Ma’am… He’s Freaking THREE

CONTENT WARNING: Abusive Parenting

I’m a daycare teacher. Parents bringing their kids to daycare come in all attitudes and entitlements. Some are blatantly unaware of just how badly they come across.

One mom practically runs into the classroom with her three-year-old son being dragged along. I say, “dragged,” because it really isn’t far off. He stumbles and falls twice along the way.

Mom: “Well, here’s [Son]. He has a fever, but I can’t take care of him and I’m already in a rush for a meeting.”

Me: “Are you sure about this? He doesn’t look quite well.”

Mom: “Well, what do you want me to do about it? I need to go. Bye!”

[Mom] darts off without even a hug or a kiss. I can already tell he probably won’t be able to stay here for the day because there’s only so much attention we can give to a single child before we have to get a parent to pick him/her up.

I lay him down on the couch and make him comfortable with a blanket and some water before submitting him to having to take his temperature. It’s well over 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) already, and under any circumstance, that’s well over the limit that protocol has us call the parents to pick their child up and take care of him.

Of course, [Mom] doesn’t pick up her phone, but in her defense, she is probably still driving. I leave her a voicemail message and a text message to come to pick up her child. 

Despite my calling her every fifteen minutes, there’s no response for an hour. [Son]’s temperature has now spiked and passed the 40°C/104°F mark. After calling another two times, I’m ready to put on his coat and take him to a doctor (which means leaving the other children under the care of only one teacher, something that’s actually illegal in this country).

Just when I start to do so, [Mom] comes barging in and completely breaks the serenity and peace of the group (while simultaneously waking two sleeping children).

Mom: “How dare you disturb my important workday by stalking my phone and interrupting my meeting?! Do you even have a clue what I do?!”

Me: “I’m sorry, I really am. But your son is so ill and weak that he really needs to see a doctor. But perhaps even more important, he needs to be with a parent. We cannot take care of him and he needs to go home with you. His well-being is more important than anything else right now.”

[Mom] actually gets in my face and snarls.

Mom: “Do… you… really think my well-being is ever important to him when I have a headache?”

At least she had the “decency” to carry him outside instead of dragging him along again. Man, do I feel sorry for that poor little man.