Boots employee smacking customer's toddler

sweaty_betty

I've just been reading this article:
http://m.spaldingtoday.co.uk/news/latest-news/mum-puts-boots-in-after-her-daughter-is-smacked-1-4955448

I find it a bit shocking that a member of staff smacked a customer's child. Telling off is one thing, but smacking?

Would be interested to know what others think.

Gloomendoom

Smack or pat was my first thought.

1jim

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Smack or pat was my first thought.

Don't think it matters to be honest, no one has the right to lay hands on another without the express permission of that person,

Some kids can be a real handful but it is not acceptable to a sales person to smack or pat them. If the sales person had done this to an adult it would be called assault

**professor~yaffle**

Whether she smacked, tapped or patted the child, it was a stupid thing to do and I'm surprised the shop assistant hasn't got into trouble because of it. You can't do that to someone else's child.

Person_one

I'd have called the police if I'd witnessed it. Its bad enough that parents are legally allowed to hit their children, strangers doing it has to be classed as assault.

I've knocked stuff of shelves before, I wouldn't be impressed if one of the staff tried to 'tap' me.

*max*

I'd have been annoyed if someone had done it to my child, and would most likely had dealt with it there and then (as well as telling my child off for "playing" with items on the shelf btw), but really...No need to go to the papers about it! Call me a cynic, but I think it's a prime example of the Daily Mail culture nowadays.
Cue the anguished cries of "Assault! Human rights! Sack the sick and twisted child molester!" from indignant people...

System

Why didn't somebody smack the mother for failing to control her child?

Person_one

!!!!!! wrote: »

Why didn't somebody smack the mother for failing to control her child?

Because its only acceptable to hit small children, adults are off limits.

krustylouise

If anyone EVER laid hands on my child, pat, smack even wag a finger in front of her face and tell her off, I'd be fuming! But then I'm usually pretty "on the ball" as far as disciplining my DD is concerned. For all the assistant knew this child could have had any number of behavioural issues and may have need to be dealt with in a specific way. Absolutely rude and no need at all!

meritaten

its unacceptable to touch customers - retail staff should be made aware that any kind of touching can be misinterpretated. I wouldn't have dreamed of doing that during my forty years of retail experience!

In fact - when it comes to customers messing up the items - its part of the job to just put it all back!

sassyblue

!!!!!! wrote: »

Why didn't somebody smack the mother for failing to control her child?

The child knocked something off a shelf she wasn't out of control. I've knocked things off shelves and rails before hardly the crime of the century.

I would be furious too!