Random Thoughts From Marybeth

For the Sake of Their Other Customers' Health, I Hope the Store Doesn't Apologize

A two-year-old girl was branded a thief by Woolworths staff after she helped herself to a pic 'n' mix sweet during a shopping trip

Isra Khan was with her mother Aishah, 23, when she grabbed the 20p false tooth-shaped sweet from a shelf and popped it into her mouth.

But within moments a member of staff at the store in Blackburn, Lancashire had stormed over to Mrs Khan and, in front of stunned customers, said: 'That's theft.'

The mother thinks that the employee is the one who behaved badly. She doesn't seem to think that there's anything really wrong with her child reaching into a display of unwrapped candy and complained that it was only a "20p sweet" and she didn't know that taking it was wrong.

I don't think that age two is too young to be taught to look and not touch but if this woman thinks her child is too stupid to learn this then why didn't she make sure the children weren't within reach of temptation? Also, one piece of candy may not cost much but if everyone who came in the store felt that way and took a piece it would begin to add up.

When the article quoted her as saying, "'I've got three children aged three and under and you can't have your eyes on each of them every second," I did not think to myself that one must have self control to teach it. Honestly. Never crossed my mind.