Grandma lets boy eat at Ikea showroom dining table, says 'It's just a kid' when confronted
A post about a grandmother allowing her grandson to eat at a dining table in a mock-up room in Ikea has sparked comments about public behaviour and upbringing.
The post, shared in public Facebook group Complaint Singapore on June 21, shows two poorly focused images of an elderly woman and a young child who appears to be eating at a table displayed in a mock-up dining room at the furniture store’s Tampines outlet.
It was captioned: “Yumyum, who cares if i disturb other shoppers. I told the grandma this is not allowed in Singapore, she replied it’s just a kid, so I took their photos.”
It has so far garnered more than 400 reactions and 340 comments.
‘I don’t blame the kid’
Many netizens were unimpressed with the woman, though some felt the incident reflected a broader issue of poor behaviour often seen at furniture showrooms.
“IKEA is a good place to witness people at their WORST behaviour especially during weekends...... unruly kids, dumb parents, ppl who lie on the beds, napping on sofa sets... Honestly these people got NO CIVIC SENSE at all,” commented one Facebook user.
“It is not advisable to go to Ikea during a public holiday or weekend. You will see families with kids running about and jumping on mattress beds and sofas. Very idiotic parenting and kids,” another wrote.
Others pointed out that the child should not be blamed.
“OK but don’t show the kid’s face – this is grandma’s problem,” said a netizen. “I don’t blame the kid, I blame the granny for enabling,” another said.
More than that, many felt the woman should have set a better example for the child.
“It is not about whether it is a kid or not. Show a good example and be a role model,” one commenter wrote.
Another suggested that some elderly people viewed rules more casually: “Often the ah ma and ah gong generations tend to see rules as ‘flexible’, especially if they don’t work in corporate jobs.”
Multiple commenters speculated that the woman and child were Chinese nationals, though this was not verified. The discussion subsequently attracted a number of xenophobic comments.
Some say poster should have alerted Ikea staff
Not everyone agreed with the original poster’s actions.
Some netizens felt the matter should have been brought to Ikea staff instead of being posted online.
“Should inform the staff to tell them off,” said one.
Others saw the funny side of the incident.
“Did they use the toilet bowl? Please check,” asked a netizen in jest. “Luckily, not showflat toilet or shower,” another quipped.
Stomp has reached out to Ikea for comment.
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