Toy Store Owner Shames Parents Who Leave Their Children Unsupervised In Her Store

A toy store owner has taken to social media to shame parents who leave their children in her store.

While having children play with products is all part of the parcel of being in the toy business, Ginette McGee, 44, said that a worrying number of parents treat her store like a crèche, leaving their kids unsupervised.

Credit: Facebook / Ginette McGee

She explained in a Facebook post that went viral in May 2015 that unsupervised children present a huge problem for staff, who are not trained to work with them and have no contact details should something happen.

But perhaps most worryingly of all, some of the children left are still in diapers.

"It's not a crèche, my staff have other jobs to do," McGee wrote on Facebook. "They leave their kids on our premises, say to the kids 'back in a bit, stay here'. We don't know these children and we don't know who to contact if something happens.

"The youngest ones are between 18 months and two years old."

Credit: Beth Levendis via Time Out

It turns out that McGee's experience is far from an isolated one too.

"I have heard from other people in the toy industry, and this is a surprisingly common problem in toy shops around the country," she continued.

"I will be speaking to both police and social services as to the best course of action."

Credit: toytownseaford.co.uk

Social media users were quick to agree with McGee that it's totally irresponsible parenting to leave children unsupervised in a toy store:

"Some 'parents' need to realize it is a shop, not a babysitting service, what the hell is wrong with people?" wrote Samantha Washer. "No need to be polite about it, next time just tell the so-called parent the police would be called if you can't even look after your child. Seriously some stupid people out there."

Credit: Pexels

However, some believed that the toy store owner was going too far by getting the authorities involved and that parents could be doing their kids a favor by encouraging them to be independent from an early age:

"I understand the sheer inconvenience to the shop and staff at having young kids left for a bit, but police and social services, seriously? This is the perfect place for kids to start learning to be independent. Do you want them to be stuck to your apron strings until they're teens?"