^^I don’t know if it’s more today, but when I worked retail there was plenty of it. Most children were behaved, but plenty were playing on the escalator, hiding inside round racks, taking things off shelves and leaving them on the floor. As I said, it was only a small percentage of kids, but it definitely went on, and most parents in these situations didn’t care. When a kid left toys on the floor, I was annoyed with the parents who left the toys there. My mother would never do that. She would have me put everything away, and if I was obstinate for some reason she would have done it before leaving a mess like that for others to clean up. I don’t feel there is anything wrong with the parent doing it. It sets the example that you don’t leave a mess for other people. The kid might be a little bratty in the moment, but they still learn the lesson for later in life, or when with others.
Kids playing by the escalator, as an employee I would address the kid directly if the parent wasn’t right there to say something to. Sometimes the parent said, “listen to her, I told you you can’t play around the escalator.” Once in a while a parent said nothing just looked in my direction, or gave me a look that I took as why are you talking to my kid.