"Drama" at Brooklyn Heights Starbucks results in a really long blog post

A summary of the incident, which probably goes down every day at least one Starbucks across the country: A Brooklyn Heights Dad got a smack on the head from another Starbucks patron. Allegedly, the smacker felt that the smackee was not parenting properly by ignoring his fidgety baby while waiting on a latte. (Slow news day? Yes.) || Read "Dad slapped at Starbucks; Brooklyn Heights justice or just plain crazy?"

Comments

[Venti Urnex Latte]

Jim, parenting is a blood sport in that part of town.

[Tiredofthis]

Although I don't condone this behavior, there have been many times I wanted to slap parents for not taking care of their kids.

[me myself and I]

Not caring for a baby and leaving him outside a store, safe and buckled up, are two totally different things.
And sometimes caring for your baby can mean caring for yourself first (e.g. as in getting a little treat), so you can face the baby's temper tantrums better, without being tempted to smack the baby.
They are little angels and little devils all at the same time. As an outsider you only get a snapshot of what is going on.
I only realized that after having kids myself. I wish I would have known earlier, I wouldn't have prematurely judged so many parents trying to do their job.

Anyway, smacking someone else is never ever acceptable, except they are in some kind of shock and stopped breathing and you try to get them to breath again.
Or if they smacked you first...

[ericiidx]

Why slap the father when the source of aggrivation is the baby? What was this guy's problem; not enough balls to slap an infant?

[exmontague-bucker]

More to this than the article mentions. I spoke to the partners at the involved store today ( I'm an ex-partner transfered to a different store in the Brooklyn North district.) According to them, the dad was struck because he made a scathing comment about the angry customer having problems with his child crying.

[Umm...really?]

So I guess all kindness is gone in this world. If I saw a Dad or Mom with a baby I would offer to help them if they needed anything. We all need a little help sometimes, I know I have sen some of the most kind people do such great things for others without asking for anything in return, instead of getting mad at the baby and dad (or whatever the situation was) why didn't the Slapper ask the dad if he'd like a little help so the dad could tend to the baby while the slapper grabs his drink for him. People are so rude these days!

[behindbj]

Umm...really? - umm...really? While I don't condone what the guy did (there is no excuse for slapping the guy, period - even if he apparently ran his mouth when asked to deal with his kid), I also don't condone the "he/she is JUST A KID who doesn't know better!" garbage people spew when asked to deal with their misbehaving children.

They will NOT know any better as long as their parents don't teach them. In this case, it was an infant and the guy was apparently getting his coffee to go. So folks need to just suck that up and deal with it. Really - how long was that unpleasantness going to be anyway? 10 minutes? Had the Dad decided to sit awhile with a cranky, crying baby - another story.

I am a fully funcioning member of my global village. I offer help, try to have patience and deal with people as people - including children. However, sometimes parents forget that they have a responsibility to the rest of us to make sure that they remember that WE exist.

And there is an ABSOLUTE difference between a parent trying to deal with a situation and one who decides to ignore it because they're "used to it." The former gets all kinds of slack and perhaps an offer to help (like "can I grab your coffee for you>"). The latter gets contempt.

In this case, though, folks should just deal with it for the short, unpleasant period it lasts, and then go merrily on their way with a happy smile and a cup of caffeine.

Kindness is not completely dead. It just often takes a back seat to perceived entitlement and inconsiderate behavior.

[me myself and I]

"Kindness is not completely dead. It just often takes a back seat to perceived entitlement and inconsiderate behavior."

Welcome to your Starbucks in 2009!

[Basic Black]

My issues have never been with people who actually bring their children into the store.

As a barista, I have had several "Parents" ask us to make their drinks first because they left their children in the car.

Hello? There are several DRIVE THRU starbucks in town.

Crying kids don't bother me. Looking up and seeing someone holding a small dog or cat at the drink handoff area sort of grosses me out.

[Bothwhere]

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[slimming pills]

Its look so weird that to hit adult kid in front of someone else.Its too much difficult for adult kids' parents to understand their needs and its also difficult to manage them at this age.But slapping them in front of other is not the only solution of this.You should understand them and try to solve it with love and care.Good luck.

[S]

This is kind of unrelated, but I don't like it when parents come with their kids to Starbucks and only order for themselves... and that happens pretty often. There are plenty of kid-friendly drinks.

[how to pleasure women]

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[handbagswholesalegirl]

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[Betty @ Purse Party]

I don't see a reason for him to hit. He could have just told him nicely what his problem was. And if it could not be resolved, hitting is never the solution.

[gossip]

Its too much difficult for adult kids' parents to understand their needs and its also difficult to manage them at this age.But slapping them in front of other is not the only solution of this.You should understand them and try to solve it with love and care. best of luck