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AIBU?

To think charity shops aren't playgroups?

107 replies

user1477282676 · 21/02/2017 10:18

Well...not THAT exactly but tell me this...why do people think it's ok to allow their small pre-school children to pull out all of the toys on sale in charity shops and to then play with them in the aisle?

I can't stand to see this! The toys are on sale and these DC are there banging them and playing roughly with them...making a ton of noise, mess and getting in the way.

Is it normal to see this? Or just where I live? Their parents are always happily browsing around whilst the kids make a God awful mess.

Just because the toys are second hand does not mean they're a free for all...yet people treat them like the toys in the doctor's waiting room!

OP posts:

Report

RachelRagged · 22/02/2017 09:52

Volunteer for a charity shop here.

Our toys are on shelves ,along with the childrens books, though we do have a large square tub of little mcD type toys, dinosaurs (v popular) , reptile toys etc . The kids tend to play with them and more often than not will bring them to buy after (4 for a pound) . Sometimes a mum might lift something down (such as a toy medical case) , child will look at it a bit then mum put it back.

I smile at the little ones (mine are all grown up now) and it bothers me not . Yet to see an entitled mother with child yet .

user1477282676 · 22/02/2017 11:39

Either way I don't mind having a number and not a name.

If people want to see who is a real poster and who isn't, it's easy to search their posts.

OP posts:

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 22/02/2017 12:18

As long as you don't moan when people mistake you for someone else with an almost identical name, that's fine

kali110 · 22/02/2017 12:33

Or how about people highlight op's posts?
It's not that hard...

EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans · 22/02/2017 12:37

The users do all feel pretty interchangeable (sorry).

mathanxiety · 22/02/2017 22:58

They all seem to be User14etc, which makes it even worse.

Are they playing chicken, waiting to see which one decides to get a username that actually distinguishes her/him from the rest?

mathanxiety · 22/02/2017 22:59

Everyone had to get a password reset a while back after the site was hacked. It really isn't that hard.

mathanxiety · 22/02/2017 23:01

Looking at the last few digits involves reading right to left, which is not how people read English. It is asking people to go out of their way to spot the difference.

Toysaurus · 22/02/2017 23:46

I've seen this loads too OP. Pisses me off because you can't get around the shop or look properly. As I'm mostly buying toys for my own children I can't even get to them in the first place. End up leaving and buying nothing.

user1477282676 · 22/02/2017 23:54

Livia bullshit. People with simialr user names come on all the time. I can moan all I like. But I didn't moan. I politely pointed out that I never made a certain post and she then qouted it and INSISTED that I did.

Rather than actually checking. But whatever; she made a tit of herself and I never.

OP posts:

user1477282676 · 22/02/2017 23:55

I feel an almost perverse pleasure in the complaining about the numbers actually.

Just ignore the posts of us number people unless you want to mention one of us...then look at the last digits. Not hard.

OP posts:

randomer · 23/02/2017 09:41

I was a person, then i was a number, now i am both.

EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans · 23/02/2017 10:25

Are you Number Six, randomer?

Floggingmolly · 23/02/2017 12:32

Us number people?? Just change your fecking username, how hard can it be?

ghostspirit · 23/02/2017 14:37

Sounds like a number gang can I join?

Chipsandonionrings · 23/02/2017 14:49

I let my son play with the toys in the charity shop. I

Chipsandonionrings · 23/02/2017 14:55

Posted too soon.
I do virtually all my clothes shopping in the numerous charity shops in our small town.

Some have little areas for children to play and only once has anyone said anything about a child playing with the toys. I clear up after them and would pay for anything that was broken.

As I said the only time anyone has said something we complied out the toys away. This woman then told off a lady with a pram for taking up too much room - so obvs a numpty! It was half term. Another lovely volunteer then came and played cars with my ds whilst I shopped.

Hadoop · 23/02/2017 15:25

What sort of a miserable person complains about children occupying themselves playing with a few secondhand toys?

The parents get time to browse and it may leads to a purchase. Everyone wins.

RachelRagged · 23/02/2017 18:28

Sounds like a number gang can I join?

kali110 · 23/02/2017 19:02

I don't find it hard reading your posts op, as i said, very easy when they're highlighted!(or just looking)
Also don't think yabu, who is going to actually want to buy the toys after the kids have bashed them around as roughly as you say?
It wouldn't be appropriate in a toy shop so why is it ok in a charity shop?

secretfreckle · 23/02/2017 20:30

This reminds me of something that happened a few weeks ago when I was in a charity shop with one of my daughters. Another woman was in there with her toddler and the lady behind the counter gave the toddler a free helium balloon on a string. The mum then said to the toddler brightly and encouragingly, "That's right, you run round the shop now with that balloon!" and watched fondly as the child ran around the shop. I was

mathanxiety · 23/02/2017 20:57

...who is going to actually want to buy the toys after the kids have bashed them around as roughly as you say?
It wouldn't be appropriate in a toy shop so why is it ok in a charity shop?

It's a charity shop and people buy all sorts of crap in charity shops for all sorts of reasons. The toys there are second hand or even older, and have presumably seen plenty of 'loving' in their time. You don't shop in charity shops expecting your purchases to be in pristine condition.

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user1477282676 · 23/02/2017 22:26

Math that's a very selfish attitude. Some people care well for toys and then donate them KNOWING that other people can't afford new toys. Why should people just think "Meh it's a load of old crap" and let their kids show no respect for the things which other people will buy?

OP posts:

kali110 · 24/02/2017 11:36

Op, don't emgage, really don't
I'm the same. I donate to one by my mothers. I don't give crap, only good stuff, generally stuff i haven't got round to wearing much of! I don't understand giving junk to charity, i wouldn't buy it, so why give it?

mathanxiety · 25/02/2017 00:43

Toys in charity shops are more likely in 'formerly loved' condition than pristine. Better condition or still-in-the-box items can be sold online.

The people who buy the used toys are well able to judge for themselves if they are worth the price. They are not even hidden in their packaging most of the time, so anyone can see if they are broken or dirty.

Do you try on clothes when you shop? How disgusting is that, if you think about it?

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