Pardon My Poppet

Posts Tagged ‘Pip Squeaks (Pet Peeves)’

We drove up to Ottawa yesterday to miss the biggest snowfall of the year today.  The biggest mistake we made was to drive through the middle of  Toronto during rush hour.  What were we thinking!  And so, what should have been a 5 hour drive, turned into 8.  But we arrived safely ahead of the storm.  We settled into our hotel and when we woke up this morning…..nothing!  Not a speck of snow.  Not a speck until 3PM.  Then, over the last hour and a half we have encountered what must be akin to the Abominable Snowman’s favourite happy place!  And there is no end in sight!

We had lunch (well, really breakfast, but it was almost noon, after all, who said we were the world’s greatest parents?), then Papa dropped us off at the Rideau Centre.  Poppet and I had a blast!  We hit the LCBO (liquor store for all you non-Ontarians).  Wandered the stores.  Bought only 2 items (a wallet that will actually fit in my awesome Roots purse I got for my first Mother’s Day, and a red senators bracelet for Papa to replace the ugly rubber band on he wears on his wrist), grabbed a little fruit salad snack, and braved the huge snowflakes for a short 4 bus stop ride back to the hotel.

A quick call to my seeestah, Poppet asleep, and the next hour or so is all mine!  Well, okay, all yours, but you know I love ya!

Let’s have a chat.  I must admit, I was a little underwhelmed by the response to the news of us having to give away our pup.  I think one gentleman liked it on Pinterest, but that was it!  I’m wondering how many actually have pets in the home with toddlers?  I’m thinking it must be a lot fewer than when I grew up.  After all, taking care of a toddler is TOTALLY time-consuming!

Let me know, do you have pets?  Can you relate to having to part with a pet after a long time?  I’ve only had to put animals down in the past (I say ONLY, but really, it is the sole reason I don’t want any more pets after our bird is gone too – I love pets, but too hard to part with!)  It’s odd to know she is in someone else’s home.  I hope she is adjusting okay.  I still miss her.

Warmest regards,

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Dear Sir,

Thank you for the phone call I received from your Head Office in Mississauga regarding my recent poor customer service experience at one of your Toys’R Us stores. It was very kind of your representative to lay out the following policies for me. Since some of my readers may not be aware of these policies that Toys’R Us has in place I thought I’d help you by spreading the word.

1. Toys’R Us has a 45 day return policy. This is clearly stated on their receipts. The item must be in the same condition as when it was purchased. The gentleman on the phone was kind enough to explain to me that because I had opened the box, the Diaper Genie was no longer considered to be in the same condition as when I bought it. I explained that I had just returned an item that had some stitching coming out of it that I had already opened and had no issues. I was told that was different because the item was defective. I explained that the Diaper Genie was also defective. The gentleman on the other end of the line explained that was not the same thing.
2. The gentleman from Toys’R Us Canada Head Office asked if I was taken care of. I explained that Playtex (who had no part in this customer service issue) had indeed given me vouchers for part of the purchase, and that after Playtex had done this, then the district manager in Kitchener was willing to give me a gift card for the balance. Playtex really stepped up to the plate and filled in the gap where I would have expected Toys’R Us to take responsibility for their own actions.
3. I was also informed of Toys’R Us Canada’s policy to not accept returns of items that may have come in contact with bodily fluids. I told him that I fully and completely agree with this policy. I just didn’t know about it as I was not told about it when I bought the item (as the manager in Guelph admitted I should have been). The head office representative stated to me that Toys’R Us Canada’s policy is NOT to tell the customer about this policy UNLESS THEY SPECIFICALLY ASK ABOUT IT. I explained that I would never have thought to ask about this as it was my first baby, and my first Diaper Genie purchase.

I think you may want to do some taking stock of your customer service experience to make sure everyone is on the same page, and to make your policies clearly available to your customers so we can make informed decisions about where to spend our money.

If you should wish to contact me, I can be reached at: info {at} PardonMyPoppet {dot} com.

Warmest regards,

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Can some one tell me how this makes sense?  Major shopping chains graciously provide parking spots near the front entrances to their stores for handicapped and families with small children.  I LOVE these spots.  The issue I have is:  it makes absolutely NO sense to have the cart return area half way down the parking lot (in my local area I’m referring specifically to Zehrs and Walmart Supercentre).  When I finish my shopping I either have to strap Poppet into the car seat and leave her unattended in the van (freezing in winter or roasting in summer), or I have to unpack all the groceries and wheel her with me to the cart return (in rain, wind, snow, etc.) and then carry her back to the van.

Costco has a wonderful design.  Although they do not have parental spots, they position their cart returns staggered in the parking lot.  Some near the front handicapped spots, some near the middle, some near the back.  There is always a cart return within easy reach and within sight of your child.  I wish others would adopt this method.  Perhaps I’m just not practised enough.  How do you handle using the parental parking spots?

Warmest regards,

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As any new mom knows, you sign up for one mailing list in a maternity clothing store and you will receive samples for life.  I’m not complaining!  I really enjoy the surprises that come in the mail, the coupons, diapers, pamphlets, etc.  All great!  But there is one thing I CAN’T STAND!

I hate it when a company implies that if I do not give my child their product that I am not giving them a “healthy start” in life.  Often these products are filled with plastic vitamins, synthesized at the local “food” factory, fillers, loaded with sugar, and really, anything BUT healthy.

Don’t get me wrong.  As my La Leche League Canada leader likes to say “Formula saves lives”.  True!  But when did we become a society that without thinking, for the sake of convenience, will drop a packet of mysterious powder into a cup, fill it with water, and feel better that our child is being “nutritionized”?!?!  I’m referring more to the post-formula stage, where our children have the ability to chew REAL food.  Someone in a white lab coat with a beaker and bunsen burner hardly knows your child as well as you do, and certainly knows less than you do about what is best for your child.

So please, it really is kind, but skip my house the next time you do a mailing.

Warmest regards,

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Have you seen this ad yet?

By now you all know where I stand on the co-sleeping issue.  The City of Milwaukee apparently is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.  Now, I firmly believe in everyone having their own opinion and doing what is right for their own family (within reason, and taking all safety precautions), so I was shocked by the picture above.  Am I, who waited 13 years for a child, who would die for this child, really putting her in as much danger as giving her a large butcher knife, simply by co-sleeping under the strictest of preparations?  I find this hard to believe!  What do you think about the ad?  You can read the entire story as featured in the Globe and Mail and share your thoughts in the comments section!

Warmest regards,

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We basically live in hotels on the week-end.  We, meaning my husband, myself and Poppet.  Poppet is used to this routine and adapts to each one quickly.  We are often placed on what seems like a “children’s” floor in the hotel.  I can understand this, as children do inadvertently come with some noise in their day-to-day routine.  In the winter we often run into hockey little league teams, in the summer baseball, etc.  Beautiful families participating in activities as a family.

What is very frustrating is the constant noise we often encounter:  doors crashing against the locks they’ve been propped open with, children wildly running and yelling in the hallways, and the fact that these will re-occur for hours on end.  Where are the parents you may ask?  Often right in these same rooms!  I am finding more and more that the parents are seemingly completely oblivious, or engaging in the activities themselves.

What ever happened to the time when parents set the guidelines and rules for their children, let along *gasp* setting an example by their own actions?  Why must we talk to people in the hallways, or even have to call reception when that doesn’t work, just to get a good night’s sleep (that we are paying for after all)?

I’ll tell you what happened to them.  They are full-grown adults, whose character did not grow at the same rate as their physique.  They are the few adults who attend weddings, drink past their tolerance, yelling and banging different doors at 4 AM on a different week-end at another hotel we yet again are trying to, THE NERVE, sleep in while paying for!  If we don’t set the example for our children and teach them ourselves they will be at a social disadvantage themselves as adults, not reaching their full potential.  And the fault will not be completely their own.

Warmest regards,

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There was a restaurant in the news this summer for choosing to impose a ban on children under the age of 6.  In their opinion, younger children were causing too much of a nuisance for the other diners to peacefully dine.  I didn’t know at the time what to think of this, and perhaps still don’t.  My child has been in restaurants since she was a newborn.  Even on our recent trip out east she was taken to some very fancy dining establishments.  We always come prepared and clean up after ourselves when we leave.  And Poppet has been taught to use an indoor voice in certan situations and to be obedient.  I also fully understand that if she were to throw a fit, or be unruly, that it would be appropriate to leave so as to not disturb other patrons.

When Poppet turned 1, her Papa decided to take her and me on a date.  He booked one of the most highly reviewed restaurants in town and asked for a high chair.  When we arrived we walked into a beautiful, but empty front dining room.  We were greeted by the owner’s wife and escorted through the busy, equally beautiful back dining room and into a white walled, plain separate party room.  My husband stopped short, and having been caught off guard asked if we could sit in the main dining room.  The owner said we could sit at the back of the main dining room.  The owner’s wife said we couldn’t as there was going to be a business conference coming through to sit near to there and that the room was too busy.  (there were many empty tables not taken at the back).  She said we had requested to sit separate when we called (which we hadn’t).  We then asked if we could at least sit in the empty front dining room.  Uncomfortable at this point at having been segregated simply for having a child, we decided to leave and try to find alternative dining.

We ventured on over to Spice11 in Guelph’s downtown area.  They had an equally beautiful decor compared to the restaurant we had just left.  They warmly greeted us and escorted us to a table in the main dining room.  They quickly brought a high chair and did everything to provide a perfect evening.  The host and manager came over and interacted with our daughter and even took a picture of our family for us.  We thoroughly enjoyed our evening, and the meal was superb!  Upon leaving I mentioned to the manager the experience we had just had at their competitor, and how wonderful they had made our evening by making us feel so welcome.  He said that their motto was that everyone who walked through the door were to be treated like family.  We certainly felt it during the entire wonderful experience!  If you are ever in Guelph, please take a moment to visit them.  You’ll be glad you did!

Warmest regards,

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