To have been rude to shop assistant

[Mumoftwo52]

Family doing some shopping today. Go into an independent toy shop. I’m holding DD1 (18m) so she doesn’t pull everything off shelves, 4yo DD runs ahead and picks up a unicorn Jellycat and cuddles it saying ‘can I get this please mummy?’. Shop assistant shouts across the room ‘can she put that back if you’re not going to buy it as it’s expensive’. Me and DH exchange glances but I tell DD to put it back.

We keep browsing but I say to DH that I don’t really fancy buying anything now, and say quite loudly in front of the second shop assistant (who turns out to be the owner): ‘let’s go and find another toy shop where we’re allowed to touch the toys’. Yes I was being snarky but was annoyed.

She says these toys are expensive, she owns all the stock so if my DD damages it, it costs her money. I say I’d understand that if she had dirty hands, she doesn’t. I wouldn’t let her touch anything if she did. DH says it’s a shame kids aren’t allowed to touch toys in a toy shop, and that she’s lost a potential sale, she says that they've had bad experiences in the past and anyway it was clear we weren’t going to buy anything. I said ‘why do you think that?’ She replied: ‘it just is’. We quickly left.

AIBU for letting my kids touch toys in a toy shop? To be clear, this was a soft toy, not something delicate. My DD was holding it in her arms, nothing more.

You sound very unreasonable and rude.

Tell me you don’t have children without telling me.

He was supervising her. He was under the same impression that you were allowed to pick up a toy in a toy shop.

I worked in a shop and I would never buy a soft toy from a shop because they have usually been picked up and cuddled by so many people. I even saw an adult kiss a soft toy as it was so cute! Even her friend was shocked ! I never said anything though .

She lost a sale (prob one of many, hence the pissiness) so I wouldn’t be so sure about that.

Truth is, maybe she’s winding down and just hates her customers now because it’s not normal to run a toy shop so rudely.

MN is insane though, how sad to think toy shops should have staff with attitudes like that towards children.

So don’t judge other mums then.

All the perfect parents with their rigid kids that don’t touch things and are always within 2cm of them so they don’t possibly step out of line 🤣

Wow you are an epic level of shittiness aren’t you?

Exactly 🤣

Fucking hell OP 😬

Please see yourself out of this thread if you’re going to be triggered by talk of children.

True colours I guess.

No - you need to control your child and stop them from running off and grabbing stuff in shops. Hold their hand or use a buggy if needed.

FWIW I worked in retail management for years and never had a single item damaged by an adult wiping their hands or make-up all over the stock.

If he allowed her to run ahead into the shop, he wasn't.

Or OP could have just apologised instead of being snotty

Pick up a boxed toy or something plastic but not expensive plush items can are easily ruined by multiple young children picking them up.

The shop owner was possibly ruder than ideal but it all would have been avoided if you'd told your child not to pick up soft toys

Yabu.

I’m not triggered by talk of children, you told me I am not allowed an opinion because I don’t have any children. (And can’t). You are showing yourself up as a really nasty piece of work.

I think that’s unfair. An 18 month old is a bit different to a 4 year old, and haven’t yet been able to learn behaviour in the same way.

yes - you don’t pick up and cuddle soft toys before you buy them. 30 seconds is far too long for your daughter to have been holding the toy. YABU . DD should not be touching things in shops

You need to teach your kids not to touch things in shops unless you’re buying them. It’s someone’s livelihood.

This is the point you lost me @Mumoftwo52 Totally unnecessary.

She didn't know we weren't going to buy it.

Which is why we teach them not to touch things without asking. People aren't anti kids. They're anti shit parenting.

I don’t know who you hang around with but most of the adults I’m friends with don’t go round scratching their bums before touching things in shops, or go round with troweled on make up that comes off on clothes.