EmilyGF Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 I consider myself an old-fashioned parent - I give my kids the level of freedom and trust I enjoyed as a child (of course, considering their individual personalities which vary greatly) and I was enjoying the thread I'm spinning off of this afternoon before we walked to our closest Walmart grocery store to get just a few things for our celebrations tomorrow. Now, my kids do a lot of things on their own but I would not send them there alone because of the neighborhood it is in, but I've gotten to be OK walking through that neighborhood, though shopping at Walmart makes my blood boil because the store is so poorly run. However, it is within walking distance and carries the specific things I needed. Right after we finished checking out, a fight broke out that cut off me from three of my five kids. They had just walked a few feet ahead of me but I had to stop because of what was happening and then back up as quickly as I could. It was pretty disturbing to see three grown men punching each other and on the floor, and it took six men (a security guard and then 5 men shopping at the store) to get it to end. Both my boys were crying afterwards and we literally ran home because one of the fighters was walking off and we didn't want to get involved in anything else. As a free-ranger/old-fashioned parent, I thought it through this way: 1. I never would have sent my kids there without me anyways, so I guess I had a reasonable sense of the place. 2. My girls (separated from me) handled it very well - getting out of the building, but staying right beyond the entrance. 3. My preschooler (also separated from me) just stood still in shock, pretty close to the fight, until the security guard told him to leave the building, at which point he went to his sisters. Separately, I'm really proud of my 12-year-old, who was the most upset because he just couldn't understand how anyone could get that violent over such a small thing (possibly an insult muttered under the breath). My husband is trained in counseling upset people, and we all talked about it. But that this happened just after that thread struck me as somewhat ironic. But I guess Walmart is famous for out-of-control crime. I will probably be there again because it is so convenient, but never again after 9 am. Emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted July 4, 2017 Author Share Posted July 4, 2017 And I'll add, none of us talked about the dangers of taking your kids to the grocery store! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 That's great that they handled the situation well. Walmart is a place I'm not keen on going myself after dark and I like keeping my kids close to me while there. Target is in the same general area of town but for some reason I feel comfortable with my kids going in that toy aisle together without me, but I don't feel the same at Walmart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 We have seen similar at Target and last week at a state university's library. It is not just Walmart. We saw a few fights at Hong Kong International Airport over our delayed flight at the Cathay Pacific boarding counters. Our kids were 6 and 7 years old then and it was already past midnight there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Is that a typo? 9am? I'd be upset that a child that young was told to leave the building. I mean, sure, go stand by the pharmacy or something. But leave the building?? I'd rather him stay near an associate I guess. I would be looking around inside before I went outside looking for my kid I'd think. Guess I should have a talk with ds about where to meet me if anything crazy like this happens. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted July 4, 2017 Author Share Posted July 4, 2017 Is that a typo? 9am? I'd be upset that a child that young was told to leave the building. I mean, sure, go stand by the pharmacy or something. But leave the building?? I'd rather him stay near an associate I guess. I would be looking around inside before I went outside looking for my kid I'd think. Guess I should have a talk with ds about where to meet me if anything crazy like this happens. The fight was right near a door and was physically blocking me from the door. There wasn't any other way he could go, and it was one of the small Walmarts, not a mega one. There was really only one way he could go to get away and that was what needed to be done. But he was too little to think to do that. Nope, 9 am. The workers are so poorly trained. ​Emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Ahh I see. 9 am sounds like an odd time for a fight to breakout, so I don't know if shopping before 9 am only is warranted. Might be a fluke. Is there better/more staff before that hour? I don't know if I understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 I don't know if there's a "normal" time for a fight to break out, now that I think about it :laugh: Guess I was thinking more along the lines of "right as doors open on Black Friday" LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted July 4, 2017 Author Share Posted July 4, 2017 Ahh I see. 9 am sounds like an odd time for a fight to breakout, so I don't know if shopping before 9 am only is warranted. Might be a fluke. Is there better/more staff before that hour? I don't know if I understand. Oh, I hate the store to begin with. Even before we went in, I had said, "Well, this is going to be terrible but we've just got to get it over with." I feel​ like raging after dealing with the check out lines there. But before 9 am there isn't typically a wait. So it is mainly that I hate the store already and this pushed me over the edge. But, the fight was at 3 pm, so not terribly late. Emily 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.