I was genuinely excited to shop at Coastal Mermaid, and I actually had an item in my hand that I was about to purchase. Instead, we left empty-handed.
I brought my two-year-old daughter in with me. She absolutely loves fashion and jewelry, so naturally she was interested in looking at and gently touching some of the jewelry. An employee expressed concern that she might break something. I immediately assured her that if my daughter broke anything, I would of course pay for it. She has never broken anything in a store, but I completely understand a small business being concerned about its merchandise and was happy to take responsibility for her.
Apparently that wasn't enough. I was then told that my daughter could not touch anything.
So we left.
I understand asking a parent to intervene if a child is being destructive, mishandling merchandise, running wild, or actually causing a problem. That was not what was happening here. My daughter was simply interested in the things around her and exploring them as a two-year-old does, with me right beside her.
Children learn how to behave in shops, restaurants, museums, churches, and other public spaces by actually being allowed to participate in society. We cannot simultaneously complain that children don't know how to behave in public while expecting parents to keep them away from anything they might be curious enough to touch.
What bothered me most was that I was a paying customer. I was literally holding merchandise I intended to buy. Instead, I was made to feel that my two-year-old's presence and normal curiosity were incompatible with shopping there.
Message received. We put the item back, walked out, and will spend our money somewhere that doesn't make families feel unwelcome. read more