A Singaporean mother has sparked heated discussion online after alleging that a bakery employee publicly criticised her parenting after her two children, who have ADHD, bit into donuts before they were paid for.
The woman shared her experience in the Complaint Singapore Facebook group, saying the incident took place at Yamazaki Bakery in VivoCity while she was shopping with her two young children and a domestic helper.
According to her, before she could stop them, both children each picked up a donut from the display and took a bite.
Embarrassed by what had happened, she immediately apologised to the bakery staff and assured them she would pay for the items.
While continuing to browse the store, she claimed she overheard an elderly female staff member remark loudly in Mandarin: “We can’t blame the children. We can only blame the parents for their poor upbringing.”
The comment, she said, left her feeling shocked and humiliated, adding that raising two children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) already requires immense patience and constant supervision.
She explained that her children’s impulsive behaviour is a symptom of a neurodevelopmental condition, not a result of poor discipline or intentional misbehaviour.
The mother said she calmly approached the employee and explained that both of her children have ADHD, adding that the remark was deeply hurtful.
In her post, she urged the public to show compassion instead of rushing to judge parents, saying that many families face challenges that are not immediately visible.
“I don’t expect everyone to understand ADHD, but I do hope people choose kindness over judgement,” she wrote.
The incident divided opinion online. Many netizens sympathised with the mother, saying caring for children with ADHD can be challenging and that strangers should avoid making assumptions.
Others, however, argued that ADHD should not be used to excuse inappropriate behaviour in public. Some also felt the mother was wrong to post a photo of the bakery employee online, saying it undermined her own position in the dispute.
At the time of writing, the comment section of the original Facebook post has been closed.
