Thursday, March 4, 2010

The cookies were worth it.

The other day the boys and I joined some MOMS Club friends at a tour of a local grocery store. This particular branch of the local company is rather new and still "fancy", so I was looking forward to maybe finding out more of what they have to offer.

Joining us were 4 other moms, 2 with 2 kids, 1 with 1, and 1 with 3. Our tour guide was a very nice lady, J, and she started by saying that this was the youngest group she'd ever given a tour to - the oldest was 4 years old. But she spoke to their level, and the kids had a good time even if most of the information went over their heads. We got to see a little cake decorating demonstration, go into the back storage area, the freezer, and the cooler. There are 500 varieties of cheese at this particular store! That is just insane to me. They even have their own cheese-specialist. How do you get THAT job?

The kids also got quite a bit of loot: a donut hole, sucker & sticker from the bank, helium-filled balloon (with a weight, thank goodness!) from the floral department, and a cookie at the end.

But Miss J, the tour guide? Either she was a few nuts short of a trail mix or she seriously thought that we were a daycare. And as one mom pointed out, that would be one upscale daycare, since the ratio of adults to kids was 1:2!

Here are some of the pro-daycare comments:

"Now you can tell your mommies that you were back there!" (the cooler for dairy products)
"Do you want a carnation to take to your mommies?" And then she brought out the flowers - wrapped in one package, which she handed to one of the moms.

I think there were a couple other things, but these especially stuck out. Afterwards, us moms were visiting about this, and we couldn't see how she'd think these weren't each our own kids, since we had referred to ourselves as "mommy" when dealing with our offspring...and I know MY kids don't look like me (I COULD be a babysitter for all that), but at least 2 of the moms have kids that look related. WHAT was Miss J thinking?

Is there another rationale for those comments?

Random question: What's your favorite department at the grocery store? As in, which one are you actually excited about getting to on your trip?

6 comments:

Stacie said...

My favorite isle has to be cereal. I could eat it for every single meal...there are just so many yummy choices :)

Noel said...

We've heard about that cheese department you mention and plan to go there some day. Even though it is only, like, 10 miles away, we are more likely to first end up at the Tillamook cheese factory on the Oregon coast this summer where some of those cheeses come from. (We can even get them in our part of town.) Note to self: we should get an Oregon wine prior to the cheese factory rather than after. Dairy is good.

KSchatz said...

The bakery section..where they have the decorated cakes. It lets me know that while I may not be at their level..my cake(s) wouldn't completely stick out as being "amateur".

Suzi said...

Sometimes I think the daycare thing is just so ingrained into people's heads, that everyone does it.

One time I was with the kids at McDonalds in the evening. They were excited about the happy meal toys and were running back and forth between me and the toy display. (Btw, they were not in the way of others there.)

This woman got a kick out of their laughing and running and said how cute and such and then said, "Boy, isn't daycare supposed to wear them out?"

I just thought her comment was a bit odd.

Why would you automatically assume they were in daycare?

I like your story though, that's funny. Sometimes people can not see the obvious.

Melissa said...

Could be worse: a guy recently asked myboys if they were enjoying their day out with grandma. I was the onlyone with them.

Thanks for the idea. I'm setting up agrocery store tour for my moms club.

Lyz said...

Stacie - Can't do it. Can't eat cereal for any meal but breakfast. But you go right ahead!:)

Kelli - I saw your wedding cake. I think you'd be hired.:)

Suzi - People just assume that all kids are in daycare, I guess. Maybe that will change in the next generation?


Mel - Was this person about 12 yrs old? Or out of their mind? You do NOT look old enough to be a grandma, and only an idiot would say something like that anyway. Hopefully you set them straight and they'll think twice the next time.