https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 20:01:22 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669537 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:49:23 +0000 Honeybee 669537@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Maysprout: I would just describe the situation (your LO is scared of him and he's hard to communicate with) and ask the manager if s/he can help. If the guy is always there, there might be some employees who have learned how to handle him and can maybe help with the communication issuess, too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669535 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:48:06 +0000 mrbee 669535@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Maysprout: I would just say, this one person has been trying to touch my daughter's face while I shop here and recently followed me to my car. I'm becoming uncomfortable shopping here, and was wondering if you had any advice or suggestions for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669516 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:33:44 +0000 Maysprout 669516@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For those of you who say speak to a manager, what do I say? One of your regular customers - the big guy in the black parka - is nice but I still feel creeped out, what's his deal?<br /> I'm not sure how to phrase it nicely since he hasn't really done anything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669478 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:13:32 +0000 ladyfingers 669478@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would just start shopping somewhere else. I wouldn't talk to the manager, because if this guy is harmless, I would feel terrible if he got a talking to or was banned from the store, especially if he is mentally disabled in some way. But that's just me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669251 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:55:59 +0000 dagret 669251@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Maysprout: if he's there all the time, I agree w @mrbee - the manager (or even some of the cashiers) have got to know his backstory. </p> <p>If he's intellectually disabled, his caretakers want him to encourage him to act within social norms - and will most likely be receptive if you phrase it gently. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669243 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:49:02 +0000 Maysprout 669243@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dagret: Another customer. He kept telling me he was working when he was pushing my cart but I'm not sure what he meant. He didn't wear a uniform or badge like other employees there and his outfit would have been very odd if he was an employee , so I'm not sure what he meant by working. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669201 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:11:41 +0000 mrbee 669201@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would ask the store manager for advice... he will probably tell you the back story of the guy and give advice on how to handle the situation! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669199 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:10:57 +0000 heffalump 669199@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does your grocery store offer help out to your car? I never get help out, but in this situation I would. I'd go to a line with a male bag boy so I know I have a man helping me out and walking me to my car and then this other man won't try to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669196 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:08:43 +0000 dagret 669196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Maysprout: is he an employee or another customer? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669195 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:07:33 +0000 Dandelion 669195@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with @Honeybee and @DigAPony. That guy would really creep me out. I would be firm, too, or at least get the manager to be firm for you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669177 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:57:07 +0000 DigAPony 669177@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would be extremely firm. This sounds like one of those situations where women often don't want to be perceived as rude, but it's not rude to demand that a creepy stranger leaves you alone, especially when you're with your child! </p> <p>I don't think any of your kind explanations will work. The next time he comes near you, ignore him and push your cart a little fast--walk very purposefully away from him. If he follows you, stop and say firmly, "Please stop following me. Stop following me"--as many times as you need to. Don't let him follow you to your car. Keep repeating firmly, "Stop following me. If you do not stop following me I will contact a manager and the police." Follow through if necessary. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669127 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:29:16 +0000 Foodnerd81 669127@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like @Honeybee: 's idea. I think gently explaining it to him won't cut it. He probably is completely harmless, but you just hear too many crazy things and it's better to be safe than sorry. You don't want to be a jerk and yell at him, since it sounds like he just doesn't understand that it's inappropriate, but having a bagger to come out to the car with you would probably help a lot. He will see you have help already, and you have a second person out there so you feel safer. So awkward. He probably is there a lot and that's why you keep coinciding with him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669093 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:19:34 +0000 Honeybee 669093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Can you talk to the store manager next time you're in? Just let the manager know what is going on and ask if a bagger can come assist you if this guy seems to be following you outside. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669082 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:16:02 +0000 banana 669082@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would probably feel the same way! Maybe you can gently let him know that your LO is going through a bit of stranger anxiety right now so it might be best to let her work through that before coming into direct contact with strangers? I don't know if he would get the hint though. I'm not confrontational so I would probably shop at a different store. haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669076 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:13:53 +0000 MrsRcCar 669076@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would try to make arrangements to shop either somewhere else or with some else. I watch way way too much tv. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669066 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:12:32 +0000 swurlygurl 669066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh man - that's a really awkward situation! I have no idea :(<br /> That would be the kind of thing to make me go to a different grocery store because I wouldn't know how/want to deal with it. I am so unconfrontational/awkward about stuff like that.<br /> Sorry!! :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-to-handle-this-situation-next-time#post-669045 Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:03:54 +0000 Maysprout 669045@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There's often this fairly large man who is at the grocery store when me and LO are there, even though we don't ever go at the same time. He's friendly but really big (not fat just big in stature) and he scares the crap out of LO. I'm not exactly sure what's wrong with him but there's something wrong with him, he has a really high voice and is hard to understand and always wants to touch LOs cheeks, which really freaks her out. </p> <p>So far I've smiled a lot, tried to explain that LO is a bit more scared around men and just agreed with whatever he was saying and moved on. But today he followed me out of the store, which made it difficult to push a loaded cart and LO climbing all over me because she was terrified. So he ends up taking the cart from me because he sees I'm having trouble and pushes it to my car. I asked him not to and told him I was fine but he kept insisting. When I got to the car I just wouldn't unlock it until he left but had to tell him about 5 times thanks but no thanks for his help. </p> <p>I think he's harmless and I feel bad for how firm with him at the end but at the same time he scares the poop out of LO, I don't want him touching her face and I don't want a huge man that I don't know in my car. </p> <p>So how can I handle this next time? </p>