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    Worst sight at daycare

    March 25th, 2009

    I found out yesterday what the worst possible sight is when going to get your child from daycare: an ambulence, a fire-truck, 5 cars parked outside, and open gates (normally locked) leading up to your child.

    G is fine.

    …but one of his classmates wasn’t.

    I don’t normally get G after school: S does. However, due to some scheduling stuff I did it. After yesterday’s sight, I can’t say I’m eager to do it again either, for fear of the same sight awaiting me.

    I was the 2nd to last parent to pick up yesterday afternoon. I walked in to a sight of a little girl sitting on her mom’s lap, two paramedics surrounding them, and one paramedic standing over my child. Ms. F (the day-care provider) was no-where in the room (as it turns out she was getting the emergency paperwork for the paramedic who was watching over G). I was confused. I didn’t know what was going on: if the teacher was the one who was taken away, was it the little girl getting the attention, was it another child, was it MY child?

    The look of bewilderment on my face must have been pretty apparent because as the mom saw me at the doorstep surveying the room for clues as to what happened she told me that her little girl was having a hard time breathing. They were here for her. It turned out that she had had an allergic  reaction, impacting her breathing, and Ms. F immediately called 911. She’ll be OK. They were giving her an inhaler which was making her cry. It was a sad sight, and G was not amused. My little guy was whimpering from all the comotion and hearing his friend be unhappy. It made me want to cry: for the little girl’s discomfort… for the mom… for our teacher who must have been scared stiff… from relief it wasn’t G.

    It’s making me really ask a lot of “What if?” questions:

    • What if it HAD been Ms. F? She has an assistant some days, but not all week long. What happens to the kids then? Do the older ones know how to call 911?
    • What if it had been G? I realized after this that I have a terrible habit of leaving my mobile phone on my desk when I’m in meetings. This has to stop now! I would not have been able to be reached if it had been G, and the idea that he would be alone, or taken to a hospital without me just tears me apart.
    • What if something happens when either S or I are home alone with G? We took first aid to help him; but what about us? I don’t have a solution to this, but if any of you have any ideas, please chime in.

    I feel like an unprepared parent. I know what I would do in case of earthquake & fire while at home. I didn’t think to prepare for this type of situation. I think that’s what has me rattled most: not what happened, but the prospect of being unprepared if something were to happen.

    So that’s my freak-out for the week. Hopefully for the month. Hopefully for the year.

    I’m open to suggestion on how to prep better by the way. Wise parents, child caretakers, HELP!