Another disturbing Target event last night... not about nursing though.

[Mom to Aly]

For some of us, that was not possible! I always take the high road and assume that any mother who is obviously trying to keep her kids with her had NO ONE to watch them at home or had to take them to some appointment and is trying to save gas, etc, and pick up something on the way back. And not everyone should have to drag their exhausted selves to the store after their kids go to bed, nor can every spouse be there to watch those kids because they're working so many hours. However, I'm also shocked and horrified everytime I see some toddler standing in a shopping cart where the goods are supposed to go. I'm a firm believer in using those seat belts.

 

:iagree:I am a single mom who homeschools with absolutely no help, no extra money, and no way to leave my dd home. She has come with me when she was sick, when I was sick, and I have had her in the cart, when she was sick. I would bunch up our coats, and make her's like a pillow, and mine like a cover, and try to make her comfortable, because she'd have to be with me to get meds, food, etc. I have a fam that will not assist at all--my mom is too old and has alzheimer's, and my sister and her hubby have no kids and are much too involved in their own lives to be willing to assist in any way--they feel, I decided to homeschool, I did this to myself, I should deal with it, which is fine, I did. +, when she or I are sick, I can't leave her with someone else who has kids.

 

She has never, ever thrown a tantrum, never been disruptive, or anything like that. But she does go absolutely everywhere with me. No matter what. And I don't think anyone should judge anyone else who takes their kids with them. You don't know their situation, and it might be like mine--even when her dad did live in the area, even when we were still together, he was too irresponsible, and too emotionally and verbally abusive to spend a moment with her.

 

As for the inconvenience and the "fault" of these parents--I agree with the others--consider the inconvenience of others if your child were missing, and how you would feel. And, although I have always, and I do mean always!!, been so careful of my daughter, kept her right with me, even now make her hold my hand if it is really crowded, I don't know that I am so perfect that I will be vigilent every moment of every day--I just pray that, if I ever do look away, no one is waiting in prey to get her then. And, if there is, that some kind and understanding people are around, watching over her, not judging and unwilling to help.

[HollyDay]

Target has gotten interesting lately in our area. The store is dirty - bordering on filthy. The workers are young, slow, untrained, and uninterested. Of the 30 or so check out lines, only 3 maybe 4 are ever open. The dressing rooms are so full of clothes, it is hard to try anything one. The store is just a mess. Since Target is more expensive (in our area) than the other stores (expect Market Fresh or Brunos), I do not shop there anymore unless I need something only Target carries.

[cricket1178]

When is it not the parents' fault when their child gets 'lost' in the store? If I had a cart full of groceries....and couldn't leave until little Jimmy was found...well I wouldn't be too happy. I am being inconvenienced because someone can't watch their children in the store.

 

Tammy

 

 

I just wanted to say that it is the responsibility of the parent to watch their children, but when the parents fail for whatever reason the dc should not be penalized. If a child is lost please do whatever is necessary to find the child even if it means I may be inconvenienced. I would rather be inconvenienced than see the news that evening or read the paper the following day with some horror story in it. Most likely they will find the dc hiding in a rack of clothes or strolling through the toy isle, but so what? I'd rather have that happy ending than some attitude about being detained to only discover a more gruesome one. Irresponsible parents or not, it is not the child's fault. Find the child immediately if not sooner.

[Lizzie in Ma]

My mother was a nanny for a little girl years ago. The girls mother took her to Sears one day and she disappeared. There was no Code Adam back then but Sears did respond quickly and helped her search and had people on the doors.

That was enough, apparently, to scare off the abductor. This child was found in a dressing room in different clothes with her hair already cut short to change her appearance.

If it were my child I would be beyond grateful for responsible employees who would call for a lock-down.

I can not imagine anyone being upset for the "inconvenience" of such a thing.

[Renee in NC]

What happened to putting the needs of others ahead of ourselves?

[hmschoolmom22]

There may have been more going on that wasn't obvious. Target personnel are very discreet with their radio thingies. They're always talking to each other, and management, and stockers, and whoever, and you'd never know. They may have someone watching the doors. They may have had other employees looking, and communicating with each other. Just everyone wasn't running around in a panic, doesn't mean they weren't doing anything.

 

I don't know, of course, since I wasn't there. I'm just wondering if there was more going on that you couldn't see.

 

:iagree:as a former employee of Target - I can tell you without a doubt when a child is lost - it's a huge thing! I was there one night when a little girl was lost and 2 managers stood at the front doors to make sure no one left the store...and every employee was told to stop working(accept the cashiers of course)and look for the child. She of course was found in the toy department, lol!

[cin]

A child abduction is NOT the parents' fault. If someone grabs your child, how is that YOUR fault? My oldest is 7 yrs old. I am starting to give her more independance. I have her helping me shop by getting things in the next aisle for me. If someone grabs her while she's there, I guess then, that I'm a bad parent for trying to help her learn. How long do we keep them under our nose? When can we start giving them independance and hope that noone gets upset with us?

 

I have to say, I am shocked that there are moms out there who would put their groceries/purchases ahead of the life of a child. I always tell my girls if they get lost or separated to go to a store employee or another mommy. I sure hope they find a mommy who has time to help them, and not one who would be to inconvenienced to help THEM because of "My Mistake". Maybe I should ammend what I am telling them.

 

I think it's horrible that because one person makes a mistake people don't want to help a child. A cart of groceries can be replaced, a child's innocence, or life, for that matter, cannot.

 

And please understand, I am grateful that these people have been open and honest about their feelings here. We need to not assume that everyone feels the same way we do, and therefore be even more careful (if that's possible!) with our kids.

[Sixmeadows]

when I was separated from one of my kids. We were at the end of an aisle on the corner and we awere looking at stuff (5 kids) Everyone was with me just kinda looking at stuff. I just rounded the corner to continue looking at something. Really it was less than a minute but when my son looked up he didn't see me so he wandered straight up the aisle and started looking for me. I was about 5 feet from him the whole time. By the time I looked around the corner he was gone. anyway i looked up and down a few aisles and did not see him. When I told a store employee it was immediate lockdown. We found him a few minutes later and he said, "Where did you go mommy?" My question to him was, "Where did YOU go?' I was really embarassed. This child is so quiet and has a tendency to get involved at what he is looking at and get absorbed.

 

scary -but now the little ones hang on to the cart if they are not riding in it.

 

Cheri