Unattended Children

For the past several months, but especially since school got out last week, we are having a lot of young neighborhood kids come into the cafe without their parents. Sometimes they buy nothing, sit down and linger. Other times they come in with a dollar and try to haggle with us. Some of them come in, buy a slice of cake and leave, but it freaks me out that they look no older than 5. A lot of them just want a glass of water and will come in up to five times a day wanting a new cup. (This we somewhat dealt with by charging a quarter and telling them to keep their cups.) Occasionally, they come in and are CLEARLY just trying to get their hands in my employee's tip jar.

I am not even talking about teenagers. Some of these kids I know for a fact are no older than 6 years old, and a few are likely even younger. My first concern is where are these kids’ parents? Some of them even come in after dark on school nights. In the past, I called the police when two sisters, ages 4 and 6, were coming in by themselves and I was worried about them, based on the distance they said they traveled alone. But that TERRIFIED them, and I hate to do that. However, I don't usually see them alone roaming the neighborhood anymore.

I really don't mind if a couple of the older ones (meaning at least 12) come in, buy a cookie and hang out, as long as they aren't bothering anyone (although it is a bit much after 4 hours). But some of them are really becoming a problem.

I wondered if anyone had any recommendations. I suppose one option is to post a sign that says "No children under 16 allowed in without being accompanied by an adult." But I hate to do. And some of them are so young; I doubt they even know how to read. Or they would be too small to see anywhere that I had posted a sign. Suggestions?

In the past, I called the police when two sisters, ages 4 and 6, were coming in by themselves and I was worried about them, based on the distance they said they traveled alone. But that TERRIFIED them, and I hate to do that. However, I don't usually see them alone roaming the neighborhood anymore.

And some of them are so young; I doubt they even know how to read. Or they would be too small to see anywhere that I had posted a sign. Suggestions?

I'd stick with calling the police. If a kid can't read, he/she shouldn't be roaming the streets alone.

I would think posting a sign like you discussed would be very appropriate and a smart thing to do. Set the age at whatever you are comfortable with. You may also want to discuss the issue with your insurance carrier, I'm sure once they enter your store you are in some ways liable for them. Posting the sign might help limit your liability. After all you are not in the babysitting business.

For minimum wage and any necessary bail money me and my trench coat will come hang around outside. Shouldn't take more than a few days and the problem will most likely solve itself.

Seriously...If it were my place, I'd just start yelling at the little lawn monkeys...Someone needs to since obviously their parents don't give a rip.

"Children under the age of ... not allowed unattended."

Like it has been mentioned, check on a sign. If people have a problem with it, then they are either not a parent or bad ones.

Unaccompanied children will be sold into slavery.

Sort of like a human scarecrow eh Steve?

In CA any child younger than 10 MUST be accompanied by an adult. Always. My brother left my daughter in the car while he ran in to return a movie. She was about 8 and it seriously took him all of about 5 minutes. Cop was waiting for him when he got back with a ticket.

I've been recently disturbed by seeing a number of young (maybe 9 or 10 year olds) kids walking long stretches of road late at night in the dark. What's wrong with people?

Hi Jessica,

We used to have a similar problem when we were at our old location in St. Matthews, on the corner of Wallace Ave and Wilmington. We had a lot of 12 year old skateboarders that would come in the afternnon and ask for water and free chips and anything else they could get out of us. We put an end to it pretty quickly. We explained to them politely that if they wanted to hang around in the restaurant that they would have to purchase something, and not just some small chips but something substantial. I made sure our employees knew what to say and how to say it. We also monitored them very closely and if they would become rowdy, we asked them to leave.

As far as 6 or 8 year old are concerned, I think you should ask them where their parents are and that they should come back when they are accompanied with someone older.

For minimum wage and any necessary bail money me and my trench coat will come hang around outside. Shouldn't take more than a few days and the problem will most likely solve itself.

This made me laugh out loud Steve. I love reading your insights!

Definitely put a sign up and then tell them they're not allowed in without a parent present under a certain age.
Sad that people seem to not care where their children are. I live in sleepy Simpsonville, but there is no way I'd let my 8-9 yr old traipse around unattended.
How about the 6 yr old that's been to the Portland Beer Depot twice this week? Once he was naked. 2nd time he went was last night. The mom said she left her 12 yr old to watch siblings 6, 3 and an infant

"Unaccompanied children will be given a shot of expresso, a chocolate donut, a puppy and sent home"

It is a serious problem all over. You should talk to your insurance agent and lawyer about the liability if one of the little darlings gets hurt in your store and ask what you can do to prevent it. Signs proably would be good. I understand you are concerned about calling the police, but you probably got those kids the help they needed, since the parents apparently have no clue.

When I ran a restaurant and kids kept coming in trying to get water, free pizza (some of the little buggers would try to get any uneaten pizza before we bussed the tables!), ect., I asked them for their name, address and phone number. If they asked why I said I was calling parents to pick them up and if the parents were not availiable, I would call the police, since it was obvious they were abandoned. None of them came back. We had kids in all the time in the summer since we were about the only place that sold pizza by the slice at lunch, but the regulars knew if they acted up, they were not allowed to come back. Some of them would actually run off the moochers before we saw them!

try to get any uneaten pizza before we bussed the tables!

This is really a tangent from this thread but I never understood why places cared if people did this. It's less you have to throw out.

This is really a tangent from this thread but I never understood why places cared if people did this. It's less you have to throw out.

Because no human being should be forced to survive on food from garbage cans and empty tables, Go to a Mission. Go to a Shelter. Don't try and live off the streets IF it's possible you're able to get help from something other than a half-eaten piece of pizza.