You are a working mom to eight year old twins.
Your next door neighbor has a daughter in their class. You've been paying for aftercare and are OK with doing so. One day, your neighbor approaches you and offers to let your kids get off of the bus at her house. After all, she's a stay-at-home mom and will be there when they get home. It seems like a great idea. You've known their family for a few years and couldn't be more comfortable.
After staying there a couple of weeks, your children approach you with trepidation in their eyes and spill it: your neighbor is usually reeking of alcohol when they arrive and eventually passes out after she serves Ants On A Log.
What would YOU do?
Ummmm k... I would immediately snatch mine up and put them back in the aftercare program. If I have managed not to succumb to being a raging alchy raising twins... it wouldnt be fair to subject my babies to such bafoonery. Besides, it's totally unsafe, they may as well be staying home by themselves!
ReplyDeleteStick my babies back in after school care.
ReplyDeleteThank her for her time and put them back in after-school care.
ReplyDeleteS/N: Side-eye her everytime I see her getting into her vehicle.
Oh My...I would tell her that my children miss their afterschool buddies and want to go back to afterschool care at the school. (where everyone is sober and the snacks are out of a bag) :)
ReplyDeleteI would put my kids back in the afterschool care at their school and I would have a little chat with this neighbor. She clearly needs help and she put my children in jeopordy with her drinking problem.
ReplyDeleteUmm someone offering to watch my kids instead of sending them to an afterschool program would make me curious to start off. Most stay at home moms wouldn't do this for nothing. So I would wonder why would she offer. Sounds a bit suspicious to me. What's her motive? Is this for a fee for one, or is she doing this for company for her own kid. If I took her up on the offer I and found out later what was going on I would remove my children from her care and return them to the after school program. Period.
ReplyDeleteBe Encouraged!
Wow..this one hit close to home. A good friend (we met at church) slowly started to show signs of severe alcohol abuse. I spoke to her gently about getting help ... but to no avail. I don't let my kids go to her house any more and the friendship has been idle. A very sad story. Unfortunately, with substance abuse, the person has to want to get help.
ReplyDeleteTrying to get past the "ants on a log"....LOL.
ReplyDeleteI agree...I would be suspicious from the get-go...stay-at-home moms do not offer to keep other people's kids!
If the twins are the two girls pictured, I'd get back on my Big Wheel and keep truckin' through the groovily carpeted halls of the Overlook Hotel while blasting Dick Halloran with SOS messages via my shining capabilities. Oh, and then I'd stick the girls back in aftercare.
ReplyDeleteSo tough. I'd take my kids out first, and send them back to afterschool care. But then I'd talk to the neighbor, carefully, and tell her you are worried that her drinking is putting her kids at risk. You have to. They are children.
ReplyDeleteI'm worried not just for your children (who have a loving and protective mother with the means to provide for a safe environment), but that woman's child also. That child needs help and has no one to watch out for her safety. I can't suggest how to do this politely, but you may want to think of it as more than just "you can't watch my children." Considering this woman had you fooled, I can't imagine how isolated that child is in her misery.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely put my babies back in afterschool care, IMMEDIATELY!!!
ReplyDeleteAftercare. Immediately. Do not pass go and do not feel obligated to explain to neighbor.
ReplyDeleteWhen it pertains to my children...manners are not at the top of my priority list! I would immediately remove my child and provide her with a schedule for a local AA group site. Really..When it comes to the safety of your child, who cares if the person is offended???
ReplyDeleteWe don't think this is a question of manners, it's more about safety. The mother should have a talk with the woman and explain why her children won't be spending any time at her house anymore.
ReplyDelete