I know because I'm a parent

Sundays are supposed to be family day but I have no choice but to go to work since in our industry you cannot have a fixed rest day, no regular family day. Some families stay at home and have a hearty lunch then be glued in front of the tv for some entertaining. Some go malling and window shopping with their kids in tow. And no matter how crowded the malls are these families never fail to be in attendance. As a parent, and a new one for that matter, I really want what's best for my child. I know parents only want their kids to enjoy their childhood and have great memories and stories to tell when they grow older. Whether these memories take place in a park, mall, in the province or even in school. That is why I found it really troubling when last sunday
at work we encountered a very unusual family, actually a very unusual set of parents. I was having a meeting with my assistant manager when one of my barista approached our table and informed us that there's a very horrible smell in one area of the store, in the smoking area. Some customers apparently asked if we have a comfort room because they smell something really bad. Since we don't have a comfort room, Marvin, my barista together with the security guard investigated where the stench was coming from. And voila! A kid, a girl, around 9 years old pooped there in the smoking area, beside her parents' table. The parents, both of them were busy typing in their laptops, oblivious of what happened to their child. I told Marvin to give the mother newspaper so she could pick up her child's poop. Because I for one would not let any of my baristas pick it up since we are handling food. And to everyone's surprise the mother did not budge and ignored Marvin and continued to type relentlessly in her laptop. Eventually since they would not clean it up the guard volunteered to pick up the poop. And the child , with poop on her dress sat on the table adjacent to her parents and scattered some of her poop on the clean chair. I mean, hello! This is your daughter! She is not even a toddler anymore! How can you let this embarrassing situation happen to her? And okay, it's done, she pooped already, how can you just ignore her and not teach her the right manners such as wiping up and cleaning herself. She is 9 years old for crying out loud! In 4 years time she will be a teenager already. Is this the kind of memory you would want to imprint in your childs' mind? That on a sunday, on a family day, my parents left me behind to fend for myself, in a place where most people gather to enjoy, have coffee with friends and family and have the best of that day. If both parents were doing office stuff I don't give a damn, it is not a matter of life and death. If they wouldn't want to be disturbed they should just left their daughter at home with the yaya. And if they don't care at all they shouldn't have decided to have one in the first place.