I'm not sure if I want to talk about this yet; or even ever. So, I may not post this, but I want to feel like I've been purged of it.
My emotions were given some intense exercise this afternoon. As, akin to a couple of weeks ago, my boys walked in and said, "Julie didn't get on the bus."
Seriously!! Again!?!
Silly me, I thought we had made some progress with this.
Thankfully, Will was not in Richfield for this occurrence.
I didn't have a clue this time. No parent had called me. She hadn't told me she was going home with someone else. So, where do you start. (I hope you never have to, but make a list because your *my* brain sort of shut down for a few minutes.)
I called the school. They paged her. She did not come.
They paged her teacher's room-which was apparently empty- mind you, school had been out for 45 minutes.
Will left for school/town.
I called our old neighbor. I thought she might walk there.
Will checked the school, and the teacher's room, and the library.
Our old neighbor checked the church we used to go to.
Will checked Great-Grandma's house.
I called Madison-twice. First to make sure Julie wasn't with her. Again to ask if she had told Madison where she was going. {Madison wasn't a big help. Being 5 years old.}
We resort to calling the police station....where nobody answered and we were directed to call 911; if it was an emergency. School had been out more than an hour; is it an emergency?
We discussed it, tried the station # again, and then decided we didn't know where else to look. So, if seemed we needed some *more* help.
An officer came by my house. We went over the same info Will had given the dispatcher.
1 hour 50 minutes after the school dismissal bell, the school called. Her teacher had returned from whatever errand she had been tending to. Thankfully, she knew Julie's plans. She was on her way home; would be dropped off in just a few minutes. She had gone home with so-and-so.
The friend's father apologized a number of times. The teacher apologized a number of times. Everyone feels so bad.
I had shed some tears, and also been on the brink of vomiting for 2 hours.
But, Julie got herself a 2 hour play-date!
And she got to see another friend's house. And I got to learn another person's last name.
Do you think parents will start dreading it when their kid starts talking about their friend named Julie?
Do you think this little town wants to send us back to Richfield? The possibilities of where Julie would be triple there!!
But hey- as long as she gets her play time.
And I get my mother-of-the -year award!
(While in prison.)
My emotions were given some intense exercise this afternoon. As, akin to a couple of weeks ago, my boys walked in and said, "Julie didn't get on the bus."
Seriously!! Again!?!
Silly me, I thought we had made some progress with this.
Thankfully, Will was not in Richfield for this occurrence.
I didn't have a clue this time. No parent had called me. She hadn't told me she was going home with someone else. So, where do you start. (I hope you never have to, but make a list because your *my* brain sort of shut down for a few minutes.)
I called the school. They paged her. She did not come.
They paged her teacher's room-which was apparently empty- mind you, school had been out for 45 minutes.
Will left for school/town.
I called our old neighbor. I thought she might walk there.
Will checked the school, and the teacher's room, and the library.
Our old neighbor checked the church we used to go to.
Will checked Great-Grandma's house.
I called Madison-twice. First to make sure Julie wasn't with her. Again to ask if she had told Madison where she was going. {Madison wasn't a big help. Being 5 years old.}
We resort to calling the police station....where nobody answered and we were directed to call 911; if it was an emergency. School had been out more than an hour; is it an emergency?
We discussed it, tried the station # again, and then decided we didn't know where else to look. So, if seemed we needed some *more* help.
An officer came by my house. We went over the same info Will had given the dispatcher.
1 hour 50 minutes after the school dismissal bell, the school called. Her teacher had returned from whatever errand she had been tending to. Thankfully, she knew Julie's plans. She was on her way home; would be dropped off in just a few minutes. She had gone home with so-and-so.
The friend's father apologized a number of times. The teacher apologized a number of times. Everyone feels so bad.
I had shed some tears, and also been on the brink of vomiting for 2 hours.
But, Julie got herself a 2 hour play-date!
And she got to see another friend's house. And I got to learn another person's last name.
Do you think parents will start dreading it when their kid starts talking about their friend named Julie?
Do you think this little town wants to send us back to Richfield? The possibilities of where Julie would be triple there!!
But hey- as long as she gets her play time.
And I get my mother-of-the -year award!
(While in prison.)
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4 comments:
I don't think this has anything to do what kind of mother you are. It has to do with what kind of daughter you have--obviously a social butterfly. No amount of talking or teaching seems to get through to them. My question is, "Why in the world would someone have her over at their house before they talked to you?" That's irresponsible of the other parents--especially with kids that are so young and with someone that doesn't even really know you!!! OK--off my soapbox now....
The first time, Julie had called the little girl the night before; so our # was at that father's fingertips. This time, the other little girl had asked her dad about it over the weekend. And they walked to his job site (which I'm sure he was somewhat distracted because of) and he took them home (to a babysitter that we also don't know). I understand that he didn't have our #. And couldn't have gotten it w/o contacting the school or something. But, he did have to drive past our house to get to his!!
I'm not sure what to even say. I felt sick just reading it. I have no idea what we'd do! I almost cried just thinking about what that must have been like for you trying to keep your cool.
Having been in a similar situation and having the school be responsible for it, I know how you felt. My question is why did the teacher let her go with so-and-so without calling you. Here you can't even send your child home with an emergency contact without talking straight to the teacher or someone in the office, much less let your kid go off with some random kid. Of course, if you're below 3rd grade you can't even walk to and from the bus stop by yourself. I am so sorry!
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