"Babysit my kids while I smoke. "

[Giggle Goose]

That's pretty much the story in a nutshell. My co-worker, who is way too nice for her own good, watched this nutjob's three kids; (who all looked to be under age 6), while she took several smoke breaks outside throughout the course of their meal.

They were cute and well-behaved and all; I just felt bad that they had a mom like that. I watched my co-worker's other tables while she watched them. After I've read all the stories around here; it didn't really surprise me that a parent would behave like that.

[tropicsgoddess]

That's a damn shame. I just don't believe some of these parents these days and they wonder why their kids are so f**ked up and/or bratty.

[mattm04]

This is how I would have handled the situation.

SC: watch my kids.
ME: If you leave you kids unattended, I will call the police.
SC: *walks out*
Me: Hello, police. some mother left her kids in the restaurant and left.
Police: we will send and officer down.

Problem solved.

[bainsidhe]

Forgive me if I come across as a smoker-basher, that is NOT my intent. But this woman couldn't bear to go an entire meal without the steamy nicotine sticks that she had a complete stranger watch her children while she took "several" smoke breaks outside. Someone needs to get their priorities in order.

[Nutjob R/T]

watched this nutjob's three kids

... I have kids?

[Shironu-Akaineko]

I almost broke rule #1 cuz of nutjob being such a comedian.
Good thing my ccino is too hot to drink.

[imal'sheva]

NJ, you have FIVE kids, don't you remember?

[Gravekeeper]

... I have kids?

She specifically said this nutjob.

You are that nutjob.

[blas]

At least for once people aren't claiming "Blasphemy!" and awaking my sleeping soul.

I agree it's ridiculous some people can't go an hour without a smoke. I mean, if I'm at home alone without my boyfriend for a weekend, I will go through 3 or 4 packs. But if I go to my parents' or hang out with bf, I maybe have 10 the whole weekend.

I went 2 weeks without a cigarette for a trip to Seattle. Sure I was damn near homicidal after a few days, but it's proof I can go without if I must.

[Eric the Grey]

My response would have been, "I charge $5/hour, or any portion thereof for baby sitting." Then I would have informed them that each time they left the table constituted another hours charge.

Could have ended up with a nice tip.

Although, I like the idea of calling the police...



Eric the Grey

[Ree]

Yeah, it sucks that she couldn't go an an entire meal without heading out for a cigarette break, requiring someone to watch her children, but calling the police on her and shouting child abandonment/endangerment?

Holy overreaction, Batman!!

[Gravekeeper]

Yeah, it sucks that she couldn't go an an entire meal without heading out for a cigarette break, requiring someone to watch her children, but calling the police on her and shouting child abandonment/endangerment?

Holy overreaction, Batman!!

Well if you warned them first and they ignored you, by all means. I'd do it.

Besides, I get the impression some parents would never clue in till someone DID. ;p

[Misanthropical]

Holy overreaction, Batman!!

I don't think it's an overreaction, Ree. I don't leave my children alone in a restaurant full of strangers for any reason. Let alone several times during the course of a meal.

The mother didn't just leave for one cigarette, she left a few times, which is totally unacceptable. Plus, both the children were under the age of 6, which makes it doubly unacceptable.

[Ree]

I'm not saying she behaved properly as a parent at all, but she was standing outside the building having a cigarette and was coming right back in.

Would I do that? Hell no.

I just think it's a bit much to start throwing out the idea of calling the police on her.
It's not as if she hadn't made any provisions to watch her kids.

I realize it's not the job of the waitstaff to babysit, as there are other customers they have to deal with, but in this case, she obviously asked the waitress if it was OK, and she said it was.

If the waitress had said it wasn't, then I doubt she would have done it.

I think, if a person doesn't want to get the job of babysitting, since it's not in the job description, all they have to do is say, "I'm sorry, but I am very busy with other customers, and I won't have time to keep an eye on your children to make sure they stay safe."

Why go all militant about it and threaten with the police? That's all I'm saying.

[iradney]

I think one of the reasons why they're getting militant about it is, it takes a few seconds for a kid to be abducted. In South Africa, a woman had her toddler girl in her trolley. She turned her back for maybe 30 seconds, and the kid was gone.