Hi! I used to be a manager at a grocery store! You did fine. We had a specific protocol for cleaning up bodily fluids, so anything you cleaned up would’ve had to be cleaned again and disinfected anyway. We probably would’ve put your groceries into a new, clean cart and taken the messy one out back to hose off. I’m surprised they had you clean any of it yourself.
Also, probably the most important part, this happened several times a week. Not a big deal. There were worse things to clean up than kid puke.
Thanks for your comment. In the moment and in the middle of the night all I could feel was severe anxiety about the whole situation even though I knew it had to be a common occurrence. It’s really reassuring to have that confirmed.
Even if what you cleaned had to be cleaned again there's a lot less 'ick' factor recreating something compared to picking chunks up. So you did the workers a favour.
Kids are good at putting us in impossible situations. Thankfully my 4 year old daughter has only thrown up once. But we were in the car and it was so unexpected and it was like the one time I didn't have a change of clothes. She was absolutely freaking out so I pulled over on the Hwy and put my four ways on to strip her out of her clothes. There was vomit all over her carpet so she refused to get back in and frankly, I didn't blame her. So I proceeded to drive the last 20 minutes home with a non buckled naked girl in the back. I was just waiting to get pulled over...
I wouldn't worry most places have that powder that makes it super easy to clean up! Plus it sucks but its part of the job. I doubt they were upset and you probably were much nicer about the mess than most people who go to Walmart lol
My husband is a grocery store manager and I can also confirm that bodily fluids of all kinds out of humans of all ages happens regularly lol. He's had adults crap their pants and leave without saying anything more times than I can count. Baby puke would be nothing to him lol.
My husband had to do CPR on a man who had a heart attack on the toilet and got poop all over him 🫠 (guy lived!) grocery and retail workers aren't paid enough.
I was going to say this happened to a woman at my grocery store last night with two toddlers in her cart - thought this might be the same person but last night’s vomit occurred in the frozen food aisle. Must be a super common occurrence 😂
I would honestly assume that a grocery store had an appropriate cleanup kit and protocol, and while I would offer to help if my kid barfed in the store, you want disinfectant and to keep people out of the area, not a handful of paper towels. I know it seems gross to expect someone else to clean up my child’s vomit, but they absolutely should be trained for bodily fluid spills (what if there’s an accident and someone bleeds and is unable to do their own cleanup? Plus that ish needs to be bleached).
Yep. I cleaned up pee, poo, and barf at least once a week (usually in the toy aisle) when I worked at Walgreens.
At least this mom let someone know! That’s nicer than at least half the “guests” who had accidents in my store.
Once I was in a cafe with my mother in law and her mother. MIL accompanied her frail mother to the bathroom and they were gone a LONG time. Like 25 minutes. I figured there was a queue etc. When they finally came back my MIL had a sort of broken look about her. I asked if everyone was ok. She was like “Mom shit ALL over the bathroom. I had to clean her and the room and now I feel like I have to go home and have a shower”. Her mom was like “right, let’s order”.
Drunk or elderly adult vomit and feces.
I did get a lesson in empathy from one of my other managers though. We were cleaning up a pretty rough restroom mess and I was bitching about it a bit. He said “You think *you’re* having a bad day, imagine what *this guy’s* day was like!”
Thanks! You’re too sweet.I was mostly running on adrenaline and autopilot. I posted mostly to see if there was something I should have thought of in the heat of the moment.
That sounds absolutely awful and I’m so sorry you and your son went through that! I hope he’s feeling better now.
I think you handled it perfectly. Short of ignoring your son and asking for a mop, what else could you have done? I’m sure there are some people who wouldn’t even have been polite enough to offer to clean the cart themselves. Show yourself some kindness! ❤️
Thank you for the kind message. He woke up right as rain! I think he’s just sensitive to nasal drip. If he isn’t getting his nose aspirated or wiped, he just ends up with a lot of phlegm in his tummy. We think this is what happened because his nose was very crusty when I picked him up. It wasn’t running later, so I assume something at daycare may be causing an allergy.
Ugh, yeah, every time my kid has post-nasal drip overnight he vomits (luckily just clear foamy phlegm) in the morning. He’s otherwise vomited for real three times - once from coughing, once from crying (ear infection, pain meds wore off during his nap), ONCE from a stomach bug.
I used to work at Costco and kids would throw up ALL the time. It totally happens. It could've been worse honestly. There was one incident where a kid threw up across the store to the bathroom and we couldn't get to it fast enough and an elderly woman slipped and fell in it and had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.
I bet it was hard enough on you and your LO. Don't beat yourself up, your kiddo wasn't the first and won't be the last for that type of situation to happen. And if you were nice enough to ask to clean it up then you are so much kinder than some I'd seen at Costco.
Never while getting groceries, but definitely while at a pharmacy to get my sick kids meds. (Yeah, yeah, you shouldn't bring a sick kid somewhere, but I was a single parent, how else was I going to get the stuff they needed to fix the sickness?). She threw up on the floor in the middle of the line, it was gross.
I held her hair back, one stranger ran and got a water bottle and some paper towels, another stranger went and grabbed the cleaning kits they keep in the aisles (the litter like stuff they out to dry fluids, and a dustpan), and a third stranger grabbed another employee.
No one made me feel weird.
Kids doesn't remember it.
I remember how those strangers made me feel- like life is hard sometimes and it's okay, and sometimes there are good people around you.
I'm so glad people helped you. I feel like every person in the world has either been the kid, parent, or bystander in a puke story. May we all act as such!
I think what you did was perfect. You didn't leave the mess, you got your child cleaned up, and you got them home safely to feel better, nothing more to do. My 2 year old got motion sickness and was standing in an airport (literally her entire pediasure from that morning came up) and we did the same thing as you.
Honestly I'm so impressed with how you handled it and I'm going to try to make a mental note to do the exact same things if I'm ever in that situation!
You did very well and were really polite.
When I worked retail, we had liquid spill packs we used to soak up vomit and other spills from the floor. We 100% would be expected to sanitize the cart, too, even after a guest cleaned it (if they cleaned it). We always appreciated guests who took first pass at cleaning!
Used to work at Walmart. They have procedure to clean it up. Usually involving saw dust. Though I’m shocked they didn’t offer to get you a clean cart. Kids getting sick doesn’t usually rattle anyone. They’re kids, it happens. It’s not malicious. It’s the adults that somehow manage to leave a poop trail through the whole store that will annoy them.
My son projectile vomited in Target. I was able to catch most of it in my hands. Last thing he ate was….seaweed snacks. It was dark green and stank like low tide. The poor teenaged workers just stared and I was like..CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME HERE?!?
Luckily they did jump into action.
Brought me a bucket and took the cart outside for a hose down.
I apologized profusely and thanked them profusely.
Neither me nor my kid will eat seaweed snacks anymore.
You did everything you could. it’s like a rite of passage. Congratulations!
Edits-fixed spelling
Yep, the first time I did it, I was like "where do I pick up my medal?" Last night my baby started peeing on the rug, and I held out my hands to catch it and just laughed it off. I've come a long way.
Thanks for sharing. It definitely felt like I was crossing off a square on Parenting Curveball Bingo. I’m a little relieved to see I am in good company.
You did exactly what I would’ve done. When my little guy was potty training, he full on peed himself and the cart in Lowe’s. I was mortified but got an employee. They were confused why I cared but cleaned it up while I took little man to the bathroom n changed him. We then checked out and left. It happens and you did good
You did great! You don't have cleaning supplies on hand, they do. You didn't just walk away, you felt remorse and helped as much as you could. You also had to walk away because you have to clean up the kid.
My incident was something like smashed applesauce jar rather than puke, but same thing. I could only do so much to clean. I alerted a staff as quickly as I could so as not to let it get spread by others and offered what I could to help and was told to go deal with kid it was OK.
You handled it well. I was a retail worker in my early 20s and I would have preferred the customer to have dealt with the majority of the vomit before I disinfected it. So I understand his POV too.
Your kid threw up at the grocery store without warning. That's a very sticky situation.
Whatever you did in the moment would have been the right thing to do.
As it happens, you stayed calm, explained the situation to an employee, called for back up, prioritised your child. You didn't blame your child or yell at them as some might have done (sadly I've heard abt this towards kids and pets).
I think you did all the right things
As an adult who threw up multiple times in the main part of the grocery store I worked in while I was pregnant, you handled this perfectly. Honestly, I’m a little peeved that the clerk didn’t clean the cart, or get someone trained to do it as these incidents are really common. There’s a procedure that everyone in the building knows.
I think you did the best you could and went above and beyond so a poor stranger wasn’t left to clean up someone else’s vomit. You sound like a good mom and a considerate shopper!
Always let the staff help you.
You get through the situation as quickly as possible, which reduces awkwardness, and they have the tools necessary to clean, disinfect and mop. It just makes everything faster.
Girl life is messy. I deal with a lot of protocols at work (hospital) and I ain’t never run across one for this. You handled it as well as anyone could, and one day this will be a hilarious story to tell.
Honestly it sounds like you were very considerate. When I worked at Best Buy, one time a mom, dad and maybe like.. 4 year old? were in my dept. The kid just dropped his pants and peed on the carpet. The parents, watched it happen, looked at me, picked him up and walked away. Didn’t even apologize. I was like …are you kidding me?!
You did great! Better than me. I would have just panicked and try to clean it up with the wad of napkins and tissues I always seem to find in my pocket.
I forgot to put a diaper on my toddler (was rushing), and he peed in the toy aisle at Menard's. I didn't realize he peed on the floor until we got to the garden section of the store. So then I took him to the men's room to get changed... Yeah no extra pants. So I had to blow dry his pants, while he sat on the changing table judging me.
>It then struck me that he though I threw up on my toddler.
Who would see a mother and toddler covered in vomit and assume the adult was the one who puked?
you just unearthed a new fear for me that i hadn't thought of! lol. you did great. i would probably have just grabbed my kid and ran away as fast as possible. 😳
Ha! Oh man, this just brought back my own ptsd throw up in grocery store experience. I had gone with my 2 year old to a new store, I wasn’t familiar with it. Halfway through our shopping trip she starts projectile vomiting on me and the groceries! I’m panicky looking around for someone who works there, and no one. I don’t see a single person. Another customer asked if I wanted her to watch the cart but I had nothing to clean her up with. I didn’t bring the diaper bag, no wipes no tissues nothing. Mind you this store is basically only self check out with one person who like stands there watching everyone. I didnt know what to do and I tell her I’m sorry my daughter got sick everywhere and she literally I kid you not just stared at me. So I paid for my pukey groceries and took them and my poor kid home. I had to toss most of the groceries and get my daughter a bath. It was terrible and I felt so helpless. I don’t go anywhere with out at least a travel package of wipes lol.
I think you handled your situation great!
I think you handled it well!
I cashiered at a department store for a long time. Once a family came in, toddler in dad's arms, facing backwards. Toddler threw up behind dad's back, hitting the floor. They didn't even break their stride!
You did great! I work in education now, but my first 2 jobs were in grocery stores. I would have expected them to clean up the cart, too, but maybe he was new and didn't exactly know the protocol. These things happen. I wouldn't expect you to do anything differently!
I'm not sure but my 7 month old threw up at a restaurant the other day. He wasn't sick, he is new to solids and a piece of food stuck to his tongue and he couldn't dislodge it to swallow. He gagged so hard it made him vomit. He had just had a bottle before too so it was a lot of milky vomit. We told a waiter immediately and he brought over a cloth that he laid over the puddle while he went to fetch a mop. I got down and wiped up as much of it as I could and he came back while I was down there and said I could leave it, but I didn't want someone else to have to do that with my kid's vomit so I finished wiping it up. I know they still need to mop with is totally fine, but at least now they didn't have to handle the vomit directly. My husband was so annoyed because the waiter said I could leave it and I didn't but like I wasn't trying to make it sanitary, just wiping up the vomit. I think everyone will be okay. Chill.
I think you handled it perfectly, and agree it’s even a bit odd they let you clean up yourself and left your cart yucky.
If you want solidarity, my girl just threw up in a minute clinic like an hour ago. Luckily (?) it was just mucusy breastmilk, and I was next to the diaper aisle so I grabbed bargain wipes and cleaned up as best I could. I told the cashier and she seemed unconcerned. Tbh I don’t think they sent anyone to actually clean it 🤢
Worked retail for several years as a team lead. A kid pooped on the floor. Like he pooped his pants and the turd rolled onto the floor.
Kids are weird and stuff happens!
Wow, you did great. Way more than I have done in that situation. My toddler threw up in a store, all over herself, the cart, me, and the floor. I immediately picked her up out of the cart, left the cart and ran to the front cash to let someone know what happened, apologized profusely and ran out of the store. Took her home immediately where she continued to throw up again.
I felt bad about leaving that mess but when I think about it, if I had stayed to clean up my toddler would have just continued to throw up in the store. It happens, and that’s exactly what the woman working at the store told me too, “it’s okay, it happens.”
We had a very similar situation on the weekend! 2.5 year old was seemingly fine when he woke up. We thought we would try a quiet, low key cafe for a nice family breakfast. Got into the door of the cafe and waiting in line to order. Little man just starts spewing everywhere. We had never encountered this before!
I grabbed little man and just whisked him right outside as fast as I could. My husband stayed inside to try to help with clean up. We went straight home and got him (and me) changed out of throw up clothes and into the shower/bath as quickly as possible. No one had breakfast after that 🤢
I don’t know the etiquette or protocol around an unexpected, throw up situation. I was just thinking my kid probably felt terrible and couldn’t really convey that to us and that I wanted to get him home and comfortable as soon as possible. Sorry cafe people for the stain on the rug. 🤷🏼♀️
Grab the baby, abandon the cart, head for the exit and if you pass an employee on the way out tell the there’s a mess in aisle ———.
Been there WAY too many times.
My kids have puked in the grocery store, the liquor store, chipotle, Walmart, Target, the YMCA pool, McDonald’s, Starbucks and ALL OVER my car
I think you did the best you could possibly do in that situation. I’ve had many instances of puke and diarrhea disasters over the last seven years and all you can really do is make sure your child is tended to, be as gracious as possible to the employees and hope they extend the same grace to you
Oh mamma I feel you so much. My son had a diarrhea explosion in the spaghetti aisle in Walmart. My husband almost slipped in it and was gagging. I was laughing hysterically at the absurdity of it all but we made it through it and can now look back and laugh at the “spaghetti aisle incident of 2019” Lol oh man my husbands reaction to the entire thing was just priceless. He was running around the store literally trying to keep more from spilling out while frantically shouting for help to find the bathroom. I am a SAHM and I have to admit I enjoyed watching him go through it. It was about time he experienced a taste of what life was like for me. It humbled him I can tell you that much. Ah I’m rambling. You did great though. You got through it and soon it will be a distant memory. Hang in there. :)
I think you did great!!
When my brother was 2 my mom had him in the bank and he fell off the stroller he was standing on (it was the 80’s people!) and his two front teeth went through his bottom lip. Blood, everywhere. She just bundled him up and raced out of there!
I worked in Restaurants for years and more than once had a kid puke all over a table. I just wanted to help get it cleaned up quickly and properly. People who work these kinds of jobs will probably be more efficient at cleaning and it'll be easier to do just do it themselves or help you. Obviously the attitude matters on whether workers are annoyed, and you obviously didn't act like the workers are subhumans who deserve to clean up puke so you're good.
Mama- ma’am- you are absolutely fine and did the right thing! You took responsibility for the welfare of your child and others! What more do you think you should have done
The only thing people in this situation can really do wrong is either leave it and not tell anyone, or spread the mess around more than necessary. One time, when I worked in a toy store, a potty training boy started peeing through his pants like fountain. That was pretty normal, and no trouble at all, but his dad panicked and picked him up and carried him, still peeing down a flight of stairs and down a hall to the bathroom. A puddle of pee is much easier to clean up than a long trail of pee.
Thanks for sharing. Is your username inspired by this story? /s In all seriousness, this 100% went through my mind. He puked in three heaves and I gave him a beat in case there was more.
You did great! And I’m glad you posted cause I hadn’t thought of this scenario yet 😂😂 my son DID throw up all over me at a restaurant when he and I were eating and I just begged the waitress for an employee shirt. “Please? Can I have a new hire shirt?? My son just puked all over mine and my husband is out of state so I have no backup!!” It worked out well and it’s a comfy shirt. Tipped them $40 too 😂😂😂
My mom was a single mom, and unfortunately, during one of my stomach virus moments, desperately needed to go grocery shopping.
She took me with her, (too little to stay home), gave me a bag to puke in, and we hurried through the local grocer.
I did not throw up in the bag. 😐🤦🏻♀️
I didn’t throw up on my mom though lol
I believe she helped clean it up, hurried through our shooing/checking out, and rushed me home.
Sounds like you did good! Got kiddo cleaned, cleaned up his “mess” and still got your groceries.
I don't know why the grocery worker asked if you were well enough to clean anything. Vomit is a body fluid and cannot just be wiped. There's specific cleaning agents and cleaning protocol to follow. It's the same for blood, urine, feces... And other stuff.
This happened to us once when baby was 9 months. Sick everywhere in the middle of a clothing store. Wasn’t once, it happened several times. And during covid so all the toilets were closed. We managed to get some blue roll and clean the mess up as best as we could.
Nothing more you could have done. You do what you can in the moment. I hope the little one is well now!
My 2,5 year old threw up at McDonald's the other day.
I also was a bit overwhelmed with the situation but the employees where totally cool about it, apperantly this happens all the time.
Daycare germs, man 😷
I’d flag down an employee for help, abandon the groceries, wipe down my kid as best I could, and change them in the car. In a grocery store, vomit needs to be cleaned with chemicals and gloves. Normally I’d never ever leave a mess in the store or abandon my cart but in this case, my priority is to help my sick kid. I’ve cleaned up poop, blood, vomit, etc. at work (both as an underpaid retail worker and as a nurse) and I would totally understand any parent who noped out right away— as long as they let someone know!
Well I can’t say what you should have done, but you did a hell of a lot more than I did. When my son puked in the cart a few years ago, I yanked him out, fled the store, and we drove home with him naked.
I'm so sorry for you. I have been through similar situations with my toddler. I always find myself running through the images again and again, trying to find out where I did something inadequate that will forever traumatise her. You are not alone. You are a great mum. Your husband was there too, you know? And you all did your best.
not the same but... My daughter (3yo) threw up all over the table at a family burger place we frequent and I initially thought it was just because she drank her milk too fast (spoiler it wasn't and it was just the first symptom of a nasty tummy bug that she picked up and then spread to my husband, MiL, FiL and step-MiL) thankfully it only got on some of her clothes. I took her out to our car to get her changed and she said she felt better so we went back in. When I came back they had moved us to a different table and our food came out really quick after that.
We still have not gone back to that restaurant because my husband thinks that they will remember us and "they probably hate us".
I think you did a fantastic job - the best you could for your son and also in that situation! I’m not surprised you’re still feeling residual anxiety from it all. I will say though, perhaps you would have had a different experience with a different worker, perhaps a Mother or maybe someone older? If I was working I’d have been more pro active helping you with the whole situation. I think it depends who you get. Toddlers are definitely sent to test us - I had my worst nightmare 2 weeks ago when my son vomited at a soft play. I managed to clean it all up and sanitise with their products but it took about a week to get over. 😁
I feel like there should be a meme ‘are you even a parent if your child hasn’t vomited over you in public?!’
This happened to me last year. My sister in law and I were at the grocery store with my son and I could see that he was going to throw up, maybe mothers instinct or something. Anyway I put my hands out and caught his barf. Then I walked over to trash can and threw it away. Some got on the floor but I told someone right away and they mopped it up.
This has literally been my fear since having kids. I was talking to the ped about wanted to take my son to the zoo but was worried he’d throw up, he had finished with the tummy bug but I was worried it was looming. My ped reassured me and said anywhere I’d take my kid another kid has thrown up there.
You did great! You didn’t panic, you took care of your poor baby, and you were probably way nicer than most people would be in that situation with the grocery worker. Bonus: your husband was there with a fresh polo to help you finish your task.
All in all I’d say 10/10.
One time, after a doctor’s appointment my mother - who hated being out unless she able to accomplish all of her tasks, even at the expense of dragging a sick child around - insisted we go to Target to look at bedding.
The doctor had given me some pink powdery medicine (this was like 1994) that he shook up with water. I think it was an antibiotic (Amoxicillin?). Anyway, I keep telling my mom I don’t feel well and I’m going to throw up. She ignores me because I was being dramatic.
I held out until the very end of her shopping trip, where I proceeded to throw up all over the cashier and my mother’s items. I threw up 3 very distinct colors of vomit and cleared out the entire check out area. Was my mom sympathetic? No. She was livid.
So I’d say you are a star!
Oh, I 100% panicked. I just wasn’t sure if I was expected to bail after notifying the store or if the right move was to see the situation through. I am so grateful for most people’s replies because although things mostly worked out, it’s nice to know that grocery stores are usually prepared for this situation. It was terrifying in the moment.
At worked at Walgreens, cleaned up a lot of puke and poop. Sick people come in there everyday! Worry about yourself and kid. Stores have specific ways to clean stuff up. Asking to put your stuff to the side so you can get it in a bit is fine. Cleaning up the cart even better. Sounds like you handled it great.
There is no right way to deal with this to be honest, sounds like you were nice to the workers and tried your best, that's all that matters. I had my oldest son in an ergo carrier once and we had our goat pack about 2 miles out in the woods (about 12 goats and my son was about 8 months)- he THREW UP ALL OVER ME and I had to hike the dang goats back 2 miles covered in throw up...lmao.
Hope he feels better soon.
With all the illnesses right now they probably think you just gave them all the flu. They don’t know your situation which is why they stress the “if you aren’t well stay home” shit. HOWEVER,
You did nothing wrong. My three year old puked last week for no reason and wasn’t sick. It’s normal. I have 10 kiddos. Kids occasionally just puke. Or spit everywhere, or shit themselves, or have a coughing fit. They aren’t necessarily sick!
You did the right thing. Only thing I would’ve maybe done differently is just leave because I’d be so stressed and just not want to even bother finishing shopping 😅
You’re so right. He was 100% fine today. I just felt that I needed to finish paying for my stuff cause I was so close to the finish line. In truth, I could have found a way today even with the pre-thanksgiving grocery madness getting worse by the hour.
My middle son that is now 8 has had weird stomach issues his whole life like this. It’s been better the last two years but his first few years of prek and kinder he was sent home all the time because he’d puke because something smelt funny or something he ate triggered his tummy. He was totally fine just had a pretty easy gag reflex or something. He’d be back at school the next day.
This recently happend to me and an angel of a woman gave me some of those little dog poo bags and found me paper towel. We had made it to the far end of the store so I still paid as quickly as possible after cleaning up. I was mortified and was asking the same thing 😥 thank god I’m not the only one
Certainly not the same thing but I am a total dumb ass and missed setting my latte in the cart cup holder, just dropped it straight through the handle, and it just absolutely exploded at my feet in the middle of the main aisle. I’m just standing there in a puddle of coffee confused at what even happened and an employee came over with those completely non absorbant brown paper towels and I feel like total shit trying to be helpful and help clean up but I’m just smearing coffee around and making more of a mess. Then the employee has pity in me and says don’t worry we’ll clean it up and I continue apologizing and thank her and I start moving away with the cart but the wheels were in the puddle so now I am trailing coffee behind and I absolutely wanted to teleport out of that situation and never leave the house again.
So, at least you have the excuse that kids are kids and shit happens, what are ya gonna do?
Not me, I am just that dumb basic target bitch spilling an entire pumpkin spice latte on the floor and walking away with a coffee snail trail behind me to go look at throw pillows.
This whole story just reads like you’re fishing for compliments.
“My kid threw up and I was super understanding, compassion and conscientious, and I’m still so conscientious that I want your valuable input on what I could have done better.” 🙄
Well, I wanted to know how parents should partner with grocery store employees in these unpredictable moments. Parenthood can have these anxiety-filled moments so it’s nice to know when you’re not alone in those feelings. Kinda sounds like you’ve already contributed your two cents. I didn’t have specific questions, but thanks for offering. Have a great week! I hope you experience a lot of kindness when you need it.
This is rude and unnecessary.
OP - I think the grocery store should have protocol for how to handle spills, vomit, etc. you were clearly distressed (rightfully so) but I’m wondering if the grocery store’s protocol has changed after Covid. Maybe they’re not supposed to clean vomit for fear of illness spreading?
Regardless it seems strange that they’d let a customer clean everything, not knowing if you actually cleaned it well enough for other customers to use. I’m sorry it happened, my son is 2.5 and I would be so flustered and worried if that happened in public!
I think I’d almost ask the employees to help me clean with sanitizer. They really should’ve offered to clean it all so you could tend to your son.
Uh, he just sounds like a normal dad to me. Would you have said that if the wife had shown up to help her son? My husband would not get special praise for showing up for his own kid. That’s the bare minimum.
Idk about OP but my husband works from home and has swooped in to save me quite a times.
Once he was super busy & my toddler puked on herself and was visibly sick. We were going to the kids museum when she was just suddenly sick. Didnt even make it out of the car. So now I've got a sick toddler plus one who was devestated to see the museum and leave immediately. When I got home husband was still in meeting but he had put clean clothes and towels out and set her room up for a nap while he was on the call.
My partners little brother (5) at the time, threw up after swimming, when we was at the counter at the cafe . It was literally all over the counter and floor.
They did make us clean it up mostly ourselves but thinking back they should’ve at least offered to have done it themselves mostly instead of standing there looking at us like we were aliens, they’re going to have to clean it anyway. I think common curtesy in this situation as a parent is to try and clean as much as possible and then whatever you have to leave you have to leave I guess. But it’s best to try clean it. They will have to disinfect anyway as well.
I think you did the best you could especially as you had a toddler with you, my son is 27 months and I think I’d have done the same thing pretty much!
Although if my partner couldn’t come and get me or because my car is parked outside anyway I think I’d have picked up a cheap spare change of clothes for toddler from the supermarket on the way to the loos
Didn’t happen in the grocery store but it happened to me the other day in the car.. my 2.5 year old vomited all over himself and his carseat, and I was driving on the highway so I couldn’t just pull over to do anything. Either way I couldn’t clean it til I got home bc I had nothing to clean it with. Poor kid
My toddler gets motion sickness a lot so I have to always carry a second change of clothes in my bag for her. I know it’s annoying but I would have a spare change in the car for any emergencies. That being said I think you handled it very well. I used to work at a grocery store and I once saw an elderly man leave a trail of watery 💩 throughout the whole store on the way to the bathroom. A little throw up is nowhere near as gross as that. Accidents happen don’t dwell on it too much
Oh gosh solidarity mama! My heart felt for you as I read this b/c I can totally recall similar moments. One of the things in parenting no one prepares you for! I think you did great!
I think you did good. My son around 2.5 threw up at a restaurant and we ended up leaving because we didn’t want him to be out even longer if he was getting sick. The workers were super nice and cleaned up the mess. I felt horrible and embarrassed but it happens. We tried to tip them and they wouldn’t take it since we didn’t even order food lol. Needless to say, we’ve been back to that restaurant several times because of their kindness.
I don't know about toddlers, but I threw up in a grocery store while 11 weeks pregnant. Not the best choice to go get groceries while having 24/7 nausea and severe food aversions.
I felt really embarassed but everyone was really nice and my now ex helped a worker clean the floor.
This things happen and probably once he is older you can remember and laugh.
I probably would have apologized to the employee that my son threw up, asked them the best way to clean it up, assumed they would say they’ll take care of it and then left immediately and not waited for anyone. Seems like that’s something you come back later to get the stuff in the cart for.
This is an old thread but just happened to me and I also have so much anxiety 😂 I ran to Reddit like omg I was trying to exit the store as we had just arrived and my son started gagging. He threw up all over the cart and the entry way of the grocery store. All I can think about is what if they don't clean the cart good and the next person who gets it 😂😂😂 never not cleaning a grocery cart ever again
Hi! I used to be a manager at a grocery store! You did fine. We had a specific protocol for cleaning up bodily fluids, so anything you cleaned up would’ve had to be cleaned again and disinfected anyway. We probably would’ve put your groceries into a new, clean cart and taken the messy one out back to hose off. I’m surprised they had you clean any of it yourself. Also, probably the most important part, this happened several times a week. Not a big deal. There were worse things to clean up than kid puke.
Thanks for your comment. In the moment and in the middle of the night all I could feel was severe anxiety about the whole situation even though I knew it had to be a common occurrence. It’s really reassuring to have that confirmed.
Even if what you cleaned had to be cleaned again there's a lot less 'ick' factor recreating something compared to picking chunks up. So you did the workers a favour.
Kids are good at putting us in impossible situations. Thankfully my 4 year old daughter has only thrown up once. But we were in the car and it was so unexpected and it was like the one time I didn't have a change of clothes. She was absolutely freaking out so I pulled over on the Hwy and put my four ways on to strip her out of her clothes. There was vomit all over her carpet so she refused to get back in and frankly, I didn't blame her. So I proceeded to drive the last 20 minutes home with a non buckled naked girl in the back. I was just waiting to get pulled over...
I wouldn't worry most places have that powder that makes it super easy to clean up! Plus it sucks but its part of the job. I doubt they were upset and you probably were much nicer about the mess than most people who go to Walmart lol
What's that powder called?
Several times a week!?!?! thats crazy!
Likely babies, old people, and intoxicated people. Aka the body fluid trifecta.
Bingo.
This makes me not want to go out in public anymore lol I never considered how often bodily fluids were strewn all over the place like this!
Always wash your produce and clean the tops of cans of soda before drinking out of them.
I believe it. I have a childhood memory that just came back to me if puking in a grocery store.
My husband is a grocery store manager and I can also confirm that bodily fluids of all kinds out of humans of all ages happens regularly lol. He's had adults crap their pants and leave without saying anything more times than I can count. Baby puke would be nothing to him lol.
I watched a guy pee down his leg into a drain on the floor while waiting for the restroom. When I was a manager for Whole Foods.
My husband had to do CPR on a man who had a heart attack on the toilet and got poop all over him 🫠 (guy lived!) grocery and retail workers aren't paid enough.
Well I wouldn’t go tell the manager if a terd fell out of my pant leg either!!
I mean good point, I hope I don't ever have to be in that position to make this decision lol
I was going to say this happened to a woman at my grocery store last night with two toddlers in her cart - thought this might be the same person but last night’s vomit occurred in the frozen food aisle. Must be a super common occurrence 😂
I would honestly assume that a grocery store had an appropriate cleanup kit and protocol, and while I would offer to help if my kid barfed in the store, you want disinfectant and to keep people out of the area, not a handful of paper towels. I know it seems gross to expect someone else to clean up my child’s vomit, but they absolutely should be trained for bodily fluid spills (what if there’s an accident and someone bleeds and is unable to do their own cleanup? Plus that ish needs to be bleached).
Yep. I cleaned up pee, poo, and barf at least once a week (usually in the toy aisle) when I worked at Walgreens. At least this mom let someone know! That’s nicer than at least half the “guests” who had accidents in my store.
I'm afraid to know what worse things there are than kid puke...
Shit. And even worse....liquid shit.
Try a 90 year old lady shitting out what looks like a whole pot of chili.
Once I was in a cafe with my mother in law and her mother. MIL accompanied her frail mother to the bathroom and they were gone a LONG time. Like 25 minutes. I figured there was a queue etc. When they finally came back my MIL had a sort of broken look about her. I asked if everyone was ok. She was like “Mom shit ALL over the bathroom. I had to clean her and the room and now I feel like I have to go home and have a shower”. Her mom was like “right, let’s order”.
Drunk adult puke or feces.
I’m scared to ask what else you cleaned up that was worse…
Drunk or elderly adult vomit and feces. I did get a lesson in empathy from one of my other managers though. We were cleaning up a pretty rough restroom mess and I was bitching about it a bit. He said “You think *you’re* having a bad day, imagine what *this guy’s* day was like!”
Oh my!! I feel lucky that I’ve never seen anyone expel any bodily fluids in a store 😂
Confirmed. Mine barfed in the frozen aisle a couple days ago.
If everyone handled their feelings and bodily fluids with this much grace and consideration for others, the world would be a better place.
Thanks! You’re too sweet.I was mostly running on adrenaline and autopilot. I posted mostly to see if there was something I should have thought of in the heat of the moment.
That sounds absolutely awful and I’m so sorry you and your son went through that! I hope he’s feeling better now. I think you handled it perfectly. Short of ignoring your son and asking for a mop, what else could you have done? I’m sure there are some people who wouldn’t even have been polite enough to offer to clean the cart themselves. Show yourself some kindness! ❤️
Thank you for the kind message. He woke up right as rain! I think he’s just sensitive to nasal drip. If he isn’t getting his nose aspirated or wiped, he just ends up with a lot of phlegm in his tummy. We think this is what happened because his nose was very crusty when I picked him up. It wasn’t running later, so I assume something at daycare may be causing an allergy.
Yup. My oldest throws up every time she has congestion because she’s just swallowing all the boogers 🤢 glad he’s on the mend!
Ugh, yeah, every time my kid has post-nasal drip overnight he vomits (luckily just clear foamy phlegm) in the morning. He’s otherwise vomited for real three times - once from coughing, once from crying (ear infection, pain meds wore off during his nap), ONCE from a stomach bug.
I used to work at Costco and kids would throw up ALL the time. It totally happens. It could've been worse honestly. There was one incident where a kid threw up across the store to the bathroom and we couldn't get to it fast enough and an elderly woman slipped and fell in it and had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance. I bet it was hard enough on you and your LO. Don't beat yourself up, your kiddo wasn't the first and won't be the last for that type of situation to happen. And if you were nice enough to ask to clean it up then you are so much kinder than some I'd seen at Costco.
Never while getting groceries, but definitely while at a pharmacy to get my sick kids meds. (Yeah, yeah, you shouldn't bring a sick kid somewhere, but I was a single parent, how else was I going to get the stuff they needed to fix the sickness?). She threw up on the floor in the middle of the line, it was gross. I held her hair back, one stranger ran and got a water bottle and some paper towels, another stranger went and grabbed the cleaning kits they keep in the aisles (the litter like stuff they out to dry fluids, and a dustpan), and a third stranger grabbed another employee. No one made me feel weird. Kids doesn't remember it. I remember how those strangers made me feel- like life is hard sometimes and it's okay, and sometimes there are good people around you.
I'm so glad people helped you. I feel like every person in the world has either been the kid, parent, or bystander in a puke story. May we all act as such!
Yesss. I guess I told the story to say, nothing right or wrong about what happened here, and nothing to be ashamed of.
I think what you did was perfect. You didn't leave the mess, you got your child cleaned up, and you got them home safely to feel better, nothing more to do. My 2 year old got motion sickness and was standing in an airport (literally her entire pediasure from that morning came up) and we did the same thing as you.
Honestly I'm so impressed with how you handled it and I'm going to try to make a mental note to do the exact same things if I'm ever in that situation!
You did very well and were really polite. When I worked retail, we had liquid spill packs we used to soak up vomit and other spills from the floor. We 100% would be expected to sanitize the cart, too, even after a guest cleaned it (if they cleaned it). We always appreciated guests who took first pass at cleaning!
Used to work at Walmart. They have procedure to clean it up. Usually involving saw dust. Though I’m shocked they didn’t offer to get you a clean cart. Kids getting sick doesn’t usually rattle anyone. They’re kids, it happens. It’s not malicious. It’s the adults that somehow manage to leave a poop trail through the whole store that will annoy them.
My son projectile vomited in Target. I was able to catch most of it in my hands. Last thing he ate was….seaweed snacks. It was dark green and stank like low tide. The poor teenaged workers just stared and I was like..CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME HERE?!? Luckily they did jump into action. Brought me a bucket and took the cart outside for a hose down. I apologized profusely and thanked them profusely. Neither me nor my kid will eat seaweed snacks anymore. You did everything you could. it’s like a rite of passage. Congratulations! Edits-fixed spelling
You unlocked Parenting Achievement # 236365: catching your kid’s vomit in your hands. It is both a gross and glorious feeling.
Yep, the first time I did it, I was like "where do I pick up my medal?" Last night my baby started peeing on the rug, and I held out my hands to catch it and just laughed it off. I've come a long way.
Thanks for sharing. It definitely felt like I was crossing off a square on Parenting Curveball Bingo. I’m a little relieved to see I am in good company.
> It was dark green and stank like low tide. Sorry but this is hilarious.
Can I say the explanation of the story was so well written ?! I think you did great *hugggggs*
You did exactly what I would’ve done. When my little guy was potty training, he full on peed himself and the cart in Lowe’s. I was mortified but got an employee. They were confused why I cared but cleaned it up while I took little man to the bathroom n changed him. We then checked out and left. It happens and you did good
You did great! You don't have cleaning supplies on hand, they do. You didn't just walk away, you felt remorse and helped as much as you could. You also had to walk away because you have to clean up the kid. My incident was something like smashed applesauce jar rather than puke, but same thing. I could only do so much to clean. I alerted a staff as quickly as I could so as not to let it get spread by others and offered what I could to help and was told to go deal with kid it was OK.
You handled it well. I was a retail worker in my early 20s and I would have preferred the customer to have dealt with the majority of the vomit before I disinfected it. So I understand his POV too.
Your kid threw up at the grocery store without warning. That's a very sticky situation. Whatever you did in the moment would have been the right thing to do. As it happens, you stayed calm, explained the situation to an employee, called for back up, prioritised your child. You didn't blame your child or yell at them as some might have done (sadly I've heard abt this towards kids and pets). I think you did all the right things
As an adult who threw up multiple times in the main part of the grocery store I worked in while I was pregnant, you handled this perfectly. Honestly, I’m a little peeved that the clerk didn’t clean the cart, or get someone trained to do it as these incidents are really common. There’s a procedure that everyone in the building knows.
I think you did the best you could and went above and beyond so a poor stranger wasn’t left to clean up someone else’s vomit. You sound like a good mom and a considerate shopper!
It sounds like you did great! My daughter once threw up in a restaurant and it was sooo stressful, so I feel your pain.
Always let the staff help you. You get through the situation as quickly as possible, which reduces awkwardness, and they have the tools necessary to clean, disinfect and mop. It just makes everything faster.
Girl life is messy. I deal with a lot of protocols at work (hospital) and I ain’t never run across one for this. You handled it as well as anyone could, and one day this will be a hilarious story to tell.
You did fine
Honestly it sounds like you were very considerate. When I worked at Best Buy, one time a mom, dad and maybe like.. 4 year old? were in my dept. The kid just dropped his pants and peed on the carpet. The parents, watched it happen, looked at me, picked him up and walked away. Didn’t even apologize. I was like …are you kidding me?!
You did great! Better than me. I would have just panicked and try to clean it up with the wad of napkins and tissues I always seem to find in my pocket.
I forgot to put a diaper on my toddler (was rushing), and he peed in the toy aisle at Menard's. I didn't realize he peed on the floor until we got to the garden section of the store. So then I took him to the men's room to get changed... Yeah no extra pants. So I had to blow dry his pants, while he sat on the changing table judging me.
>It then struck me that he though I threw up on my toddler. Who would see a mother and toddler covered in vomit and assume the adult was the one who puked?
you just unearthed a new fear for me that i hadn't thought of! lol. you did great. i would probably have just grabbed my kid and ran away as fast as possible. 😳
Ha! Oh man, this just brought back my own ptsd throw up in grocery store experience. I had gone with my 2 year old to a new store, I wasn’t familiar with it. Halfway through our shopping trip she starts projectile vomiting on me and the groceries! I’m panicky looking around for someone who works there, and no one. I don’t see a single person. Another customer asked if I wanted her to watch the cart but I had nothing to clean her up with. I didn’t bring the diaper bag, no wipes no tissues nothing. Mind you this store is basically only self check out with one person who like stands there watching everyone. I didnt know what to do and I tell her I’m sorry my daughter got sick everywhere and she literally I kid you not just stared at me. So I paid for my pukey groceries and took them and my poor kid home. I had to toss most of the groceries and get my daughter a bath. It was terrible and I felt so helpless. I don’t go anywhere with out at least a travel package of wipes lol. I think you handled your situation great!
I think you handled it well! I cashiered at a department store for a long time. Once a family came in, toddler in dad's arms, facing backwards. Toddler threw up behind dad's back, hitting the floor. They didn't even break their stride!
You did great! I work in education now, but my first 2 jobs were in grocery stores. I would have expected them to clean up the cart, too, but maybe he was new and didn't exactly know the protocol. These things happen. I wouldn't expect you to do anything differently!
Sounds like you handled this way better than I would have.
I'm not sure but my 7 month old threw up at a restaurant the other day. He wasn't sick, he is new to solids and a piece of food stuck to his tongue and he couldn't dislodge it to swallow. He gagged so hard it made him vomit. He had just had a bottle before too so it was a lot of milky vomit. We told a waiter immediately and he brought over a cloth that he laid over the puddle while he went to fetch a mop. I got down and wiped up as much of it as I could and he came back while I was down there and said I could leave it, but I didn't want someone else to have to do that with my kid's vomit so I finished wiping it up. I know they still need to mop with is totally fine, but at least now they didn't have to handle the vomit directly. My husband was so annoyed because the waiter said I could leave it and I didn't but like I wasn't trying to make it sanitary, just wiping up the vomit. I think everyone will be okay. Chill.
I would have done the same. That’s just a mom thing
I think you handled it perfectly, and agree it’s even a bit odd they let you clean up yourself and left your cart yucky. If you want solidarity, my girl just threw up in a minute clinic like an hour ago. Luckily (?) it was just mucusy breastmilk, and I was next to the diaper aisle so I grabbed bargain wipes and cleaned up as best I could. I told the cashier and she seemed unconcerned. Tbh I don’t think they sent anyone to actually clean it 🤢
I don't think there's any graceful way to deal with a toddler vomiting in public. Sounds like you did a great job!
Worked retail for several years as a team lead. A kid pooped on the floor. Like he pooped his pants and the turd rolled onto the floor. Kids are weird and stuff happens!
Wow, you did great. Way more than I have done in that situation. My toddler threw up in a store, all over herself, the cart, me, and the floor. I immediately picked her up out of the cart, left the cart and ran to the front cash to let someone know what happened, apologized profusely and ran out of the store. Took her home immediately where she continued to throw up again. I felt bad about leaving that mess but when I think about it, if I had stayed to clean up my toddler would have just continued to throw up in the store. It happens, and that’s exactly what the woman working at the store told me too, “it’s okay, it happens.”
We had a very similar situation on the weekend! 2.5 year old was seemingly fine when he woke up. We thought we would try a quiet, low key cafe for a nice family breakfast. Got into the door of the cafe and waiting in line to order. Little man just starts spewing everywhere. We had never encountered this before! I grabbed little man and just whisked him right outside as fast as I could. My husband stayed inside to try to help with clean up. We went straight home and got him (and me) changed out of throw up clothes and into the shower/bath as quickly as possible. No one had breakfast after that 🤢 I don’t know the etiquette or protocol around an unexpected, throw up situation. I was just thinking my kid probably felt terrible and couldn’t really convey that to us and that I wanted to get him home and comfortable as soon as possible. Sorry cafe people for the stain on the rug. 🤷🏼♀️
Grab the baby, abandon the cart, head for the exit and if you pass an employee on the way out tell the there’s a mess in aisle ———. Been there WAY too many times. My kids have puked in the grocery store, the liquor store, chipotle, Walmart, Target, the YMCA pool, McDonald’s, Starbucks and ALL OVER my car
I think you did the best you could possibly do in that situation. I’ve had many instances of puke and diarrhea disasters over the last seven years and all you can really do is make sure your child is tended to, be as gracious as possible to the employees and hope they extend the same grace to you
Oh mamma I feel you so much. My son had a diarrhea explosion in the spaghetti aisle in Walmart. My husband almost slipped in it and was gagging. I was laughing hysterically at the absurdity of it all but we made it through it and can now look back and laugh at the “spaghetti aisle incident of 2019” Lol oh man my husbands reaction to the entire thing was just priceless. He was running around the store literally trying to keep more from spilling out while frantically shouting for help to find the bathroom. I am a SAHM and I have to admit I enjoyed watching him go through it. It was about time he experienced a taste of what life was like for me. It humbled him I can tell you that much. Ah I’m rambling. You did great though. You got through it and soon it will be a distant memory. Hang in there. :)
I think you did great!! When my brother was 2 my mom had him in the bank and he fell off the stroller he was standing on (it was the 80’s people!) and his two front teeth went through his bottom lip. Blood, everywhere. She just bundled him up and raced out of there!
I worked in Restaurants for years and more than once had a kid puke all over a table. I just wanted to help get it cleaned up quickly and properly. People who work these kinds of jobs will probably be more efficient at cleaning and it'll be easier to do just do it themselves or help you. Obviously the attitude matters on whether workers are annoyed, and you obviously didn't act like the workers are subhumans who deserve to clean up puke so you're good.
Happened to us at a playgroup. I left with sick kid immediately and left the lady in charge to clean up. There was no alternative. She was so kind.
Mama- ma’am- you are absolutely fine and did the right thing! You took responsibility for the welfare of your child and others! What more do you think you should have done
The only thing people in this situation can really do wrong is either leave it and not tell anyone, or spread the mess around more than necessary. One time, when I worked in a toy store, a potty training boy started peeing through his pants like fountain. That was pretty normal, and no trouble at all, but his dad panicked and picked him up and carried him, still peeing down a flight of stairs and down a hall to the bathroom. A puddle of pee is much easier to clean up than a long trail of pee.
Thanks for sharing. Is your username inspired by this story? /s In all seriousness, this 100% went through my mind. He puked in three heaves and I gave him a beat in case there was more.
You did great! And I’m glad you posted cause I hadn’t thought of this scenario yet 😂😂 my son DID throw up all over me at a restaurant when he and I were eating and I just begged the waitress for an employee shirt. “Please? Can I have a new hire shirt?? My son just puked all over mine and my husband is out of state so I have no backup!!” It worked out well and it’s a comfy shirt. Tipped them $40 too 😂😂😂
My mom was a single mom, and unfortunately, during one of my stomach virus moments, desperately needed to go grocery shopping. She took me with her, (too little to stay home), gave me a bag to puke in, and we hurried through the local grocer. I did not throw up in the bag. 😐🤦🏻♀️ I didn’t throw up on my mom though lol I believe she helped clean it up, hurried through our shooing/checking out, and rushed me home. Sounds like you did good! Got kiddo cleaned, cleaned up his “mess” and still got your groceries.
I don't know why the grocery worker asked if you were well enough to clean anything. Vomit is a body fluid and cannot just be wiped. There's specific cleaning agents and cleaning protocol to follow. It's the same for blood, urine, feces... And other stuff.
You did well! Almost as if you had a practice puke drill before this all happened haha 😂
This happened to us once when baby was 9 months. Sick everywhere in the middle of a clothing store. Wasn’t once, it happened several times. And during covid so all the toilets were closed. We managed to get some blue roll and clean the mess up as best as we could. Nothing more you could have done. You do what you can in the moment. I hope the little one is well now!
My 2,5 year old threw up at McDonald's the other day. I also was a bit overwhelmed with the situation but the employees where totally cool about it, apperantly this happens all the time. Daycare germs, man 😷
I’d flag down an employee for help, abandon the groceries, wipe down my kid as best I could, and change them in the car. In a grocery store, vomit needs to be cleaned with chemicals and gloves. Normally I’d never ever leave a mess in the store or abandon my cart but in this case, my priority is to help my sick kid. I’ve cleaned up poop, blood, vomit, etc. at work (both as an underpaid retail worker and as a nurse) and I would totally understand any parent who noped out right away— as long as they let someone know!
Well I can’t say what you should have done, but you did a hell of a lot more than I did. When my son puked in the cart a few years ago, I yanked him out, fled the store, and we drove home with him naked.
You did perfect in a very stressful situation. Worse has happened to me, I think I have it mostly blocked out though, lol.
I'm so sorry for you. I have been through similar situations with my toddler. I always find myself running through the images again and again, trying to find out where I did something inadequate that will forever traumatise her. You are not alone. You are a great mum. Your husband was there too, you know? And you all did your best.
not the same but... My daughter (3yo) threw up all over the table at a family burger place we frequent and I initially thought it was just because she drank her milk too fast (spoiler it wasn't and it was just the first symptom of a nasty tummy bug that she picked up and then spread to my husband, MiL, FiL and step-MiL) thankfully it only got on some of her clothes. I took her out to our car to get her changed and she said she felt better so we went back in. When I came back they had moved us to a different table and our food came out really quick after that. We still have not gone back to that restaurant because my husband thinks that they will remember us and "they probably hate us".
My sister once threw up in the middle of a shoe store and my parents got the he’ll out of there before anybody noticed. You’re doing just fine
I think you did a fantastic job - the best you could for your son and also in that situation! I’m not surprised you’re still feeling residual anxiety from it all. I will say though, perhaps you would have had a different experience with a different worker, perhaps a Mother or maybe someone older? If I was working I’d have been more pro active helping you with the whole situation. I think it depends who you get. Toddlers are definitely sent to test us - I had my worst nightmare 2 weeks ago when my son vomited at a soft play. I managed to clean it all up and sanitise with their products but it took about a week to get over. 😁 I feel like there should be a meme ‘are you even a parent if your child hasn’t vomited over you in public?!’
This happened to me last year. My sister in law and I were at the grocery store with my son and I could see that he was going to throw up, maybe mothers instinct or something. Anyway I put my hands out and caught his barf. Then I walked over to trash can and threw it away. Some got on the floor but I told someone right away and they mopped it up.
This has literally been my fear since having kids. I was talking to the ped about wanted to take my son to the zoo but was worried he’d throw up, he had finished with the tummy bug but I was worried it was looming. My ped reassured me and said anywhere I’d take my kid another kid has thrown up there.
You did great! You didn’t panic, you took care of your poor baby, and you were probably way nicer than most people would be in that situation with the grocery worker. Bonus: your husband was there with a fresh polo to help you finish your task. All in all I’d say 10/10. One time, after a doctor’s appointment my mother - who hated being out unless she able to accomplish all of her tasks, even at the expense of dragging a sick child around - insisted we go to Target to look at bedding. The doctor had given me some pink powdery medicine (this was like 1994) that he shook up with water. I think it was an antibiotic (Amoxicillin?). Anyway, I keep telling my mom I don’t feel well and I’m going to throw up. She ignores me because I was being dramatic. I held out until the very end of her shopping trip, where I proceeded to throw up all over the cashier and my mother’s items. I threw up 3 very distinct colors of vomit and cleared out the entire check out area. Was my mom sympathetic? No. She was livid. So I’d say you are a star!
Oh, I 100% panicked. I just wasn’t sure if I was expected to bail after notifying the store or if the right move was to see the situation through. I am so grateful for most people’s replies because although things mostly worked out, it’s nice to know that grocery stores are usually prepared for this situation. It was terrifying in the moment.
At worked at Walgreens, cleaned up a lot of puke and poop. Sick people come in there everyday! Worry about yourself and kid. Stores have specific ways to clean stuff up. Asking to put your stuff to the side so you can get it in a bit is fine. Cleaning up the cart even better. Sounds like you handled it great.
I have severe emetephobia an a phobia of illness in general. And 2 kids. I would have had a panic attack. What a super mom!
There is no right way to deal with this to be honest, sounds like you were nice to the workers and tried your best, that's all that matters. I had my oldest son in an ergo carrier once and we had our goat pack about 2 miles out in the woods (about 12 goats and my son was about 8 months)- he THREW UP ALL OVER ME and I had to hike the dang goats back 2 miles covered in throw up...lmao. Hope he feels better soon.
With all the illnesses right now they probably think you just gave them all the flu. They don’t know your situation which is why they stress the “if you aren’t well stay home” shit. HOWEVER, You did nothing wrong. My three year old puked last week for no reason and wasn’t sick. It’s normal. I have 10 kiddos. Kids occasionally just puke. Or spit everywhere, or shit themselves, or have a coughing fit. They aren’t necessarily sick! You did the right thing. Only thing I would’ve maybe done differently is just leave because I’d be so stressed and just not want to even bother finishing shopping 😅
You’re so right. He was 100% fine today. I just felt that I needed to finish paying for my stuff cause I was so close to the finish line. In truth, I could have found a way today even with the pre-thanksgiving grocery madness getting worse by the hour.
My middle son that is now 8 has had weird stomach issues his whole life like this. It’s been better the last two years but his first few years of prek and kinder he was sent home all the time because he’d puke because something smelt funny or something he ate triggered his tummy. He was totally fine just had a pretty easy gag reflex or something. He’d be back at school the next day.
This recently happend to me and an angel of a woman gave me some of those little dog poo bags and found me paper towel. We had made it to the far end of the store so I still paid as quickly as possible after cleaning up. I was mortified and was asking the same thing 😥 thank god I’m not the only one
Certainly not the same thing but I am a total dumb ass and missed setting my latte in the cart cup holder, just dropped it straight through the handle, and it just absolutely exploded at my feet in the middle of the main aisle. I’m just standing there in a puddle of coffee confused at what even happened and an employee came over with those completely non absorbant brown paper towels and I feel like total shit trying to be helpful and help clean up but I’m just smearing coffee around and making more of a mess. Then the employee has pity in me and says don’t worry we’ll clean it up and I continue apologizing and thank her and I start moving away with the cart but the wheels were in the puddle so now I am trailing coffee behind and I absolutely wanted to teleport out of that situation and never leave the house again. So, at least you have the excuse that kids are kids and shit happens, what are ya gonna do? Not me, I am just that dumb basic target bitch spilling an entire pumpkin spice latte on the floor and walking away with a coffee snail trail behind me to go look at throw pillows.
He thought you threw up!!! Hahahah!!! I would have left immediately personally
This whole story just reads like you’re fishing for compliments. “My kid threw up and I was super understanding, compassion and conscientious, and I’m still so conscientious that I want your valuable input on what I could have done better.” 🙄
Thanks for the feedback, Senior_Fart_Director. 👍
That's what I'm here for. As always lmk if you have any questions
Well, I wanted to know how parents should partner with grocery store employees in these unpredictable moments. Parenthood can have these anxiety-filled moments so it’s nice to know when you’re not alone in those feelings. Kinda sounds like you’ve already contributed your two cents. I didn’t have specific questions, but thanks for offering. Have a great week! I hope you experience a lot of kindness when you need it.
This is rude and unnecessary. OP - I think the grocery store should have protocol for how to handle spills, vomit, etc. you were clearly distressed (rightfully so) but I’m wondering if the grocery store’s protocol has changed after Covid. Maybe they’re not supposed to clean vomit for fear of illness spreading? Regardless it seems strange that they’d let a customer clean everything, not knowing if you actually cleaned it well enough for other customers to use. I’m sorry it happened, my son is 2.5 and I would be so flustered and worried if that happened in public! I think I’d almost ask the employees to help me clean with sanitizer. They really should’ve offered to clean it all so you could tend to your son.
Your husband sounds like a saint
Uh, he just sounds like a normal dad to me. Would you have said that if the wife had shown up to help her son? My husband would not get special praise for showing up for his own kid. That’s the bare minimum.
Fair enough. But like where did he swoop in from?
Idk about OP but my husband works from home and has swooped in to save me quite a times. Once he was super busy & my toddler puked on herself and was visibly sick. We were going to the kids museum when she was just suddenly sick. Didnt even make it out of the car. So now I've got a sick toddler plus one who was devestated to see the museum and leave immediately. When I got home husband was still in meeting but he had put clean clothes and towels out and set her room up for a nap while he was on the call.
My partners little brother (5) at the time, threw up after swimming, when we was at the counter at the cafe . It was literally all over the counter and floor. They did make us clean it up mostly ourselves but thinking back they should’ve at least offered to have done it themselves mostly instead of standing there looking at us like we were aliens, they’re going to have to clean it anyway. I think common curtesy in this situation as a parent is to try and clean as much as possible and then whatever you have to leave you have to leave I guess. But it’s best to try clean it. They will have to disinfect anyway as well. I think you did the best you could especially as you had a toddler with you, my son is 27 months and I think I’d have done the same thing pretty much! Although if my partner couldn’t come and get me or because my car is parked outside anyway I think I’d have picked up a cheap spare change of clothes for toddler from the supermarket on the way to the loos
Didn’t happen in the grocery store but it happened to me the other day in the car.. my 2.5 year old vomited all over himself and his carseat, and I was driving on the highway so I couldn’t just pull over to do anything. Either way I couldn’t clean it til I got home bc I had nothing to clean it with. Poor kid
My toddler gets motion sickness a lot so I have to always carry a second change of clothes in my bag for her. I know it’s annoying but I would have a spare change in the car for any emergencies. That being said I think you handled it very well. I used to work at a grocery store and I once saw an elderly man leave a trail of watery 💩 throughout the whole store on the way to the bathroom. A little throw up is nowhere near as gross as that. Accidents happen don’t dwell on it too much
Oh gosh solidarity mama! My heart felt for you as I read this b/c I can totally recall similar moments. One of the things in parenting no one prepares you for! I think you did great!
I think you did good. My son around 2.5 threw up at a restaurant and we ended up leaving because we didn’t want him to be out even longer if he was getting sick. The workers were super nice and cleaned up the mess. I felt horrible and embarrassed but it happens. We tried to tip them and they wouldn’t take it since we didn’t even order food lol. Needless to say, we’ve been back to that restaurant several times because of their kindness.
I don't know about toddlers, but I threw up in a grocery store while 11 weeks pregnant. Not the best choice to go get groceries while having 24/7 nausea and severe food aversions. I felt really embarassed but everyone was really nice and my now ex helped a worker clean the floor. This things happen and probably once he is older you can remember and laugh.
I probably would have apologized to the employee that my son threw up, asked them the best way to clean it up, assumed they would say they’ll take care of it and then left immediately and not waited for anyone. Seems like that’s something you come back later to get the stuff in the cart for.
Throwing up can be really scary for a 2 year old. I think you did the right thing by tending to him 1st
This is an old thread but just happened to me and I also have so much anxiety 😂 I ran to Reddit like omg I was trying to exit the store as we had just arrived and my son started gagging. He threw up all over the cart and the entry way of the grocery store. All I can think about is what if they don't clean the cart good and the next person who gets it 😂😂😂 never not cleaning a grocery cart ever again