I dont like kids.. but that certainly doesn't mean that this is how I react to all children at my work. I smile, and wave, am polite and friendly, help them order, bring them their food.. because that is my job.
hugging dirty children? not part of my job description
I am good at my job, and before the said family left, I did get a big tip lol which I did give back to them.. but anyway its not about liking kids, its about ACTING like I like them because.. its my job to be POLITE AND FRIENDLY TO ALL CUSTOMERS regardless of age, race, etc.. etc..
but being friendly and polite, for me, doesn't mean hugging dirty children..
and yes, if it was a dog I would've done the same thing for the SAME REASON. I dont like strangers dogs all over me. I wasn't MEAN to the kid, I didn't smack him with the menu..its making a distance between us
well... in all honesty I still would have been a bit ticked off about the whole thing. I wouldnt' have sent my child over anyway but besides that. i would still be ticked. I don't know that I would bring it up with the manager or just seeth on my own... but as a parent I would be pissed.
also if it's just a laminated paper how did it make him stumble back?
I definitely think the parents were wrong but I also think your reaction was also an incorrect one.. as a parent.
When you bend the menus, the snap back to be straight. it is just laminated paper with a plastic frame. Maybe the stumble was because of that, maybe he just was shocked.. I honestly do not know. He just took a couple of steps back
but I certainly didn't push him and it wasn't the pure force of the menu.. I dunno, it all happened really fast lol but no, it wasn't as dramatized as im sure a few of you are picturing. I did not hit, push, or POKE the kid with the menu
I used the term "like a stick" because it stuck straight out.
and again, I DID NOT PUT THE MENU OUT WITH THE INTENT ON HIM RUNNING INTO IT or even touching it.. I thought the kid would see it and stop.
Stepping back/stepping away? lol if you guys saw my restaurant you would understand. tables are all over, its a very tiny italian place on the beach. I was backed up against the back of somebodies chair/another table
soooo without jumping on top of their table, or sitting in a strangers lap.. there really was no way for me to get away.
Did I say I was proud of the way I handled it? No. I said it was a REFLEX and that I wasn't proud of the way I handled the situation. but i certainly dont think it was RUDE or horrible.. I didn't smack the kid.
Now that I look back, I know I could've probably squeezed myself in between two chairs and ran to the kitchen.. but honestly, im pretty sure the parents would've reacted the same way. For them, it wasn't about the menu, it was about me not wanting to hug their child
My manager saw the entire thing, and told me I was in the right. Again, its assault wether its a child or not, I dont have to let anybodys kid touch me
but I appreciate your opinion lol thats what this thread was about. "Would you be mad?" and you said you would be..I accept that
I dont GET IT lol but I accept it
if my hypothetical daughter covered in pasta sauce ran up to someone and they PUSHED her away, I wouldn't be offended or anything. Its my job to keep my dirty children away from others, and I should've been controlling her better
Wow, this thread REALLY grew! hahahahaha
I am curious about two things after reading all these pages (yes, I did read them all!)
1. Fran is always mentioning how clumsy she is (not a jab sweetie, I have that affliction myself) and yet she works as a waitress? Not a fast food waitress to just hand the food over the counter..........but a real waitress bringing real food and drinks out to the table on a real tray?
2. She is a clutz (her words) who is a waitress, who wears a brand new white dress to work in?
Both of those things make me wonder why a few of you seem to think she was/would be unable to gracefully sidestep that child and not end up with an accident of her own. If she can safely maneuver a tray of food and drinks to a table of customers (not easy, I have much respect for those how can weave through customers and obstacles while balancing that tray) then in my mind she could have easily turned, pivoted, sidestepped, and avoided that child's grasp. *shrugs* JMO
Now before anyone goes bonkers, you can look back to like page one and see my initial response, and after reading all these comments, I still agree with what I wrote.
The gist: The parents were completely WRONG to send their kid her way, no excuse. Fran handled it badly (which I think she admitted when she said she wasn't proud) A bad situation that I hope BOTH parties have learned something from.
1. Yes, not the best job for me.. I am clumsy. but this job kinda helps me work on that.. its carrying plates, not really a tray. and drinks and I practice a lot and its kinda helped me work on the whole..dropping everything placed in my hands..thing. and again, the restaurant is way to small for me to sidestep or run away. it would've been me jumping on another persons table or someone's lap
I didn't really have all the choices in the world, my mom knows the woman who owns the restaurant so this is where I got a job.
2. Yes, I wear pretty dresses to work in because frankly, I like to lol. Theres no real reason why I do, but for the last couple of days I have been accident free so I decided to wear it. It looks cute and I thought, why not? We have to wear dresses anyway
Some of the waitresses wear the same black dresses everyday, and that would be easier for me to do.. but I like wearing different outfits to work
and if I do spill something on my dresses, well then, its my fault and i accept that, thats what dry cleaners are for. but I don't think I should have to grin and bear it and hug the child KNOWING my dress is gonna need dry cleaning. those parents for sure weren't gonna pay for it.
Honestly, I'd be down right pissed off but then again maybe I'm weird. Perhaps the parents shouldn't have their children hugging random stranger but you work in a place where children are present and the way you handled things IMO was unprofessional. Honestly, if you can't handle children, find a job without them or cease wearing "cute white dresses" I'm sorry but the whole original post sounded like something straight out of a rich snobby brats mouth. No offense.
No offense lol thats so funny
maybe people would be a little more sensitive to your "situation" if you didn't start with name calling and insults.
but for arguments sake..lemme try and break it down
Rich?
My parents? ya maybe
me? ..certainly NOT! lol because waitressing is totally what people do when they've got money to BURN
Snobby?
I fail to see where this came from..
or did I miss the part where I called the child a filthy peasant lol :rofl1:
maybe its because I wear nice dresses to work.. so lets try and go down that road. I wear pretty dresses to work because I like looking nice. This is a free country, and im pretty sure people are allowed to wear whatever they want
wearing "cute white dresses" is my decision and my right. some people like wearing their pajamas in public, some like dresses, some like jeans..
hugging kids? again, I don't have to hug anybody I don't want to.
Who is more of a brat?
the girl who wants to look her best at work and just doesn't want to hug dirty children so put something between her and the child
or the women who will disturb an ENTIRE restaurant full of people with her screaming misbehaved child instead of packing him a lunch or ordering to-go ?
Oh and ya, restaurant food is TOTALLY healthy :rofl1:
forget that crap parenting books tell you about home cooked meals, restaurants are the way to go! lol
even "healthy" restaurants are less healthy than something that could be made at home, like it or not, that food is being made fast when you order, the chefs are busy, and its made to taste good. and usually this involves a couple of things..
SALT, SAUCE & BUTTER.
I think that pretty much covered everybodys questions lol but ill go back again and check
