Page 14 Jandaty 2009

PROVINCIAL

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Sunday shopping debate just keeps on going

Ongoing debate of Sunday shopping has Island hairdresser fuming

By Amy McGeoghegan

Post Contributor

Working on Sunday inter- rupts time with family, says a Charlottetown hairdresser.

Robin Walsh, manager of Mastercuts hair salon in the Charlottetown Mall, hates working on Sundays.

Walsh says kids go to school Monday to Friday and par- ents work all week and on Saturdays, making Sunday the ideal time to be at home

“Throw in a Sunday and where’s the time with your kids?”

Sunday shopping on P.E.I. was limited to the month of December but last year the government decided to run Sunday shopping May through December, making it hard for parents who work, to spend time with their kids on weekends.

Walsh believes corporations only-stay open on Sundays because of the money.

“Sunday shopping doesn’t take revenue away from the rest of the week.”

She said she also heard on the radio that you’re suppose to spend 30 minutes with your kids a day, but this idea often conflicts on account of an individual’s job.

“It’s pretty bad when the world says you have to spend 30 minutes with your kids a day but your job won’t allow it.”

She said a woman who worked for the government came into the salon to get her hair cut.

Walsh asked her what she

thought of Sun- doa y shopping and the woman said she thought it was Le at. She then asked if she would work Sundays herself and the woman said no.

TY OW shop it but you won't work it,” said Walsh.

Walsh’s co-work- er, Romy Sosacor- rioso, said Sun- day is the day she can get caught up on her housework, sew and rest.

“You only have one day a week to do everything you need to get done.”

Walsh said it makes it diffi- cult to make up schedules.

“It’s hard if you’re short staffed, you work 12-hour shifts plus Sundays and then you have to give them their required two-days off.”

Mastercuts hairdresser

’ Michelle Lamont said she

doesn’t mind working Sun-

days.

“I’m for Sunday shopping so I expect I would have to work it.”

She said she enjoys shop- ping on Sundays when her husband can watch their five- year-old.

“T like being able to get my stuff done quick.”

Walsh, a single mom, feels differently.

She said she sometimes has to bring her kids to work be- cause daycares are only open Monday through Friday and babysitters are few and far

between.

“Daycares and babysitters are expensive and hard to come by.”

Before her boys were in school, Walsh said the day- care spent more time with her children than she did.

“The daycare people raised my kids and saw them more than I did and that’s wrong.”

She said she feels like she’s running like a crazy girl.

“I have three hours a day to spend with my kids and in between that I am cleaning, cooking and getting the kids

Robin Walsh stocks shelves at Mastercuts hair salon in Charlottetown. McGeoghegan photo

homework done.”

Walsh said it’s even harder to balance everything when the kids sports practices are at 4 p.m. and you work until 9 o’clock that evening, again causing conflicts.

“Sports activities are all based around government jobs.”

She said the reason why so many teenagers roam the malls on the weekends is probably because the parents are all working.

“What do you do? You have to work!”