The week from hell, part 2

July 20, 2004 | Category: Mother to the First Power

Until last week, my summer childcare consisted of a very flexible work schedule and a preschool day camp at the YMCA, overlapped with the services of the babysitter we've used to varying degrees since Bear was 8 months old.

So last Tuesday, Dee came over at lunch on a whim. Bear was at the camp, and she was looking to cheer me up because the day before we found out we weren't having another baby. Dee and I headed to the mall - got manicures and strolled around. Something I haven't done in... ack, I can't remember. Not this year.

We were heading home, feeling good, Dee asked if we could stop in and see Bear at his camp and say"Hi". She hadn't seen him in, like, a week. So we dropped in at the "Y" unannounced at about 1PM.

The preschooler camp room is at the front of "Y", attached to a little playground. We could see it was empty before we got there.

The "Preschool Camp Director" was sitting alone, in front of her computer. She didn't hear us approach and jumped when I called her name. "Hey, PCD, where's my son?" I asked. She told us that it was too hot for the kids to play outside so she'd sent them to let out some steam in the racquetball courts.

So Dee and I headed off to the racquetball courts at the back of the building. PCD quickly caught up with us, telling us that it was nice and cool in there yada yada yada.

We got to the racquetball court and peeked in the little window. The kids were not moving. They were quietly seated in little clusters in the corners. In the center of the room, a teen-aged boy was instructing one of the kids how to use a little toy basketball hoop.

Dee and I scanned the room. The were no adults. We watched for about 1 minute, watched my son yawn three times. The teen-aged "camp counselor" (He's maybe 15 or 16?) kept playing with the one kid. The other 21 kids, including Bear, sat. Drooped.

Sitting against the walls. Not allowed to talk with each other. With - did I mention this? - no ADULT in the soundproof, locked, racquetball court.

If ever there was a moment when I felt like all my standards as a parent had been failed, it was that one.

"Are you taking him home?" PCD asked me.

"YES" Dee and I answered in unison.

Dee was muttering under her breath "dumb dumb dumb dumb...."

When Bear saw us through the window, he came running. The teenager let him out of the room and Dee picked him up and we left.

I know what we saw wasn't torture. I'm not trying to make too much out of what was just a lapse in childcare standards and the care ratio.

But it could have been a disaster in one easy motion.

God forbid if something had happened - a fire, the counselor getting hurt, whatever. What would have happened to those kids? How would they be heard? How would they get out?

*grrr*

Mostly? I'm just pissed with myself - my gut told me long ago that Bear wasn't getting good care there, that PCD was lazy and untrained (constantly yelling across the classroom - "those are MY toys and I'm not going to let you play with them if you don't do as I say!") and I didn't do anything.

So I called and eventually had a meeting with the executive director of the Y.

I outlined my concerns and disappointment. He told me that all legal standards and insurance requirements were being met. I snorted, like a horse. He agreed the lack of supervision, if true, would have been a bad thing.

He was going to "look into it".

I'm pointed out that I was going to need a refund. To help pay the gap childcare I need to dig up.

Which is probably why PCD then called me to "sort this out" and beg Bear to return (oh yes, yes she did).

I told her; he's not coming back. You're just lucky that I KNOW I'm an overly sensitive mother.

Sure, it was a small careless unthinking moment. Send the big kid and the 21 little kids (some who really should still be in diapers) to go sit in the racquetball court with nothing really to do while the only real adult surfed the 'net in peace.

But my bottom line? She f*cked with my kid. And there is no measure to the level of fury a parent can unleash. *ahem*

So, anyway, that's why I suddenly don't have enough child care.

posted by Elizabeth at 8:52:56 AM

2 Comments:

The Zero Boss said...

Good Lord. Sounds like you handled it gracefully, though - good for you. I very well might have flipped what little shit I have left.

Thanks for linking to my site, BTW. And keep up the good blogging. :)
1:41:51 PM

Pebbles Erv said...

My babies are at the Y as we speak... Y = Yikes! Better start checking up on them.

Thanks
3:34:55 PM

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