Allergic To Common Sense, Part 19

I volunteer in childcare at my church. The childcare system follows a system called “Plan to Protect,” which involves signing your child into the computer. The computer then prints two stickers: one for the parent and one for the child. The sticker for the child has their name, a symbol, a set of numbers, and if the child has any allergies. The parent’s sticker has a matching set of numbers and symbol, and we have to collect both symbols before we are allowed to release the child.

I fill in for my brother in the toddler room. I don’t usually work with toddlers, but I go where I’m needed. As it turns out, the toddlers receive a small cup of animal crackers as a snack. This isn’t usually a problem, but we have a new child with us this week. Her mother has filled out the forms and lets us know that her child is allergic to dairy. She gives us a granola bar because we can’t determine whether or not there is dairy in the crackers.

Come snack time, all the little ones are hungry. The other children are given animal crackers and I am given the granola bar to give to the child.

I am the only leader who is “Plan To Protect” certified because I usually work in another section. The toddler’s leaders are supposed to have a lead who is certified but she is away that week. That makes me, a fifteen-year-old, the only person allowed to give the child food outside of animal crackers.

I read the wrapper and discovered that the first item on the ingredients list is dairy. The kid is really hungry and crying, so someone decides to page the mother. I inform her that, due to “Plan To Protect,” I cannot feed the bar to her child.

Mother: “It’s okay. I’m her mother and I say it’s fine.”

Me: “Yes, ma’am, but you filed paperwork saying she was allergic to dairy, and I signed a form saying I wouldn’t feed a child food that they are allergic to.”

Mother: “Fine. [Child], I’m going to give you a granola bar because this nice little girl doesn’t want to.”

Me: “Actually, ma’am, you can’t give her food in this room. You are not ‘Plan To Protect’ certified, and you cannot feed someone in a room that is being used by the childcare service. If you give it to her in the hall, it’s fine, though.”

Mother: “B****.”

I assume that’s the last of it, but later I’m told to report to the youth director. The lady told her that I tried to feed her sweet child food she was allergic to.

The funny thing is, I’ve been attending this church longer than I’ve been eating solid food. The youth director knows I take volunteering very seriously and that I would never do that. She tells the lady that I don’t usually work with toddlers, so even if I did do that, I wouldn’t be near her daughter again for another couple of years.

Mother: “You’re not going to fire her? Where I’m from, a child who disobeyed and put someone’s life at risk would be kicked out of the church forever. I’m never coming back to this stupid place!”

Related:
Allergic To Common Sense, Part 18
Allergic To Common Sense, Part 17
Allergic To Common Sense, Part 16
Allergic To Common Sense, Part 15
Allergic To Common Sense, Part 14