A shopkeeper hit my baby

[LoopsInHoops]

Firstly, we're not in the UK, and here people to beat smack their kids. It is socially normal.

DD (17 months) had a bit of a breakdown in the chemists. She was tired and hungry. I was holding her and a few things at the checkout. She grabbed something and threw it on the floor and screamed. I was just about to pay, so couldn't really leave. She grabbed my neck and clawed me, then bit my shoulder. The shop assistant rang up the amout, then insisted on the correct change, which delayed things further, DD still screaming. She put the stuff in a bag, handed it to me, them smacked DD on the arm. Not hard, but deliberately. At this point she was screaming but not hurting or grabbing.

I didn't know what to do. I just glared at her and walked off. DD carried on screaming.

What should I have done? WIBU to walk off, or should I have said something?

[Whatnowffs]

Oh, but you said you where the head of HR for Shell, i just wanted to see if we had someone so very important spouting shite on here. I'm quite disappointed now.

Loopy - i would see if you can get local consensus. If they are outraged complain. Otherwise let it go. At least this thread will have provided you with some light releif.

[LoopsInHoops]

Well, I've had a laugh tonight! Thanks folks, night. :)

[snooopy]

I never said I worked for Shell.

[Whatnowffs]

The thing is, if you are going to tell big fat lies, you need a really good memory - you said you were the HR for a big oil company, i said, ooh i hope its not BP, you'd rather have your hands full if you did and not have time to mnet. You correctly me in your next post, saying Shell. So yes luvvie you did. Sorry to confuse you. Oh, i mean, sorry to confuse you mate (you are a man after all!)

I'm going to have a nice hot bath now, provided by either shell or BP indirectly im sure, so thanks snoops.

[hobnobsaremyfavourite]

I can smell burning pants.....

[MissAnnersley]

I may be misreading this but it was the OP that said snooopy worked at Shell, not snooopy.

[JustFabulous]

slartybartfast - are you seriously saying it was fine for a stranger to hit a toddler?

Bloody hell.

OP, I would definitely write and complain to Head Office. She can't go round smacking babies ffs.

[PoppyAmex]

I'm trying to picture an inverse thread:

"I'm forrin and in my country we lightly smack children but I was just prevented to do so in the UK because apparently it's frowned upon. How dare they?"

I know some cultures see it as "it takes a village..." so if that's the case in KL you really only have two choices, suck it up or leave. I wouldn't expect a whole culture to change to accomodate your sensibilities.

[Whatnowffs]

Poppy, are you snoopy in disguise?

[snooopy]

Please copy and paste the Shell quote.

[JustFabulous]

A head of HR in an oil company who recruits teachers?

Right.

[PoppyAmex]

No Whatnow, I just think that for all the pseudo politically correctness, we still expect other cultures to conform with our Western values and it's not right.

Especially when you're living in their country.

I don't think this is unreasonable?

[Whatnowffs]

scroll back dear, this is not your thread.

Poppy, i don't think the OP was bemoaning the other culture, she was just saying that as they do things differently in that country, she wasn't sure if it was acceptable or not and therefore didn't know if she should complain, at least that is how i read it. My advice was, and still is, find out what the "locals" would have done - if they would complain then complain, if they wouldn't then i guess it was fall on deaf ears.

[GhostShip]

Poppy - when it comes to assault of a child, I dont think anyone should conform to that, culture or not.

Just because it's 'culture' doesn't mean its right

[snooopy]

Luckily I am. Otherwise I would have bowed out by now. How else do you think we get them? Divine intervention?

[PoppyAmex]

That was excellent advice Whatnow, totally agree.

When in Rome...

[MissAnnersley]

Whatnowffs

I am quite sure it was the OP who mentioned Shell and not snoopy.

[Whatnowffs]

I wouldn't imagine the HEAD of HR would be doing the recruiting herself though, i would have thoguht HE would have more important things to do.

[Whatnowffs]

Ah, yes you are right there :) I have to concede to not having a clue who snoopy is then

[PoppyAmex]

But that's the point Ghost, it's not assault in that culture to them because they have different sensibilities.

Same way that a man touching the arm of a woman in the UK as he passes by isn't a crime, but in some countries it would be construed as nothing short of a serious violation. Should we follow their model too?

[snooopy]

Again, please copy and paste me saying I work for Shell. That is slander in itself.

[snooopy]

I am a woman as well, not scared. Maybe the head of HR for Shell is a man but, luckily, we don't bother with that. Google away, or maybe just get a life dears.

[JustFabulous]

Don't be so precious.