In which I inadvertently call people thieves and liars

[Food Lady]

Let me start by saying that due to sleep deprivation my brain-to-mouth filter failed me last night, but this is in Sucky Customers because no matter what I said, they were clearly in the wrong, and I am partly in the wrong.

Real Money A woman came up to the service counter to pay her store credit card bill--nothing unusual there. The next thing I knew, she slapped down a stack of merchandise credits 1/2" high. I immediately told her she couldn't use them to pay a credit card. She started to say something like "But the church..." and trailed off and then "I can't?!?" I realize in retrospect that she probably bought them as part of that SCRIP (?) thing I hear about. Anyway, I meant to say that only money in the form of cash, check, or debit could be used for payment, but my brain, in an attempt to shorten the whole thought, put out the phrase "real money". She retorted "This is real money!" and walked out in a huff. When I related this to my coworker later, he said "She could no more do that than pay with a crib." I said, "Because a credit is basically merchandise, not money?" Yes.

You can't get me to lie!I said that to a set of parents when they tried to pull me into a fib that a drink machine was broken because they didn't want to simply say no to that particular treat. The little girl would've acquiesced, I think, as she gave in to juice even when I didn't help her parents lie to her. Usually in that situation I say absolutely nothing at all, but it just popped out and they looked at me like O.O and then kind of laughed akwardly. I was able to save it by giving the girl a curly straw and being really nice to her, but I might get a complaint; I don't know. It may seem like small potatoes, but I will not willingly tell an untruth, period. I quit a brand-new job for that reason once and I'd do it again.

[EricKei]

For all intents and purposes, "Scrip" is store/merchandise credit that you buy, where a percentage goes to the selling agency (e.g., a church). Still not usable for paying off a bill, only for actual merch purchases at the POS

[bankworking]

You can't get me to lie!I said that to a set of parents when they tried to pull me into a fib that a drink machine was broken because they didn't want to simply say no to that particular treat. The little girl would've acquiesced, I think, as she gave in to juice even when I didn't help her parents lie to her. Usually in that situation I say absolutely nothing at all, but it just popped out and they looked at me like O.O and then kind of laughed akwardly. I was able to save it by giving the girl a curly straw and being really nice to her, but I might get a complaint; I don't know. It may seem like small potatoes, but I will not willingly tell an untruth, period. I quit a brand-new job for that reason once and I'd do it again.

I find this to be among the rudest things that parents who might be otherwise decent to do. If you can't manage to actually get your own child to do what you want without a lie, that's on you, but to ask someone else to participate in that lie?

It is NOT that hard to tell a child no. I do it all the time. My seven year old just gets it (and has learned that polite requests for alternatives will sometimes work, but that's as far as she's allowed to push it). Saying no to my two year old is still risking a fit, but not anything extreme because I watch that I'm not pushing his tired/hungry levels too far when I take him out. I'm confident that the bit of fussiness he has will soon pass... IF we stick to our guns and don't reward bad behavior.

[Gilhelmi]

Heck, I already decided to not participate in the Santa lie.

I wont tell the child, but I wont participate either.

Good for you refusing to lie. Even small lies are still lies.

[Trixie]

There's also the ever popular "If you don't behave that lady is going to yell at you!" No, I won't. I would say something about your parenting skills if I had the nerve but I know I'd get in trouble because we must cater to the customer at all costs.

There are a few times when I've backed up a parent when they've said something but not in a way where the discipline falls on me. More like I'd nod my head and say listen to your parent kind of way.

[Argabarga]

A thief and a liar together, I wonder.... is the correct term for that "Thieving Liar" or "Lying Thief"?

[notalwaysright]

People can't say no to their own kids, then are blown away that you won't join their passive parenting tactic. I once walked by an aisle and saw a little kid on top of one of our medium sized ladders. The top step is probably 5' high, and we certainly do have a sign which says "for employees only." The mom barely even looks up from her Very Important Item, and says "the lady is going to ask you to get down." And I said, "you do have to get down, but only because I don't want you to get hurt."

On the plus side, I have been working some very early shifts where I'm off before the store even opens, so I don't have to deal with customers. Also, the early morning crew is hysterical. (sleep deprivation )

[RealUnimportant]

"This is real money!"

World banks would disagree.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

World banks would disagree.

True.

I've had the "get a real job" line handed to me in my younger years and all I can say to that nonsense is that if that's the case, then my bank would've had shut down my account long ago for having fake money direct deposited but I figure after almost 15 years now with the same bank (through 3 different names) that Litter Box (and that ol' WD money I had before I changed jobs almost 11 years ago) money must be legit and I'm able to pay my bills with it, so in that case I do have a "real job" that gives me "real money" I can use to pay my "real bills."

[Thud-n-Blunder]

Santa and/or lies...

Heck, I already decided to not participate in the Santa lie.

I wont tell the child, but I wont participate either....

My wife and I did do the Santa thing. However, when our older one started comparing handwriting and asked us who Santa was, I told her:

"I am Santa Clause. Your mom is also Santa Clause. And now you get to be Santa too. You get to be part of this side of the game, because your little sister hasn't figured it out yet."

She liked that - we hadn't played her for a fool, and we made her a confederate when things came out...

Not sure if it qualifies under this thread, but I kind of disagree about Santa being a lie, but rather a game that does the child no harm. (Mind you, I won't say it doesn't do the checking balance harm... that WOULD be a lie! )

[AnaKhouri]

I love playing Santa. In my mind, he's not a lie but a story, and I think by being given something magical as a child, the kids grow up and are better able to find or make their own magic as adults. I also can't wait until #1 Son figures it out so I can draw him into the conspiracy. I think he'll have just as much fun playing Santa to #2 Son as I do for him now.

But yeah, I have never asked a stranger to help me parent my kid. Especially to try to scare them with someone else's authority; if your kid doesn't respect YOUR authority, you're doing it wrong Except once maybe when I asked a cop at a local fair to turn around so #1 Son could get a good look at his uniform so he would know who to ask if he ever got lost or scared.

[Seshat]

That's not reducing the respect for your authority, however. It's granting a delegation of your authority to someone else.

I've done the same: when I took my niece and nephew to the museum, I designated a meeting place if they got separated from us (near the front desk & front desk security guard), and told them that they could always ask anyone in the security guard's uniform to help them find the meeting place.
The security guard overheard, and turned so the kids could see him clearly. So I thanked him.