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Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Can You Believe This Lady?

We unexpectedly have an almost completely free week. My older son (OS) is on vacation from camp. Of course I forgot about this "vacation" until the end of last week. I rescued my kids from boredom today by suggesting that they play in the Y childwatch while I worked out in the fitness room. I realize that doesn't sound like a good deal for the boys, but they actually really like going there.

I dropped OS off at the 3 year old room at the childwatch first. It was a full house. This woman was there dropping off her son. The boy looked mad. He clearly did not want to be there. The mom was not at all sympathetic. She handed him a name tag sticker which the boy proceeded to somehow wrap around one of the drawer handles. He got upset and asked for another one. Instead of complying with this simple request, she pulled the somewhat crumpled sticker off the drawer and stuck it on his shirt. The kid protested. Instead of giving him a hug and telling him it would be okay, she picked him up and put him over the gate at the entrance to the childwatch playarea. She then gave the staff his sippy cup and told him that she would see him later. At least she wished him a nice time. I just couldn't believe my eyes. I don't think the other moms there could either. The kid decided to stage a sit-in to protest being there. One of his friends joined him.

I was really hoping that this woman wouldn't be there when I went to pick OS up from the childwatch. I mean really, where did she learn how to parent? Of course, as luck would have it, she walked in just as I did. Her son was really happy and having a great time playing. He excitedly told her about all the toys he had played with and the kids that played with him. The staff members confirmed this. When she said something about being an unsympathetic mother, she was told that what she did was great; actually being too sympathetic could have made the separation a lot worse. Really?! I thought to myself, surely there is going to be a blog post about this horrible mother, even if I needed to write it myself. And I have. I should also add that this unsympathetic mom was me.

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posted by Alex Elliot @ 9:23 PM   6 comments
6 Comments:

  • At 7/03/2007 11:37 PM, Blogger Suzanne said…

    Maybe it's because I don't have kids, but her actions don't sound so awful to me. I think parents find their own style that works with their kid, and in the end, the kid seemed fine. Or maybe I had to be there.

     

  • At 7/04/2007 5:28 AM, Blogger karrie said…

    Too funny! I was reading through thinking, uh, that sounds like me, when I finally make it to the gym and am so looking forward to a rare hour alone.

    :)

     

  • At 7/04/2007 11:21 AM, Blogger Jenn in Holland said…

    hahahhaha! You really had me going and I was slinking into my seat, hiding my head in shame thinking over and over again "but that sounds like me... that's just what I might do"
    Uh, yeah... so guilty of doing it with just the same hope of outcome. That he'll love it if he just gets in and gets started and I should just go so as not to prolong the seperation.

    I am glad you got an hour of YOU time in Alex!

     

  • At 7/04/2007 10:55 PM, Blogger Absolutely Bananas said…

    that was good! I was reading thinking, "hmm... doesn't sound TOO horrid, but then I wasn't there..." and then the ending! Aha!

     

  • At 7/05/2007 9:13 AM, Blogger soccer mom in denial said…

    And this is why you rock. Seriously, you can write something like this, make me squirm and then - voila! - it is really all of us.

     

  • At 7/05/2007 1:27 PM, Blogger Suzanne said…

    Yeah.

     
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Name:Alex Elliot
Home:MA, United States
About Me:Professional Mom of two cats, a dog, an ant farm, and oh yeah...two boys: a 5 year old and a 3 year old. Also found in my house is my husband who is known on this blog as The Big Giraffe.
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