Consistently there is a mom, who is a working mom, that lets her children out of the car five to ten minutes before the bell rings. She waits for a "responsible" mom to arrive and directs her children to stand by them. She doesn't ask the mom if they would mind helping to watch her children for a couple of minutes. She simply directs her children toward the mom and proceeds to drive away. I understand she works and is expected to arrive on-time. That is the beauty of the school my child attends, there is a Kids' Care program for such needs in the morning and afternoon. There is an opportunity each morning for her children to be dropped off at school and be looked after by the Kids' Care staff.
One of the reasons I decided to stop working was because of the logistics of traveling and dropping off my children at school and extra curricular activities. I did not want to rely on a babysitter, impose on my family - let alone another mom, to look after my children when I could not. A couple of times I have been in the situation I've described. I have arrived at school early with my children and the mom has let her children out of the car where they wander by me as their parent drives away. Other moms have confided that they have been put in the same situation and it makes them uncomfortable - but they don't know how to approach the mom.
I have simply decided not to arrive early to school anymore. I will do my best to arrive on-time so I don't have the responsibility of watching children other than my own - especially without the consideration of asking me to help out.
What do you think? Would you mind looking after other children when you haven't been asked? Would you approach the mother about the situation or just let it be? Do you let your young children walk or bike to school by themselves?
All I can think of is, "it takes a village" - even though sometimes we don't necessarily like it. I have had this happen to me on multiple occasions, probably because at the time I was the one with flexible work hours.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure, even though she appears ungrateful, she is appreciative of the mothers that do keep an eye on her little ones.
Hmmmm... Tough situation. How old are the kids? I'd say there is a big difference between dropping off a kindergartener and leaving, versus a ten-year-old.
ReplyDeleteAnother question... Are the kids agreeable?
ReplyDeleteI personally could not simply leave my child with another parent and expect them to do something I should as the mother be doing. I realize work is important, but so are your children.
ReplyDeleteThat's so strange - if she really needed to leave, you would think she would at least ask! I feel sorry for the kids, who keep being foisted off on other kids parents.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bonnie's comment above! I would say something to one of the mothers casually at an event along the lines of "is everything okay? I noticed you've been dropping Timmy off alone for the past few mornings and rushing off!?". Granted, I say that as somebody who is not yet a mother and can't imagine what it feels like to be in either position. Most of my sympathy here is for the child- it must be so awkward for him or her!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine dropping my child off and driving away. I have a hard enough time putting him on the bus in the morning and not thinking about whether or not he will get to the right place or not :) I think Bonnie is right. She may just feel embarassed to ask for such a short time. I would probably go up to her when I saw her drive up and start a conversation, not about the problem, just a regular dialog. Get to know her before judging too harshly.
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