Does anyone else feel bad for some of the workers?

[5waldos]

Not really ....... A child sees something he knows to be wrong and says something.

 

No- in one case a child sees something wrong which in reality does not directly concern him at all. In the other situation, someone is doing something to him or her directly and it very much does concern him.

 

A child who decides at age 5 that they can wander around telling people what to do is going to have more than his or her fair share of problems in this world. They do not have the cognitive ability to understand what is happening or why. Perhaps, for example, the child's parents are anti drinking. Should the kid then go around the lido telling people they should stop? Or telling obese people that they are killing themselves and stop the eating? Where does it end?

 

In this case everyone seems to have agreed that this woman was acting inappropriately but I can imagine many scenarios which could so easily be misinterpreted by a kid. And even in this one, whether or not to become involved as an adult is a sensitive issue.

[Room Service!]

You know someone is really being a pia when a 5 yr old calls them on it. We were on the Sun last Oct. sitting in the buffet area. This older woman apparently wanted more coffee. There was a worker at the table next to her giving the people some items they had asked for. The older woman grabbed her cane and poked the worker in the back and pretty much just yelled at him that she wanted more coffee so go get it. I thought I was going to die laughing tho when a little boy who had apparently been watching walked right up to her and said "You should go to bed with no dessert cause you are not nice." After he said that I swear you could hear a pin drop for a few minutes. I loved it. Like they say, "Out of the mouths of babes".

 

Bravo to the kid. I'd have been proud of him if he were mine.

[Chris-n-Nikki's Mom]

YUP! I work in retail and I am the go-to person for "difficult customers". I have had people yell at me, tell me how stupid I must be, how much I suck at my job..and at life. I have had people accuse me of ruining their life and so on. Its those times when I see a poor old lady (wife) cowering, embarrassed a few feet away-or a child (son)staring, also embarrassed that I really do feel sorry for the families of people like this. When they walk away from me, my time with them if over-but their poor families have to go thru this abuse and embarrassment all the time! Sometimes when the crazy people are going off on me I just want to take their loved ones and give them a hug-and tell THEM I am sorry that they have to deal with this kind of behavior.

 

What is boils down to is that we are all human beings and we should treat each other as such. No one is less than anyone else-yes some people may wait on you, may serve you-but they are not beneath you. We should all be greatful to each other for our contributions.

That is, by far, the best quote I have read so far! I am sorry you have to deal with "jerks", but realize that you are in that particular job because you care about people. Cudos to you! I too dislike people who think that they are "above" another human being. Happy cruising

[vacruizer]

nah...that is not what waldos is saying....the way I read it is that the kid felt he had the right and/or authority..because he is the only one with manners in his mind... to go over to the old person and correct them. when in fact, the kid had no place at all in this situation...but felt he was qualified/authorized...and dare I say it...better than most....and was perfectly justified in telling the old person that they were wrong and rude.

 

It was an adult's place..if at all...to set the woman straight about her attitude...

 

 

Personally...I don't think anyone needed to say a word to her....she and everyone involved knew she was being crotchety....

 

a simple rolling of the eyes to the waiter..by the adult witnesses ...would have been enough to let the waiter know that everyone felt his pain...

 

 

That kid is going to be dealing with bullies at school...that is for sure.....as they will sniff him out...

 

I have to disagree here. Poking someone with a cane qualifies as assault as far as I'm concerned. An adult should have spoken up immediately.

 

I took a lot of verbal abuse in my waitress and retail years. It goes with the job although it really sucks when you know the idiot holding a tip over your head is responsible for helping pay your bills. At least in retail I still got paid to deal with the idots. But lay a hand on me (or a cane as the case may be) and I would call the police. A waiter on a ship probably doesn't have that option, but someone should have intervened to stop her. While I'm sure he wasn't hurt, it's absolutely degrading.

[5waldos]

An adult should have spoken up immediately

 

Wouldn't argue with that.

[kanitter]

I'm the one that wrote about the little boy telling the old bat she wasn't nice. Seeing some of the replies on here just have me dumbfounded. People, we're talking about a little child, not someone who has majored in physicology. He wasn't snotty, he didn't yell, he really didn't call attention to himself at all. If I hadn't been right there I probably wouldn't even had heard him. He wasn't running around either. He was standing at the table next to the old woman because him and his parents were just getting up from there after eating. If you had actually seen it yourself you could have seen it was more like "you're being mean and I don't want to play with you anymore". Jeez, some posters act like he's going to grow up to be the next Hitler. Lighten up people.

[MSRussell]

I think it was brilliant what the child did...even if it was a tad awkward. She acted just as if she was the same age as him. The only difference the he has more manners.

I'll bet it made the Server's day!

Melanie

[GlendaleCruiser]

Worked in Customer Service for almost 30 years. Comes with the job. Just let it roll off like water on a duck's back. The nice people outnumber the bad ones.

 

And......................they know that person will be gone in a week.:D

[5waldos]

Any of you drink a bit too much at all onboard? Would you feel the same way about a 5 year old telling you not to have the next drink? Or how about the second dessert- what if he told you that you really didn't need the additional calories? Or what if you were forbidding your own child to have another ice cream and the kid spoke up. Do you really want to give permission to a 5 year old to intervene in situations where even adults hesitate?

[kanitter]

Any of you drink a bit too much at all onboard? Would you feel the same way about a 5 year old telling you not to have the next drink? Or how about the second dessert- what if he told you that you really didn't need the additional calories? Or what if you were forbidding your own child to have another ice cream and the kid spoke up. Do you really want to give permission to a 5 year old to intervene in situations where even adults hesitate?

 

Again, you"re giving the CHILD more power than he had. No one gave him permission to say what he did. It was just one of those things were no one knew he was going to say what he did. And as I said before you could tell from the look on the parents face that they were going to be talking to him about his actions. There are some things you can't teach a child about how to handle until the situation actually happens.

[Room Service!]

5waldos-Sorry I don't see those as being the same kind of issue.

[maggie cruises]

5waldos-Sorry I don't see those as being the same kind of issue.

 

I think what waldos is trying to get across is that sometimes...it is just not appropriate for anyone to say anything...and as I posted much earlier...the waiter was not screaming for help..so really it was not much of an issue other than a crotchety older person being annoying....and really no one's business to get involved...for had it been serious enough...then the waiter would have called for help...

 

where will it end...if someone speaks too abruptly to a worker...should strangers but in? If the customer before me on line has an issue with poor service..should I tell that customer to shut up because they are "not being nice to the cashier"......

 

even if there is a physical altercation...it is best to call over the security folks...why? because I am not trained to handle such issues as this..plain and simple....

 

but back to the kid.....when a 5yo feels they have the cute little right..because they are so well mannered..to go over and get involved in something that is none of his business..and could potentially be dangerous to that child.....I have to think we have all gone overboard with the PC nonsense and being all caring to everyone....

 

 

I would like to see the responses here if that 5yo were a 15yo...and it was 11pm on the Lido deck and that 15yo told the old woman off for hitting him with her cane and saying" You should not be out on deck at this time"...of course all of this would happen after the 15yo went up to the old lady and said "you are not being nice to the waiter"

[5waldos]

5waldos-Sorry I don't see those as being the same kind of issue.

 

But you aren't 5 years old, are you.

[maggie cruises]

Again, you"re giving the CHILD more power than he had. No one gave him permission to say what he did. It was just one of those things were no one knew he was going to say what he did. And as I said before you could tell from the look on the parents face that they were going to be talking to him about his actions. There are some things you can't teach a child about how to handle until the situation actually happens.

 

and I agree with what you are saying as well.....I just hope the parents..who apparantly were mortified with what the child said....actually do something to stop this child from growing up as an irritating kid.

 

That child and all children should learn to roll with the punches...and to understand when to speak up and when to just mind their own business....

 

sometimes it is much better to roll one's eyes and walk away...than get involved

 

it is also good teaching to explain to a kid that sometimes it is OK to ignore certain things..and not make mountains out of molehills....

[Room Service!]

I think what waldos is trying to get across is that sometimes...it is just not appropriate for anyone to say anything...and as I posted much earlier...the waiter was not screaming for help..so really it was not much of an issue other than a crotchety older person being annoying....and really no one's business to get involved...for had it been serious enough...then the waiter would have called for help...

 

where will it end...if someone speaks too abruptly to a worker...should strangers but in? If the customer before me on line has an issue with poor service..should I tell that customer to shut up because they are "not being nice to the cashier"......

 

even if there is a physical altercation...it is best to call over the security folks...why? because I am not trained to handle such issues as this..plain and simple....

 

but back to the kid.....when a 5yo feels they have the cute little right..because they are so well mannered..to go over and get involved in something that is none of his business..and could potentially be dangerous to that child.....I have to think we have all gone overboard with the PC nonsense and being all caring to everyone....

 

 

I would like to see the responses here if that 5yo were a 15yo...and it was 11pm on the Lido deck and that 15yo told the old woman off for hitting him with her cane and saying" You should not be out on deck at this time"...of course all of this would happen after the 15yo went up to the old lady and said "you are not being nice to the waiter"

 

Not to be rude, but ..... what "if". Whatever. My opinion has not changed.

5waldos- No, and ...?

[5waldos]

Not to be rude, but ..... what "if". Whatever. My opinion has not changed.

5waldos- No, and ...?

 

No and your understanding that these may be different does not mean that a 5 year old would. But hey- you wish to have 5 year olds telling you what you should or should not be doing- that is your decision. I would not find it amusing in the least. And if it had been my 5 year old, they would have been apologizing to the woman immediately. Two people being rude does not make anything right.

[Room Service!]

I was ONLY refering to the incident that the OP stated.

My opinion stands. The kid would have made me proud, ... in that instance.

As he matures hopefully he will know when to stand up and when not to.

I do agree that two people being rude does not make anything right, but I don't see the 5 yr. as being rude.

[5waldos]

I was ONLY refering to the incident that the OP stated.

My opinion stands. The kid would have made me proud, ... in that instance.

As he matures hopefully he will know when to stand up and when not to.

I do agree that two people being rude does not make anything right, but I don't see the 5 yr. as being rude.

 

Then we will have to agree to disagree.

[Room Service!]

We can do that. ;)

Hope you enjoy your cruise in 153 DAYS!

I'm leaving next Sunday!!! :)

[5waldos]

We can do that. ;)

Hope you enjoy your cruise in 153 DAYS!

I'm leaving next Sunday!!! :)

 

Thanks- I know I will! And you too- a week! Wish I were going in a week for sure.