To think that a shop assistant shouldn't say this to a child?

[pristinechristine]

Out shopping this afternoon with DD(5). In a high street shop, at the till paying, when completely out of nowhere the shop assistant starts saying to DD - "ooh, you look like you want a McDonalds. I can see it in your eyes. You want a McDonalds, don't you?"

I was quite taken aback. There was nothing to pre-empt the comment whatsoever, it was totally random. Fortunately for me DD isn't bothered by McDonalds the way she might be by, say, an ice cream so it didn't cause an issue for us. But this is the sort of thing that could cause real problems for a parent, surely? I said to him (kind of laughing but serious) you can't say that to children, you'll cause tantrums! To which he replied along the lines of "I know, I'm evil hahaha".

I work customer facing and I would never say anything to a child that could be potential ammunition to cause problems. AIBU?

YANBU there are (as has been pointed out by pps) any number of reasons this was an I'll advised comment at best, possibly offensive at worst.

Along this sort of line my friend once had a situation whereby a complete stranger in a shop started a conversation about my friend getting herself a bottle of wine but not buying her son some sweets as a treat. This culminated in the stranger sneaking some sweets into my friends sons hand! All kinds of wrong NOT LEAST because he has a rare form of diabetes and cannot tolerate any refined sugar! Probably best not to repeat what my friend called this person!

i was queuing behind another customer who had a 5 year old daughter with her. the shop assistant said the girl looked pretty and the girl promptly burst in to tears. the mother berated the shop worker- "my daughter's puppy was called pretty and she literally exploded this morning- how insensitive can you be"

maybe if people are so sensitive to other people saying things to their children, they should leave the kids at home. or give an information pamphlet to anyone who might speak to their kid about the kids specific medical, physical, health, diet etc needs so that they dont accidentally say something potentially troubling

or just accept that sometimes people saying nice things to kids, might in rare cases, cause a small problem.nobodys fault, move on

araiba - spot on

Sorry for the derailment...

No but then neither are all young people rude or need to be told to oh do fuck off dear nanny

I didn't say all young people are rude. I implied that you were. And I have no idea of your age.

Dear.

No and I had no idea of your age dear, I wasn't talking about all imolder people either I was talking about the type I have encountered many many many many many many many times!

It was you dear who told me to oh do fuck off dear! Therefore compounding my image that older people are rude arrogant and self righteous so you've actually made it worse!

Go away now thank you

Why do people think it is OK to comment on the way people, even children, look!?

Why do we complement little boys saying "oh you look smart", but little girls are pretty?

Have anyone else noticed how boys are complimented on being smart or stylish, but girls cute and pretty? Why do we "cutify" girls but build boys up?

Too much emphasize is put on looks. Why not just complement the dress of little girls in the same way we complement little boys, without making a judgement on their looks?

Sorry. Just had to get that off my chest.

When my DS was born I was told he was too pretty to be a boy!

What a random thing to say maybe they were trying to relate or something when mine were that age it was sweets at the till in supermarkets loads of assistants would say oh have you been a good girl sitting in the trolley mummy needs to buy you a sweetie for being a good girl no mummy doesnt

This would have pissed me off a lot.
We are veggie, and I hate MCDs with a passion. DS can go in there when he earns his own money/is taken there by someone else, I refuse to give them a penny.

Luckily he doesn't actually know what it is, none of our friends go there either, so he would have just looked at the shop assistant like this and I would have probably launched into a rant about MDs terrible environmental impact and thats why no one says that sort of stuff to me, I think they can tell

I said to him (kind of laughing but serious) you can't say that to children, you'll cause tantrums! To which he replied along the lines of "I know, I'm evil hahaha"

Then he's a twat. YANBU. He wasn't just trying to be friendly either because he basically admited to being a mischief maker with his "I know, I'm evil hahaha" comment. He knew exactly what he was doing, the wind-up merchant!

Should have asked the assistant if he was going to pay for it.

*WhatALoadOfOldBollocks
I said to him (kind of laughing but serious) you can't say that to children, you'll cause tantrums! To which he replied along the lines of "I know, I'm evil hahaha"

Then he's a twat. YANBU. He wasn't just trying to be friendly either because he basically admited to being a mischief maker with his "I know, I'm evil hahaha" comment. He knew exactly what he was doing, the wind-up merchant! hmm*

username checks out

it was some light hearted small talk. jeezy creezy- get over yourself

Overreaction of the bloody century yet again.

Overreaction of the bloody century yet again.
Your kindness and consideration is much appreciated by those of us with children who have an ASC.

He was a twat. The 'yes I'm evil' shows he wasn't just making chit chat. (If he was then he needs some better social skills).

The things people get worked up about!

My little boy gets complimented on how he looks. I say thank you and move along.

If someone suggested to him he looks like he wants a Mcdonald I would simply say, nah and continue on my merry way. I just wouldn't care enough to work up a sweat to start complaining about it on MN. He was only trying to make conversation. Nothing sinister except if you think being sociable is not British.

very odd, but a 5 year old won't even know what McDonald is, surely!

I reckon most children do know what McDonalds is - unless they never go into town, past a road services or walk around with their eyes closed.

The McDonalds signs are normally pretty large, pretty bright and rather obvious. The huge golden M stands out a long way. And many 5y can read and almost all can recognise a whole host of signs.

Shop assistant sounds like a dick just by the comment: "ooh I'm
Evil"

People complain when retail staff are 'robotic'

People complain when they're themselves...

Wtf do you people want?

A happy medium?

My DS also has ASD and this kind of comment would have been disastrous when he was 5.

wtf do you people want

Ok so it's ok for some one to be deliberately rude or wind up mercent just because they were 'being themselves'

As has been pointed out this causes problems for people with autism, it's also just damn rude.

What do I want, some one with manners, some one who doesn't say inappriote things, like deliberately winding up a child as in this case, some one who can pick up when a costumer is there to shop not to share each other's life story. But friendly and not rude or cold. So yes a happy medium.