Child Care Update: Hideous Parents

It has been a peculiar day. I'm typing a quick post before I head off to bed as I feel shattered and I have a pain between my shoulder blades that I only get after a day like today.

It started off so exciting - putting Jack in a new child care place for a day - just to try it out. I really like the woman who owns it. She has big plans and I felt like it's something we could jump in to and grow with her and get involved. It's a new venture for this woman, who's a lawyer by profession.

We arrive at Day Care X which also caters for kids from families that get care paid for by the state. I knew this going in and I was a tad apprehensive about it but the owner assured me she only accepts kids that fit in together. I also want Jack to grow in a diverse environment where he doesn't just hang around with privileged kids. Craig and I were both brought up working class and didn't have much growing up but hey, it builds character.

Maybe I've become sheltered in my outlook on life. Maybe I'm just getting older and more sensitive. Whatever it is, some of the kids there this morning were scary and the thought of leaving Jack with them terrified me. In just 30 minutes of me being there, one little boy hit 2 other kids, right in the face. Another little girl had been dropped off by her mum with a horrendous runny nose. Her mum didn't even hang around to sooth her screaming, crying child. Just dumped and ran, shouting over her shoulder "stop crying, I'll be back later". The owner told me a lot of the parents are like this - just want them out of their hair for the day. When she tries to call them and talk about problems or discipline, they don't show any interest. It's a shame there isn't some way of making sure parents know what the word nurture means before allowing them to have kids. So anyway, it was horrid. Just horrid.

I left to go to work (& Jack cried his heart out) but after a while I called Craig and told him I was going back, so did what I needed to at work, okay'd it with my boss and went back to get Jack and take him home. The owner talked to me at my car for about 30 minutes as I was leaving. I tried to be really honest with her without being rude or hurtful. She has big plans and like I said, I like her a lot. But can she do all she's saying she can? Can she make it a safe, enjoyable learning environment where the kids don't have major behavioral problems and the parents actually care? If we go to this place it will be a huge leap of faith - based on our confidence in this woman's ability to turn it around. She has a new director starting next week - an English teacher who's equally excited about the new place. We've talked tonight and said we'll go back in 2 weeks and see it again. Maybe.

So all in all, a stressful day. A day spent knowing Jack was crying and upset in a strange environment. A day wondering if he was being hit by the other kids. An unproductive day for work and one I'll have to make up.

The sunny side of today? I got to spend an afternoon with Jack. We did a spot of gardening together and had fun outside. He just loves to potter about in his wellies and the new gardening gloves I got him, which he insists on wearing all the time (see picture above).

Next, we're going to tour another child care place this week, so I'm sure the saga will continue. Thankfully we aren't desperate to move right away but can make sure it's right for us all before we take the leap.