DEAR ABBY: I have worked in various retail places for many years. I am surprised at how some parents allow their children to run amok in stores and fail to teach them how to behave in public places.
When this happens, and there's a danger of them running into tables and customers (I have seen it happen), should the employees say something to the children? Or should they notify the manager about the disruptive children, and let the manager talk to the parents or the children? Should it be announced over the intercom that children need to stay with their parents?
What's the best way to handle this common problem? A place of business is not a playground. Dignified paying customers who are there to support the business are offended by the lack of discipline some children are allowed to display. -- PAYING CUSTOMER
DEAR PAYING CUSTOMER: If you take it upon yourself to "correct" the inattentive parent, the person is sure to become defensive. A better way to handle it would be to point it out to the manager of the establishment and let him or her deal with it, because if someone were to be hurt on the premises, there could be legal implications.
P.S. If the children are running around a restaurant, they could trip a server carrying food to a table and cause not only a mess but real harm.