So my day job is an Assistant General Manager for a local hotel. It's a fun job but it can be taxing at times. Case in point.
We had a middle school hockey team and their parents stay at our hotel so we're talking 10 to 12-year-olds. Now the kids weren't too bad but they had been at times obnoxious and rude. But they're kids with their friends. What really grates me are the parents who either A) don't care about what their kids do because they're getting drunk (and yes, they're getting drunk) so I have to act as a babysitter or B) become combative with me BECAUSE I had to yell at their kids for acting like little assholes.
So, I had told the kids two days ago not to play football in the parking lot and when asked, as kids often do, I went down the laundry list of reasons. "You'll damage another person's car. You could be hit by a driver in the lot that does not see you." This is pretty common sense stuff right? I mean, you don't want to be paying for damages to another person's car because your threw a football, do you? Or, yeah know, DIE.
Yesterday I saw a couple of the same kids run outside with a football after speaking to one of the parents. I asked the gentleman to tell the kids they couldn't play football in the parking lot. He goes outside and about five minutes later he comes back and asks "What about in the empty parking lot next door? Can they play over there?"
"No sir, they can not. That lot is owned by the ownership next door." I replied.
At this point, the gentleman grumbles under his breathe "ridiculous" and then proceeds back over to the table he was sitting at and makes a few more sarcastic and snide remarks about how "that's the law" and "he's in charge". What's worse is that I'm getting ready to leave for the day and as I walk outside, guess who's playing football in the parking lot? The same damn kids I told this guy to stop. AND they're throwing the ball around a couple of cars. ARGH!
I really just don't know anymore.
-Respectfully, DJ
We had a middle school hockey team and their parents stay at our hotel so we're talking 10 to 12-year-olds. Now the kids weren't too bad but they had been at times obnoxious and rude. But they're kids with their friends. What really grates me are the parents who either A) don't care about what their kids do because they're getting drunk (and yes, they're getting drunk) so I have to act as a babysitter or B) become combative with me BECAUSE I had to yell at their kids for acting like little assholes.
So, I had told the kids two days ago not to play football in the parking lot and when asked, as kids often do, I went down the laundry list of reasons. "You'll damage another person's car. You could be hit by a driver in the lot that does not see you." This is pretty common sense stuff right? I mean, you don't want to be paying for damages to another person's car because your threw a football, do you? Or, yeah know, DIE.
Yesterday I saw a couple of the same kids run outside with a football after speaking to one of the parents. I asked the gentleman to tell the kids they couldn't play football in the parking lot. He goes outside and about five minutes later he comes back and asks "What about in the empty parking lot next door? Can they play over there?"
"No sir, they can not. That lot is owned by the ownership next door." I replied.
At this point, the gentleman grumbles under his breathe "ridiculous" and then proceeds back over to the table he was sitting at and makes a few more sarcastic and snide remarks about how "that's the law" and "he's in charge". What's worse is that I'm getting ready to leave for the day and as I walk outside, guess who's playing football in the parking lot? The same damn kids I told this guy to stop. AND they're throwing the ball around a couple of cars. ARGH!
I really just don't know anymore.
-Respectfully, DJ
I am glad I do not work there. I don't know how you do it DJ. You must have an incredible amount of patience. I worked with the public for one summer and I just about went crazy.
It does require a TON of patience. The problem with the field is that people in general get worse and worse and the job becomes more and more taxing. It's ridiculous. That's why I want to be a writer.
Being a writer sounds like a great thing to do. You would be able to be alone with your thoughts and your computer. People skills not required lol.
It's a sad fact that anyone can have children. I recently blogged about basically the same topic, except the idiots I refer to are the parents at my son's school.
I can also relate to your position. I used to waitress, and I recall all too well the insanity that is costumer service. I think everyone should have to work a job of that nature at least once in their life. Then, perhaps, people would reconsider their behavior.
People are so oblivious to how things really are. My sister is six and I get to see how parents of young children behave and it is very sad. I wish that people would appreciate the hard workers and let them do their jobs.
I've run into similar tiffs with parents at my place of work as well. These incidents usually involve a parent yelling at me about how much food their kid ordered. I'm sorry I'm not their babysitter; I'm just there to take their order. If they order a 12-inch sub and a large cheese fry, I'm not going to object; I'm just going to take their money. Haha. Stup parents.
I dislike the responsibility parents tend to place on employees whose job does not entail anything along those lines. Like Bethany said, all you can do is your job. You are not supposed to tell a paying customer what they should and should not do, regardless of their age within reason.
I had the same problem working at a restaurant. A little boy was trying to climb over the both to the couple sitting in the next seat. Worst part about it was how the parents were watching this whole time. I actually had to go over and tell the kid not to climb over the both in front of his parents. I hate having to always look like the bad guy in these kinds of situations. I know how you feel man, It puts you in an awkward position. The worst part was how when they left. For a family of six, I was only tipped $1.25 with a Chucky Cheese token. WHAT THE HECK? In all honesty, People really need to get their act together and think about others and the bigger picture!
I do not know why some people do not care about the welfare of others, especially their own children. I love how that makes you the bad guy for trying to protect them and do your job effectively.