First off happy birthday to you and it's a shame these unruly kids and their mum tried to ruin your day. However, this might be an opportunity for you to turn the tables on this mumzilla. I suggest that YOU contact your local TV station and tell them your side of the story first. As dragonfly dreams wrote, they might send down a crew to film you at work through the window with the notice on and it will give you great publicity and hopefully a great birthday present!

I work for an airline and believe me I have seen it all, Kids think the escalators are a fun way to pass the time running up them running down you get the picture, I have had to tell them for their own safety that this is not a toy and dangerous to do. The worst part is the parent is usually participating in the "game" I have two children and they were always told how to behave in public, did they sometimes act up , yes, but they would never behave as rudely as this ladies. You were perfectly ok with what you did> In fact I too don't know how you didn't proceed to march them back to their mother for their own safety> Don't worry about it she would look like a negligent mom if she tried to go to the news.

I have 3 kids... 6/11/14 let me tell you what... if they acted even REMOTELY like that I'd go bonkers.

We go somewhere and they are to act like ANGELS literally... or we don't take them anywhere.. if they get up arguing in the morning and we are scheduled to go somewhere we DONT go...

These are kids with parents who's parenting skills are lacking... kids are kids yes.. BUT.. PARENTS are PARENTS ... if ya have kids... then be a parent.. NOT a friend first..

I have a family member who's child is a spoiled ROTTEN brat... she is extremely rude.. and treats her mom horribly in public as well as family functions... more than once that kid has tried my patience and more then once I've laid the smackdown LOL on her. People are scared of their kids!!! Not I... never EVER EVER LOL

Ok so I'm having one of those days LOL

at our library the childrens librarian put up signs saying "unattended children will be given a puppy and a cup of espresso".

maybe try something like that but a little more drastic cuz it sounds like this lady doesnt care a hoot about what her kids do. maybe say unattended children will be locked up in a glass display case that you can bang on all you want cuz FOR GOODNESS SAKES THEIR MOTHER DOESNT MIND!!!

digressing again from original OP but this is sort of related...

[quote="cakedecoratingsmything"]at our library the childrens librarian put up signs saying "unattended children will be given a puppy and a cup of espresso". quote]

This made me laugh then I started cringeing because we probably did this very thing or its equivalent!!

We used to bribe the younger kids with a huge jar of 'traffic light' lollipops. If customers' kids started acting up out came this huge jar of lollipops (made their eyes pop out to see it).

The deal was that if they behaved and did not touch or fiddle or distract then they could have a lollipop when they left the showroom... It worked 99% of the time.

Of course in those days we hadn't linked food colourings and misbehaving! Ooooh - wonder how many parents found themselves dealing with a wild child when they got home...

Tonight on Nanny 911... People who eat peacefully while their children run wild threw the mall! Can Nanny Deb teach Mum how to behave? Will the children ruin yet another cake. Or will they all be sent to the zoo?

I babysit for a living and let me tell you what... Most parents find themselves aloof to what their children say and do. When did it become ok to say Poo and pass gas at the table then giggle and repeat it over and over? I've only just begun with these 3 children that need to learn manners because their parents forgot how. It was funny just last week I came in at 8:00 and the mom said "how do you do it? Yesterday when you left, 5 minute later they were all running wild!" I just smiled and told her manners go a long way. My children are 20,19,14 and I have a 3 year old grandson and not one of them acted like monkeys in public.

Oh Miss C....
Had I been there, I would have walked out there, grabbed them both by the ear, and drug them off to their mama. You know me, they'd have had a firm talking to.

I don't think she has enough gumption to take any of this to the local news, but after reading what everyone else said, I'd agree, wait for the news to show up. When they do, you walk out and sell sell sell the bakery and how fabulous it is. Make her look like the idiot she is for letting her wild children run free. Oh and if it's Channel 5 that comes.. let me know, I have a friend from NW who is one of the new producers over there.

Is the sign still up? I'd say leave it up, or make a really fancy one to place in the corner of the window that says "no touching the glass, work in progress" or something to that effect.

Keep the sanity.

Yup: child in seat behind me on the plane was kicking my chair for at least 15-20 min. I finally turned around looked the precious little darling in the eye, a beautiful-looking little girl by the way, and firmly and politely asked her to stop. She may have kicked my chair one more time later by accident, but she did stop and I had a peaceful flight. Honestly, I didn't even look for a parent since after so long I could safely assume there was no responsible adult nearby (granted they were probably sitting next to her). I felt some people were probably angry at me for talking directly to the child, but I had the rest of my 3 1/2 hour flight in peace.

Oh, come on now, seriously?

She thinks she is going to take a sign that says "Please don't bang on the window." to the news and they are gonna be interested?

Common sense says please don't bang on the window.

People at the news are gonna laugh her out of the building IF! they pay attention.

Some people.

Tell this loon that you could have invited them in and handed them a bag of icing to eat and then return them to her all hyped up. So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Tonight I am making my dh's birthday cake. I am just starting it and it is 11:30 p.m. It is just a refrigerator cake so I don't have to decorate it. Whip cream and chocolate cookies sandwiched together.

First, Happy Birthday!

Boy, what a read this thread was! I remember reading an article printed in our newspaper out here about a woman who complained about someone reprimanding her children--I think they were asked to leave a restaurant because the child, or children were out of control...anyway, long story short, she thought she would get a lot of sympathy from the public but the overwhelming response to the article was not in favor of the mother---a lot of people out there (me included) have suffered the misbehavior of little darlings (the fault of the parents).

So...it will be interesting to see if her complaint actually ends up in the news...I think she's in for a rude awakening. Oh yeah, I also believe if this happens, as has been stated in this thread, it will be a boon for your business. You owe no apology to this lady...my sympathy are for her little misguided and...ahem...unsupervised children.

I've got two of my own, grown now, so I know its possible to control behaviors...mine weren't perfect, but they would have got about one pound on a window before getting a little attitude adjustment from me...

Let us know if it ends up in the news and we'll all respond on your behalf!!!!

well, I live in your area and I have never heard a story like this is the news: "bakery fined for traumatizing screaming children." I am sure you have nothing to worry about. Think of it this way...free publicity! I will keep an eye out for your story on fox 5!

BTW...the responses are cracking me up!!!

Kansaslaura, love your comments!!! Couldn't stop laughing!!! Everyone at my house is in bed!

cakecoratingsmything, loved your comments to!!!

these kids were definatly not autistic.

That reminds me of a sign I saw in a little gift store while I was on vacation recently - - "Unattended children will be given sugar and a puppy and then sent home."

She is probably one of those parents that also let their children use the railling in fast food restaunts and such as gymnastic equipment and then get upset when they fall off.

Don't pay her any attention.

I have 5 children and would never let them behave like that! I can't stand people who think their children never do anything wrong. I bet if her kids were banging on her window at her own home for even 10 min she would say something to them....what makes her think that no one else has the right to teach her children right from wrong? She's obviously not, so someone has to.

I don't agree at all with slamming/name calling the kids as some of the posts have done. They are being taught/molded by the parent so I think all the slamming should be going towards the mother for letting her kids go wild and not doing anything about it. I do agree, however, with letting her go to the news and I would encourage her to do so. Free advertising is free advertising no matter how it comes about. The news people would likely look at ther like she was CRAZY!!! Worth a shot though. She is just trying to get something for free. I would adress her issue and reply that there will be NO FREE CAKE coming her way and explain how her kids were behaving as I am sure by the sounds of it she saw nothing wrong with what they were doing. Maybe direct her to a Parenting 101 class nearest her!!!

First Happy Birthday!!!

Second sorry this has happened to you.

This is one of my biggest pet peeves, and its not the childrens fault!
Children only know what they are taught, and they are apparently being taught to do what ever they please regardless of other people.
I have 3 kids myself (5,3,2) and yes kids can act up at times, but you know what, its my responsibility to supervise, raise and at reprimand them. I am the parent after all. And if a stranger in public ever had to get onto my kids for their behavior I would be so embarrassed and I would apologize to them, not the other way around.

This lady is nuts, she is one of the parents that when her kids do something wrong it will always be the other persons fault, not her childrenâs.
Meaning these kids are going to grow up and never take responsibility for their own actions.

Had my kids been banging on the window I would have marched them up and made them say sorry and then took them home, no cake for them, thatâs a reward for misbehaving, who rewards that?

I had to tell some boys the other day at the pet store not to pick up the guinea pigs, as they stood right next to the sign that said, âdo no pick up the guinea pigsâ and they were 10-12 so they could read the sign, they just choose to ignore it.

Sorry so long, it just really annoys me that I bust my rear to teach my children manners, morals and respect and yet they are surrounded by others who make no attempt at this.
It just makes it that much harder when they see kids their age who donât have to wait in line, who get candy when they throw a fit at the grocery store, who say ânoâ to their parents, and who can bang on the glass but they canât.

Why wait for the news to show up. Did you say she called? Does your phone have caller ID? Contact the news yourself and give them her number for her side of the story. (Honestly, the gall of some people. She deserves a little of her own medicine.)

Really, I doubt they would be at all interested in the story if it came from her. (And I have a journalism degree.) But if you presented it as Momzilla harassing your business, it sounds a little more interesting. If they are hurting for news, they just might bite. And yeah, a GREAT way for free advertising.

There was a brand-new restaurant around here (granted we don't get much real news around here) that posted a sign something to the effect of "Well-behaved children welcome." The news ran a small story, and wouldn't you know it -- lots of free advertising. Most of the online responses were in favor, but there were a few folks who got outraged. Sheesh -- you would think they would have posted a sign that kids would be caged or something. How much do you want to bet they were THOSE parents -- the reason for the sign in the first place?

I owned a retail pool supply store, and we had a small demo in-ground pool in the showroom. We regularly had issues with misbehaving children who would try to remove the safety fence, throw things into pool, etc.--even with signs posted to warn parents. It became our standard policy to ask the parents of the misbehaving child "do you wish to address the situation or shall I?" Said with a smile of course.

My reply to this lady would be "oh please do go to the TV- I need the free advertisement."

The woman is a blow hard. How assinine to sit by and let them bang on your window and then 2 weeks later complain to you like that about your hurting their feelings. Geez. It's equally assinine to think she'd actually go to the media about it. You have nothing to worry about. I'd hang up on anyone calling with such nonsense.

This is how it goes at my house. If children come over and start doing something they shouldn't I give the parent first chance at doing something about it. If they don't I DO. I also have a pool. I'll say something first thing if a kid does something they shouldn't around my pool. Actually, if we aren't going to be swimming I just shut the gate that leads to the pool, so the temptations are removed. I take NO chances.

I raised three children. They were taught manners and respect. The rules of behavior were the same at our house or someone else's. My 2 granddaughters are being raised the same. A few years ago my dd started doing play days with an old high school friend and her kids. First they came to my dd's house. It was a nightmare what the mother was willing to sit by and let her kids do. My dd didn't allow it and it made for a not so fun play day. The first time dd and the girls went to the friend's house she was told right away "okay, the first rule here is "THERE ARE NO RULES". My dd was astounded by this announcement. She had to inform her good friend that her girls would be expected to observe the same rules as they did at home, no standing or jumping on furniture or tables, etc etc, all of which this gals kids did. The friend was not raised to be wild, and yet she has two children you can barely stand to be around because of their behavior. It's just amazing. What are some parents thinking when they neglect to teach their kids how to behave well, at home and in public!! Do they even consider what kind of adults they are teaching them to be? Or that they may not even LIKE their kids when they're adults?

I thank God I was raised with loving discipline. I am thoughtful and respectful of others, I love people and you can take me anywhere! Really, just try me! I can say the same of my kids and grandkids. The worst thing we've ever done was get hysterical giggles in public a couple time and once in church, but that wasn't our fault.

I don't care if this sounds like I'm tooting my own horn. I'm happy to be
a well adjusted nice person.

And someone mentioned something about people being mad about you talking directly to a child. I smile, wave and talk to children all the time. There are always parents/adults around them when I do. I always pay attention to people who talk to my granddaughters. Kids need to be treated like people too, otherwise how do they learn to interact with others. Some don't stand a chance with their parents.

Amen CarolAnn!

I would tell her:

"It unfortunate you feel this way. However, your children were misbehaving and since you did not address the issue, I handled the situation so I could continue my business.
If you wish to contact the media, please tell them to reach me at xxx-xxx-xxxx. This is the most convenient number to reach me and I know that as responsible journalists they will want to speak with me as well."