Poundland made my 9 year old wait outside the shop..aibu to think it's out of order?

[pointlesss]

Popped into Poundland after school with my daughter.
They have 1 till on and the other side is self service.
Got to the checkout and the lady stops us and says "are you both together? "
I said yes
Then she reply's "I'm sorry but only 1 person allowed at checkout due to social distancing.
There was a queue of a few behind but nobody to our side of us.
So she said unless one of us went outside the store she was unable to serve me.
My daughter waited just outside the front door.
Aibu to think that's ridiculous?
Bare in mind no social distancing in any of the aisles,people walking all over the shop.
Yet my daughter couldn't stand next to me whilst I paid and packed my bag.

Yanbu. I wouldn’t have been happy with that.

I would have either laughed or told her to stick the shopping up her arse. How ridiculous is it going to get!

YANBU that is ridiculous. She must be confused on the rules.

Next time say no and hand her one item to pay for.

Why couldn’t your child just step away rather than go outside?

It’s a perfectly reasonable policy for adults (with the obvious caveat for special needs), but should not apply to a child. Does she look older than her age? My own dd looks much younger so we get the reverse, people thinking I am letting a young child do things solo that would be crazy for her apparent age.

I’ve seen couples shopping together that I know could just send one person, because I know the couple well. Or even whole families shopping when one of them could have stayed home with the kids or waited outside with the children. That is just disrespectful to the people working retail.

I would've left the basket and walked out. Why couldn't she just move 2m away?

I would of left my shopping and walked out.

@icelollycraving she moved to the left of the checkout but she said only 1 person in the checkout area per household.
It seems crazy

She's 10 next week,she does look 10/11

It's a bit silly as if you are both stood together you are still the same distance from others, and you had already been around the shop together. That said, an 8 or 9 year old without SEN should be able to wait outside.

less people in her till area less chance of catching covid......why argue? just move,retail workers are sitting ducks right now

I wonder what they would do if you were there with young children?

oh, and this happened to us in Wilkinsons too. Might be new guidelines or something

Quite a few shops are now going to be asking people to shop alone where possible.

@ilovesooty

Quite a few shops are now going to be asking people to shop alone where possible.

yes i agree....but there will be posts disagreeing and thinking retail staff should bend over backwards to accommodate whole families shopping together,usually under the caveat 'if they want to keep their jobs we should be allowed in as its a family day out' or similar

no thought given for the staff

I don't think 1 9 year old child is classed as a day out also the fact it's dark nights and you don't have a clue who's who these days.
I can understand adults standing together but kids ..I don't understand it.

I would have walked out. That's ridiculous and I don't care that a 9 year old is capable of waiting outside alone, it's a ridiculous, made up rule.

@ilovesooty

Quite a few shops are now going to be asking people to shop alone where possible.

Absolutely doesn't stand when it's a single adult and child.

Op I'd have shoved my basket into her arms and told her to stuff it before I let my kid stand outside the pound shop on our retail park! It's not acceptable.

maybe she's been told this is new guidelines and she's just processing them? you can ask rather than the 'shove the shopping at her' aggressive suggestions here so far

its new to everyone and every company has different ways of dealing with the risk

@DenimDrift

less people in her till area less chance of catching covid......why argue? just move,retail workers are sitting ducks right now

and avoid going shopping with children or other extras. it just gets in the way, adds to the risk, causes crowding. and i don't believe everyone simply has to.

Were you both wearing masks?

Tbh, my sympathies are with the shop assistant. She's following company policy, trying to keep their employees safe. Don't take it out on her.

All of you taking a stand and flouncing out, do you think the staff member makes these rules?!

They might be daft but so what. A kid of nearly 10 can stand outside without a parent for the time it takes to literally put a few items through the till.

I would have walked out. I’m a single mum with an almost 8 year old; I pretty much have to bring her with me everywhere as I work when she is at school and I have no other child care. If shops aren’t understanding of single parents they wouldn’t get my custom.

@alexdgr8 Never met a single parent then have you? Many people don't have a choice.