Had a client like that come in today. Mom, dad, and 2 kids. The one kid (3?)was fairly quiet and reasonably behaved, stayed in mom's arms the whole time, no issues there (surprising). The other.....well lets just say I hope they never bring him again.
First thing in the door, dad has the dog who is dragging out the retractable leash all over and the guy has NO control over it. Then the p.i.t.a. kid (5?)comes in and promptly kicks off his crocks in two steps as he's walking in the door. Mom follows holding the other child and never even notices the shoes even though she darn near tripped on them coming in. The now shoeless kid is wandering all over the place, dad is being dragged around by the dog who now has the leash fully extended and tied around a chair, the mom is busy intently looking at the bulliten board while the shoes remain just inside the door for some other client to trip over or their dog to chew up.
I call them into the room, make mention that the child will have to put his shoes back on. The dad kinda drags the dog towards the room, while hollaring over his shoulder that the mom needs to get the child's shoes. Mom goes to get the shoes, then just holds on to them while going back to look at the bulliten board and the shoeless kid is still wandering around all over the place.
I say to the dad again that the kid HAS to have the shoes back on. At this point he drags the dog back to mom who is still totally oblivious to anything else going on to tell her what I said. Then she finally corrals the kid to put the shoes on while dad drags the poor dog back to the room. Eventually mom and the now shod child are in the room as well.
When we went in to examine the dog the previously barefoot child is all over the room, under foot, crawling under the lift table, banging on the walls, and screaming, which is scaring the dog we're trying to examine. The parents for the most part completely ignored this. Finally the kid must have gotten in the way enough that dad moved him back towards them more. At which point the child lets out a blood curdling scream "NO", the parents LAUGH at this!! Then the child quite plainly screams "I hate you" and KICKS his dad, HARD!
Do you think the parents lectured him, spanked him, told him to stop, told him sternly not to kick people?? NOPE The dad laughs and says (in a sweet sing song voice) "awww you don't hate me, you love me and you're just mad".
WHAT????I can guarantee you if I had EVER kicked my mom and screamed 'I hate you', I certainly wouldn't have gotten a sing song response and a laugh!!!!
I see this too often at work. Kids kicking, and punching the parents, screaming bloody murder, and wantering all over and the parents seem totally oblivious to any of it and don't do a single thing to curb the behaviour!! Rather sickening actually.
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