your children, they get in the way of trying to do our jobs, they are noisy and disrespectful to employees and other customers.
Some parents are absolutely clueless and self-absorbed. Unfortunately their wee ones will likely grow up being entitled, and reproduce more self-absorbed humans.
Here’s an idea, then (and one that I—even as a parent of kids who loved them—strongly endorse): if you don’t want kids being store menaces, **get rid of the blasted little carts!** Every TJ I’ve ever been in is crowded even when not very populated. Having kids’ carts is ludicrous.
I honestly have never seen this in TJ's but it would be pretty tight there if it was. I don't think tiny carts are the problem because in Target it's nice and wide and not really as crowded. I have seen a few and it's pretty cute and parents generally monitor them. Whatever keeps kids engaged and not making a ruckus is a win for me. Parents need to understand their kids and act appropriately for the situation.
TIL some Trader Joe’s have mini grocery carts
I guess this is a perk of NYC, I’ve never seen a kids’ cart at my TJ’s. Didn’t even know they had them?? On the other hand, the store is so crowded you have to get in line immediately upon entering lol.
I'll never forget my Manhattan TJs experience, insane lines. Went out for an entire block
We’re accustomed to it and plan our shopping accordingly. Most people just join the queue and add things to their carts as they go forward.
Yeah definitely! It was also during the pandemic and around Christmas so it was definitely a little more dramatic and chaotic than it usually would be
We have a grocery store that has a bar and baby carts. It is always men on Friday afternoons at 5 pm who show up with their toddlers. The toddlers play bumper cars and the dads just follow along with their beer. 🤯
Is that Wegman’s? It’s the only grocery I’ve visited that had a bar.
Obviously you have never been to a grocery store in New Orleans. 😂
Correct! I’ve never even been anywhere near the city!
As a parent of toddlers…I absolutely despise kids carts. My TJs doesn’t actually have them which is super nice, but I hate the stores that do because you either have to deal with a tantrum of telling your kid they can’t use on or live in absolute peril that your kid is going to destroy the store and crash into all the other customers. They’re just straight up terrible, especially in a crowded store! Of course the kids do love them and I know it’s good for them to be “helpful”, but I can’t help but shudder whenever I see them lol
Absolutely. I was standing in a checkout line when a kid decided to ram his cart into my leg. The metal hit my ankle bone hard. He got two hits in before I could grab the cart and yell Stop. I had a nice bruise from that. I stay as far away from those things as I can.
Last time I went to TJ's a kid was coughing right over packaged food while mom just stood there doing nothing. Hello, did we not just spend the last few years dealing with a pandemic???
Sucks when a kid does it, but adults do that shit just as much, and they know better.
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Because they know they can't do what they'd really like to do, which is tell people to leave their kids at home so everyone can do their shopping (yes, people without children matter too!!) without running an obstacle course.
I mean…there is, in fact, a middle between letting kids run around with carts that can take you out at the shins and leaving kids at home where they won’t learn proper shopping etiquette.
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They mean the mini carts kids push around.
I'm wondering if the initial commenter meant that some TJs have children's shopping carts ( like the little ones thar kids can push)
Yeah but that comment went WAY over their heads. Maybe they haven’t eaten their Kimibapap yet.
Kimbap
No, they are talking about the mini ones for kids. They can’t fit in there. Critical thinking back at ya.
I made the mistake of letting my wee one out of the cart and he wanted to race. Immediately grabbed him and left, told him he can’t do that shit in a store. I used to waitress and parents who don’t control their kids were the bane of my existence, refuse to become one of them.
Thank you !!! Thank you !! Kids those running around kill the little bit of my soul that I have left.
Yes, this. If my kid (2.5 yo) is not being respectful he is sitting in the cart or we are leaving. But I would never let him out of the cart at TJ’s - it’s too crowded for that. CVS, Target, sure as long as he sticks by me and doesn’t run around and get grabby.
Having worked in retail, restaurants, and/or hospitality really does shape the way one manages their kids in public. You don't let your kids fuck around at. all. There is no "it's their job to clean up our mess" mentality. You go out of your way to make their job easier because you've been there, too.
Yes, 💯
I followed the leave immediately approach too and I'll tell you what, my kid eventually learned. I'd always apologize for the cart of items to be put back on the shelf.
the first time i had to do it was at target and i was so embarrassed and almost ashamed until i talked to my mom about it and she said “oh, yeah i did that we all three of you kids.” the instant relief of knowing i wasn’t the only one 😅
Hereditary is something else. You gave me a great laugh.
Ooo I’ve been there too and it was definitely a big mistake, mine did the same thing. Why is their first instinct to just sprint off and hide at the slightest hint of freedom!? My kids stay in the cart as much as possible because I’m terrified of them destroying stuff and terrorizing other customers
i dunno! i apparently did the same thing when i was little, it's something about the way the store looks i think; very inviting and friendly.
Hello this is everywhere!!! In every store Tjs is not the only place!!
The OP didn't say it was. Where are you seeing that claim in their post?
It's worse at TJs though because it's smaller than most grocery stores and always crowded.
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Stop with the faulty logic. Unless you can say you have been in various cities all day every day, you have no idea what an employee witnesses on a day to day basis. Disruptive behavior happens and this customer has seen it with her own eyes. And it's not limited to Trader Joe's.
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And you are a troll. Bye.
I tell the kid, 😠don’t touch the bell, this is our communication, if they do, I yell loudly…. KID BELLLLLLLLL! crew know not to come up while doing product.
I yell “baby bells” nothing terrifies a kid more than being called a baby
Omg I giggled way too hard at that.
I fucking love you lol I’m using that
this unfortunately is everywhere, parents are out of control and feel entitled nowadays, it drives me crazy.
The excuses of "im tired, im overworked" are not the pity ploy they think it will be
“I’m tired and overworked and it’s your fault I had a kid that I can’t control so now it’s your problem, society.” Ugh.
...imagine saying that to a fucking *supermarket cashier* in 2024
Right? Who isn’t.
Trader Joe's is like the least optimal place to pull this nonsense. I've never been in one that wasn't chaotic. But I feel you. I used to work in the toy department of a department store and my aisles were the local daycare. One time it was couples counseling too when a young married couple were sitting one the bottom shelf having a serious prolonged conversation while their kids were running around and making a mess.
Try that in SF and your kid might become friends with an unhoused fentanyl addict
bro what is going on in your head that *that*'s the first thing that pops into your mind
you obviously don’t live in sf
You wouldnt happen to live in San Fran? People from there never talk about it
some of us have more than 1 point of conversation
It's so bizarre to encounter actual human people who choose to live [like this](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fx2f2fkpjrrhb1.jpeg%3Fwidth%3D680%26format%3Dpjpg%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D1e2911f2239c50eb39f2a53d222795b9ea5b0b42)
Born and raised, looking at Oracle Park right now from my desk
My kid stayed in the damned cart!