I went to Market Basket today with my three kids in tow. I normally try to plan shopping for a weekend or a day when I have no children but today there is no school and Friday is the day when money hits the bank account to get some amount of food for the home. This week it was especially important that I go grocery shopping to at least get thru the weekend because we had peas and egg noodles for dinner last night we are that out of food here. A grocery trip at some level was required today. I always plan a “grocery shopping with kid(s) in tow” based on the best time of day for them. As a parent we all know when the best time of day is for our children to go anywhere, especially the younger ones. My boys have their “times” that work for them and I chose to shop in that time frame.
What I never expected was for my youngest to start acting up. It all started when we happened upon the aisle that Lunchables are in, those things cost like near $2 now and I am not buying them. My kids know this, a Lunchable is a rare buy for me and today was not a rare day, today was a shop to get as much as we can within a tight budget while having three kids in tow. The youngest was not having it, neither was the seven year old … yes my two sons decided to start acting up. I was able to deter my seven year old from a total mood swing but the baby of the family was not giving up his demand for a Lunchable. At this point, I had bread, eggs and something else in the cart – oh milk and creamer. I was ready to just leave the store as is and let the kids deal with no food. Of course my daughter started to get upset because she didn’t want to go without food for the few hours she is home today just because her brothers were starting to act a fool.
Finally I was able to get the little man to the cart, walking hand in hand with sissy and brother as we ventured on to finish a grocery shopping trip for just around 10-15 items. Each aisle or two the little guy found something he “must have” or felt running ahead down the aisle was an okay thing to do. I placed the little monster in my cart and he sat there for the majority of the rest of the shopping experience and then it happened… both boys had to go pee. I had to take the little monster out of the cart to go pee with his brother and sister. Upon return from the bathroom he wanted one more chance to be good and walk with sissy and brother .. I allowed it. He was fine the rest of the time.
As we went toward check out the little K man realized that I was not going to the candy sample area, while my daughter is always allowed to get a sample, there was no way this little child was getting one so everyone was unable to get that candy sample. While the older two kids were not too happy and were really upset with K-man for being that way and ruining it for them, they were handling it fine. We got into a check out lane and the older lady customer in front of me kept looking at my young child in an odd way, she gave me looks and was just clearly not happy that my five year old was being naughty over me saying NO to candy. K-man can act way worse than he was, but he certainly was being ridiculous. K-man proceeded to occasionally toss off a ramen noodle package and try to grab other things to toss on the floor. Then he proceeded to just head butt my arm the whole time during check out whining like he reverted to the age of 2 (or younger) … however this child NEVER acted that way when he was younger – this behavior started when he turned FOUR. His behavior over the past two weeks has become just HORRIBLE and it’s driving me insane but never has he acted like this in a store!
During checkout I was only paying attention to my kids, making sure K-man stayed with me and not running away and making sure the boys were not going to get into any fights. Who I was not paying attention to was the old dude bagger …. who my daughter noticed had been rolling his eyes and SLAMMING my groceries into the cart with the BREAD & EGGS at the bottom of my cart!! The smooshed grocery wasn’t noticed until I left store crying. Yes I left the store in TEARS …. I may have even dropped an F bomb lowly while I walked passed my bagger old dude and said something along the lines “right roll your eyes because you know … children are perfect and if you have any I BET THEY ARE F’IN perfect” .. I proceeded to say that to ALL of the check out lanes as I walked in TEARS a total wreck not even able to watch my child because I just had to get OUT OF THAT STORE.
It took me about half an hour to calm down enough to CROSS THE STREET to my van with my kids because my eyes were so full of tears, my body was shaking so badly …. my older two kids hugged me and were so livid with this old dude bagger. My youngest was in his normal five year old “world revolves around me” mode and couldn’t understand why Mama said NO yet again to something he WANTED (merry go round ride outside of Market Basket). I had had enough I was done. I cannot believe that anyone who clearly doesn’t like children would be in this type of position. After talking to my Dad I found out that not only was this man rude to me today, but that my sister may have had a stuation with this same bagger the other day.
I am not sure how to complain because 1) my bread was not smooshed that badly and 2) I did drop an F bomb to the guy leaving the store in tears. I feel I didn’t handle the situation totally 100% properly either. Mind you .. yes my baby was placed on couch and not allowed to do ANYTHING for a couple hours once I returned home because I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH HIM EITHER.
So I ask you all this … is it right at any time to be treated in such ways when your child acts slightly naughty? I have been in grocery stores before where my mood disorder child at age 6 was screeching, violent and just plain out of his mind due to medication being off … and never have I been treated like this man treated me today and my groceries…. I feel that no one deserves this. I work hard, damn hard for the money I bring home to feed my kids and I do not wish to have my groceries having a chance of getting ruined because some old man bagger doesn’t like kids…. it’s wrong on so many levels.
I am at a loss of what to think and feel. My mind is in shock that a man of that age would even do such a thing, I expect that from some of the teenagers that work at Market Basket not a grown man who is well up there in years.
Some people just truly do not understand. I’ve been there. I think when our kids act up we also become increasingly sensitive, because even if they’re not we feel like all eyes are on us. It’s hard to get over. That being said, the old man definitely should have kept his eye rolls to himself and he did not need to smush your bread and eggs. That in itself is just poor customer service.
While I certainly feel for you, perhaps the old fart has some problems of his own. I live near a very nice grocery store, and typically the older bag “boys” seem to have some type of mental disability. (I am not kidding, just pointing out a fact. I appreciate that the grocery store hires people who need to work, regardless of ability/disability.)
It’s unfortunate for you and your family that he was not kind.
I think it’s not the bagger’s or anyone else’s right to judge you in the store. He’s there to bag, others are there to do what they’re doing. Plain and simple.
If he deliberately ruined your groceries, I’d note it to the manager, either via phone, in-person, or in a note. That’s what I’d do whether it got results or not, because if I was a mgr. I’d want to know.
Sorry you had a bad grocery store visit.