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User Rank: Newbie
Joined: 10/16/2008
Posts: 20
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I took my children to McDonald's last night. It was really busy inside because the drive thru was closed down due to the delivery truck blocking it.
As we were standing waiting for our food. This little girl, probably about 4 came in with this lady. I do not think she was her mother, maybe grandmother but not really sure. The lady gave the little girl $2 and told her she could get her own food--but in a not so nice tone. The little girl said she wanted a happy meal. The lady snapped at her and told her she was not spending all her money on her just so she could have a happy meal. I looked at the price. It would have cost her $1.50 more. As they were standing there, the little girl went to hold the ladies hand. The lady snatched her hand away from her and snapped, "Leave me alone. Don't touch me." The little girl told her she was just trying to hold her hand and the lady just looked away in this starring gaze. The little girl went back to rolling and unrolling her dollars. She did not say anything. Just stood there.
My daughter was watching this with me. She looked at me and put out her lip as if she was pouting. I said, "I know. How said is that?"
I wanted to go an just give that little girl a hug. I looked to see if I had enough change. I was going to give it to the little girl so she could get a happy meal. I didn't though. My daughter thought I would make the lady mad.
Ya know, I can understand maybe not having enough for a happy meal. I have told my kids before we can go to McDonald's as long as we order off the $1 menu. What I have a hard time dealing with--is this little girl just wanted some affection.
What would you have done? Would you have stepped in? or just ignored it?
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User Rank: Newbie
Joined: 10/15/2008
Posts: 36
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I would have said something. She is just a kid. I know it is hard to not be able to give your child something they want,and I know how sometimes the way kids behave can upset a person. But this lady was cruel not just rude. I would have asked her "Do you love this child?" and "if so why treat her this way." It makes me want to cry just reading this. I mean you are never promised tomorrow,and I would never want to be in that woman's shoes. Gosh I will say a prayer for that little girl tonight.
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User Rank: Intermediate
Joined: 10/3/2008
Posts: 121
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Now that is a tough one. I know I have seen situations kind of like that and I can think of one time in particular when my husband and I were at some store and the child was not asking for anything just trying to talk to the parent which the parent yelled at the child to shut up. I was on the same isle as the 2 and told my husband in a load enough voice for the woman to hear me that people have no business treating children that way and should pay more attention to the childrens needs. Needless to say she walked off with the child and I heard her on the next isle over tell the child she was sorry for telling her to shut up and started talking to the girl. There have been other times I just smile at the child and say nothing, because I was told as a child to stay out of others family business.
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User Rank: Moderator
Joined: 9/24/2008
Posts: 275
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I must admit that's a tough question. You know something? At the risk of being called a meddler, I'd probably give the little girl the money so she could have a happy meal. What the lady would think of me is less important than making a little girl happy.
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User Rank: Newbie
Joined: 10/6/2008
Posts: 77
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That breaks my heart. No 4 year old child shouls be treated that way. Even if the child was naughty before coming in to McDonalds. It's crazy. Not so much not being able to get a happy meal- but the holding the hand part. I would have cried. I'm not sure what I would have done other than just stare at the lady- Mean stares too. So she knew that I thought she was a putz! How sad is that!
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User Rank: Newbie
Joined: 10/16/2008
Posts: 20
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It really does still bother me. The little girl was so cute and was being really well behaved. My 4 year old was running around the McDonald's --from the happy meal toy display to me..LOL This little girl was just standing in front of this lady--playing with her money--not really saying a word. Even when she asked for the happy meal. She just said, "Can I have a happy meal?" She was not all hyper about it.
I wish I had have the money on me to give to the little girl. I counted my change but I didn't have enough. 
I just kept wondering what her home life was like.
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User Rank: Newbie
Joined: 10/6/2008
Posts: 77
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What a sad story. I would have just left the money with the cashier for the little girl- or said to her what would you like and bought it. You know RAOK (random act of kindness). If I had the extra money.
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User Rank: Intermediate
Joined: 10/3/2008
Posts: 125
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That's a very sad story--it's breaking my heart just thinking about it, but I'm with you, I don't now how I would have handled it. I tend to talk to anybody and everybody, so I might have remarked to the woman about how well behaved the girl was to see how she (the woman) would react. If she was nasty and vile, then I don't know. If she was fairly nice, then I would have offered the pocket change and tell her it's "pay it forward" day.
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