Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Parents SUCK*

Internet, let me tell you about my job. In case you didn’t get the memo, I am an afterschool care teacher, but since it’s currently June and the kids are out of school, I’m running a summer program. I love the summer program, it’s my favorite part of my job. At my center, the teacher last year literally took them outside four times (which is not an exaggeration, it’s totally true). And we had a NICE summer last year, fairly cool, never really hot the way it usually gets in Chicago suburbs in July. This year we’ve been on summer vacation for four days. Friday was the first day of summer and my students helped my rearrange the kindergarten room into the school age room, and were rewarded with a walk by a nearby creek. Except one of them decided to slide into the water and got wet. His mom is one of my coworkers and while she wasn’t pleased, she arranged dry shoes for him and acknowledged that she should have been prepared. Monday we went for another walk, during which a little girl purposely ignored directions and got her feet wet, meaning she spent three hours with wet feet. Her mom rolled her eyes a bit and commented that she’d bring water shoes and in the future she’ll bring us a change of shoes if we call her. I also sent home a note that clearly read, “To ensure your child’s comfort throughtout the day please be sure to send shoes they can get wet AND dirty as we will go outside EVERY day except in the case of lightening.” My boss assured me there was no way parents would not understand that. Tuesday it rained (lightening free). I cleverly changed them all into their water shoes and we went for a walk. When we got back, I changed them all into dry shoes. Or so I thought. The little girl’s other shoes were still wet from Monday, which if I had known I would have had her wear those outside, but she did what her mom told her. So she was stuck in damp shoes. Guess which of the following happened next
a) Mom complained to my boss and now we can’t go for walks in the rain ever again, and we can’t visit our creek unless EVERYONE has water shoes and a change of clothes
b) I got an angry letter from the mom saying that she wants her daughter to wear the appropriate shoes for the activity and she doesn’t understand why I put her in the wrong shoes yesterday
c) Daughter threw up at school today and got sent home sick, which made mom tell me on the phone that I wouldn’t like it if my kid sat in wet shoes for “two hours”
d) Mom told me when she picked up daughter that daughter should not get wet again (except that we have a weekly water day, so…)
e) Mom put daughter in car and went upstairs to yell at my boss again before coming back down to YELL at me that “this would be the last incident like this because if it ever happens again [she’d] have no choice but to call downstate to report us”
f) ALL OF THE ABOVE!!!!
If you didn’t guess F you are probably a moron. I literally went upstairs to tell my boss about the threat of DCFS (our state governing body) and found out that boss was gone and it was assistant boss. Who is the coworker who was upset about her son’s shoes getting wet on Friday. I asked her and the aid (who also has a kid in my class) if they’d prefer their kid come home damp/dirty but happy and exercised or spotless after a day sitting in class playing video games. They both chose damp and happy. As did my other coworker with a kid in my class. And my boss called me (on her afternoon off) just to let me know she’s on my side, and I did nothing wrong so I shouldn’t worry about losing my job (which is what I do if a parent so much as blinks at me). Needless to say it was wine coolers for dinner tonight (that being the strongest alcohol we had in the house). And thank GOD that little girl can’t come back tomorrow (due to the throwing up) because I would not have handled that mom well, and now my boss will be back to deal with her for me!
***Take the poll on the right and tell me which you think is better, damp and happy or clean and dazed from video games. I want to know how many people agree with me!!**
***Update*** those of you who took my poll, all agreed damp and happy is best. Thanks for agreeing with me!!
*Not all of them clearly, just a few who send their kid to my school

1 comment:

  1. Well, as a former preschool teacher, I can tell you that I had many parents that cared more about their child's appearance than they did the way their child behaved. Little Suzie might come to school with cute clothes, a matching hair tie, and the perfect little shoes to match. But she was a brat. And mom hated it when she'd get messy because after school they had to run to the store. "Oh I'm sorry! I didn't hide the playdough, glue, paint, water table, or markers on a day you had to run to the store." HELLO!?! Your kid is in school! Wake up!

    Anyway; me? If my kiddo went to your school I'd be so happy that he was NOT playing video games or watching TV all day long. :D

    Our school was reported for letting the kids play outside while it was drizzling... no thunder, no lightening, just a drizzle. Yes, DCFS "yelled" at us, and we weren't allowed to do it anymore. Do I agree with it? No. Do I have to abide by it? Yes. I'm a foster parent. :( Boo.

    Hang in there! You rock as a teacher/babysitter. :)

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