Things that make you go "Hhmmm..."

I have to say that I'd never really thought about this whole blog thing before today. And the inspiration came from this chick I met in High School - one I'm still privileged enough to call a friend. Suzy Newhouse. She has a rockin' blog, way better than mine will be, I'm sure. You should check it out.

http://thepersueofhappiness.blogspot.com/

So, the story that inspired me...

In the neverending quest to create a bigger and badder Martial Arts school, my husband does many, many, many public events. Inside, outside, in schools, in gyms - you name it, he'll do it. So today was a community picnic for a daycare that will be opening in our area soon. Now, I would ask you to keep in mind that it's a daycare... as in, a place that you send your kids, if you must, to keep them safe and you sane.

There were supposed to be all sorts of fun activities there - facepainting, moonbounce, games, Tea Kwon Do (our favorite!), so Tim thought it would be nice for me to bring Connor over. We were the very first ones in the moonbounce, which thrilled Connor to death. After a couple of minutes, 2 pre-teen girls came on in.

Aside: Call me anal, but I always read the rules on these things. Comes from being "in charge" for so many years. There were no adults there to keep an eye out for the little ones, so therefore my natural Instructor/Mommy dictator kicked in. The rules on the bounce house said "NO flipping".

After a couple of minutes, one of the girls did a front handspring. :::sigh:::

"Ladies, you're not allowed to flip in the moonbounce." Now, seriously.... DO I actually have two heads?? Because the looks I got - that only teen aged girls can deliver correctly - certainly suggested I did! But, they did stop. And chatted very quietly for a bit, glancing at me surreptitiously.

Another aside: Last year, at the playground by our house, I got the urge to be in charge, again, when I told an 8-ish year old girl that the tube slide wasn't for climbing on top of, it was for getting into, and to please get off. She proceeded to have a conversation with a friend of hers, where they decided that I thought I was "In charge of the world." Hmmm... I'll take it.

Clearly, these two also believed that I thought running the world was my rightful place. Again... I'm ok with that. =) So, out of the moonbounce they go, while other little kids flood in. A few minutes later, they show up with the flippers Mommy. I said hello to her, and she nodded, but had a look. So, I immediately knew I had been tattled on, and Mommy was here to set me straight. As if.

And, sure enough, with six other little kids in the rather small bounce house, now, the flipper does a front tuck. A front tuck. Now, I'm all for gymnastics, but not when it's inappropriate, not when it's against the clearly stated rules, and not when MY kid could get hurt because of it. So, here we go... :::sigh:::

"Ma'am, you're not allowed to flip in the moonbounce."

"Excuse me." Guess who? You got it... Mommy. "That's my daughter, and if I say she can flip, then she can flip."

"Ma'am... it's dangerous and it says right here that it's not allowed." You know... there is something immensely comforting in knowing that you can totally kick someones boo-tay, should the need arise. It lends to a great deal of inner peace in these situations.

"This is for people who are paying to be here, and I payed for this, I'm in charge, and if I say she can flip, she can flip." Please feel free to imagine the "Walk Like an Egyptian" side to side head move here, 'cause she was doin' it. Along with some hand flair. But not the finger. Although I'm sure she was mentally giving it to me.

"Connor! Out, let's go." :::sigh::: This is about where the urge to punch this woman comes in, because when my cute, happy, rule-following son realizes that he won't be going back into the moonbounce because his Mommy has deemed it unsafe... he starts to bawl.

"But WHY, Mommy?"

"Because you can't be in there while people are breaking the rules. You might get hurt, baby."

"Then why is she flipping? That's not fair! Is SHE", he points to the flippers Mom, "her Mommy?"

"Yes, honey."

"Then how come she won't tell her to stop? Why is she letting her break the rules?" Ahh... from the mouths of babes.

So, now, this chick has put kids in very real danger (I had a student once who had his femur broken by a kid doing a flip onto him - by accident, of course), made my kid cry, very effectively alienated a potential client, and has started to anger a 4th Degree Black Belt. Stoopid, stoopid, stoopid. And beyond that, she has now taught her daughter that rules are there to be followed... unless you don't feel like it. But, of course, I'm sure her daughter already knew that.

There were a few more words exchanged, but none of them important, really. My blood pressure went up, but at least I didn't lay her out. I did, however, seriously consider getting her riled up to the point that she would get in my face. Because I soooo could have. But, as a tribute to my training, I didn't even do that. Thought about it, yes... do it, no. Aren't you proud?

Back to the start of the story... this event was for a new daycare, trying to drum up business. And the Mom in question? An actual STAFF MEMBER of the new daycare. Horrifying. Absolutely horrifying. Not only could the not-even-open-yet center be sued if a kid got hurt (we are a legal happy society these days), but the owner of the new daycare is a Grandma, and she seems perfectly lovely. And she would be the one that would have to pay for the Mom's irresponsible behavior. And if that is how this center is going to be run... Lord help the kiddos that are enrolled in it.

I have had my son in daycare, and as a Mom, it is absolutely gut wrenching to drop off your precious little ones for someone else to look after. You hope and pray that they will be well taken care of and loved while they are there. No one that has to put there kids in any type of daycare needs to worry that there are idiots like this woman "in charge", too. I thank God everyday that I have been lucky enough to have wonderful people in our lives that have looked after my son as their own when I couldn't be with him. And, if your kids are in daycare, I pray that you get the same type of blessings we have had.

Well... I feel a lot better. I guess that'll do it for my first one. Thanks for the inspiration, Suz!!