The Kappuccino Kid!

[customersruinmylife]

I forgot to post this last night.

A father and daughter come in for lunch. I guesstimate that the daughter was probably about eight or nine years old. The dad is at the bar ordering their food.

D: ...and for drinks...ummm...I will have a large cappuccino...and...what would you like sweetheart?
Kid: I want a cappuccino too!
D: And a children's cappuccino.

Oh God. OK, never mind, I got a small mug, put the TINIEST amount of espresso in it, and made the drink. I presented him with the drinks. He paid, and all was well.

About five minutes later, a concerned co-worker walks up to me.

CW: Customersruinmylife, there's a little kid drinking coffee...

I look over, and see the kid has taken the LARGE cappuccino and is drinking it through a straw! The dad is sat there, with the tiny mug I intended to give to the kid, sipping it innocently.

Me: Oh...shit! This isn't gonna be good is it?

It started off with her battering her hands on the table like it was a drum, then moved onto her swinging back and forth on her chair, giggling insanely. She then stood on her chair, screeching "wheeeeeeee!!" for several minutes and started throwing food at her father. All the while he just sat there, staring as though it was completely normal.

She then got bored, and decided to explore, and when I say explore, she ran as fast as she possibly could, almost knocking over an elderly couple, bumped into a co-worker carrying a bowl of hot soup and knocked several chairs over. The dad just kept calling to her.

D: Honey! Calm down now!
D: Sweetie! Come and sit next to me!
D: Angel, it's almost time to go!

The pub was filled with her screaming "wheeeeeeeeeee!" as she ran around pretending to be an airplane. Just as I had decided that enough was enough, he grabbed her by the hand and told her they were going to the toystore.

Kid: Toystore! Eeeeeeeee! Toystore! Eeeeeeeeeee!

Her eyes were wide and manic. She ran out of the door, with her father in pursuit.

Can anyone say, parenting fail?

[Darkwish]

Too bad they weren't heading straight home, then you could have given her an extra large one to go! (Free of course!)

I feel sorry for the unprepared toy store workers.

[IT Grunt]

A 8 or 9 year old with that much caffeine? Talk about turbo-charged.. she won't sleep for days. Yeah... fail on the father's part.

[TexasT]

Could you ask your manager if next time you're allowed to refuse the sale of an expresso due to health risks? Even if the health risks include your headache?

[tropicsgoddess]

Wow, talk about parenting fail.

[Mr. Security]

Wow, I seriously feel bad for the toy store they went to. What makes me think we will see a post soon about a crazy caffeine hyper kid at a toy store

[McGoddess09]

Even my grandpa didn't give me that much caffeine as a kid. He would let me have a few spoonfuls of cold coffee when I was a baby.

Wow. Maybe he was getting her hyperactive now so she'll crash later and he could finally get peace and quiet?

Please let me save what shred of faith in humanity I have left.

[SteverinoNY]

Holy cow...the poor toy store workers who are going to have to deal with that.

nothing says annoying like an overcaffinated kid screaming WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Although I am surprised the father didnt ask for a puppy...considering unattended children (as this one clearly was), should also be given a puppy in addition to an espresso.

But yes...major parenting fail

[Bunny the Veggie Slayer]

Although I am surprised the father didnt ask for a puppy...considering unattended children (as this one clearly was), should also be given a puppy in addition to an espresso.

Evil Idea #324

If a customer like this comes in again offer the kid a free puppy, look under the counter and say "Sorry pumpkin, we've run out."

Let the parents suffer as we must

[customersruinmylife]

Could you ask your manager if next time you're allowed to refuse the sale of an expresso due to health risks? Even if the health risks include your headache?

Already done. Children under 16 are now no longer allowed coffee, and there's a nice sign now stating this.

I can't believe he gave her the large coffee. The "childrens cappuccino" I made was probably about 99.9% milk!

[Merriweather]

Even my grandpa didn't give me that much caffeine as a kid. He would let me have a few spoonfuls of cold coffee when I was a baby.

Wow. Maybe he was getting her hyperactive now so she'll crash later and he could finally get peace and quiet?

:

Wouldn't surprise me if it was a weekend father who would be taking her back to the mother as soon as they left the toystore

I think the reason I have a very high tolerance (and addiction) to caffeine is that my Dad loved road trips, and from about the time I was six years old, when we were stopping at a diner enroute, I was allowed to have coffee at breakfast. Now, admittedly, it was more a half cup coffee and half cup milk (with lots of sugar), but it sure got my parents plenty of disaproving looks from waitresses and other diners. And I can't imagine it added anything positive to a day of putting up with me and my older sister squabbling in the backseat, either. But then, my parents did a lot of things I've never been able to figure out.

[tsar]

Wouldn't surprise me if it was a weekend father who would be taking her back to the mother as soon as they left the toystore

Nah, that would be more in the lines of "Oh, sorry hun, your mother wants you back NOW so we can't go to the toy store this time. Maybe you can ask her to take you?"

[CaroPhoenix]

My daughter likes to drink my coffee. However, I don't drink cappacinos and I only allow her a sip or two before I take it back and basically drink it until there's only a 1/2 swallow left & she gets the rest.

She's been "drinking" coffee since she was like 2.

I normally drink Folgers instant coffee and lots of powdered creamer. She's no more hyper than normal.

[bainsidhe]

My dad used to drink whiskey and coca-cola. Of course his little girls had to be like daddy. So our mom would make us our very own Shirley Temples (no alcohol!). She just told us that the special cherry flavoring was the "special mix" that daddy had. And no way in hell were we permitted to have daddy's drink since that was his.

[Luna Baby]

I've drank coffee since I was just barely big enough to "sup" it from the saucer. That being said, by the time I was 12 or 13, coffee was an absolute morning ritual that I had to have. I can't imagine going somewhere in the morning and being told, "sorry, under 16 will not be served coffee."

I would have immediately spoken with the father and politely ask him to control his child or leave. Afterall, the health and safety of other patrons/co-workers are more important than a parent allowing his child to have caffeine or not.