The Only Thing Getting Paid Should Be Respect

(I’m a female grocery store bagger in my early 20s. Whenever parents go through my line with their kids, I talk to the kids about how being a parent is the hardest job in the world. We give free snacks to kids ten and under. I have added a spin on this by telling the kids older than four that the rule with the free treat was that they have to help their parents with the groceries. If they don’t, the parents will tell us and then they won’t get the free snack next time. A sweet older lady and her grandson are getting a few things. I start by telling the kid that I’m glad he is there to help deal with the groceries.)

Kid: *looks at me in confusion* “I’m not going to help.”

(I then start bagging, and the kid walks up to me as his grandmother works on paying. I talk to him about how it wouldn’t be that bad if he helped, and then he replies with something like this:)

Kid: “I only help my grandmother for money.”

(I’m so shocked at how mean the kid’s reply is about helping his sweet grandma that I stare in pure shock for a few seconds.)

Me: “Did you really just say that you’ll only help your grandmother if you get paid? That’s horrible!”

(The kid realized what he’d just said, told me, “No,” and started looking ashamed. I’m glad the kid realized how horrific it was to do that to his grandmother, and I hope he learned his lesson.)