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Tuesday, July 22, 2008

just another day in paradise.

the lighting is dim, almost non-existent, except of course for the flickering black lights, which resemble a low-budget light show. the music is pumping. i look around & everyone, including me, is moving & swaying to the beat. i feel a bead of sweat roll down my forehead & quickly i reach up to wipe it away.

he
peers around the corner. almost immediately i feel him watching me. i try to play dumb & ignore him, but he starts to move towards me. he weaves in & around the other people, swiftly, almost athletically. all the while, i feel his eyes on me. as he makes his way across the room a zillion thoughts enter my mind. "me? he can't be heading towards me. i must be calm... play it cool." when he finally reaches my side, he says nothing. he simply head nods towards the door, while raising his eyebrows just a bit. mesmerized, i too say nothing. and almost trance-like i follow him. once again he weaves in & around the other people, this time however, i am following. i notice that people have started to notice us. i feel their eyes on us & hear the whisperings. although, at this point i'm too self-involved to really pay too much attention... i'm too busy thinking to myself, over & over "he came for me?!"

after what seems an eternity, we finally reach a quiet place, somewhere where "we can talk". immediately, without even thinking, i ask the question on my mind. "what did they do, & which one was it?" he simply shakes his head & said i'd have to talk to the child-care coordinator about that. i reach the children's play area & the first thing i notice is that there are four children, two of which are mine. in the corner of the room stood the "child-care coordinator". as soon as i walk in, she blurts out "they have to leave." whoa?! what?! they have to leave? what in the world could have prompted this? i'm the first to admit that my children aren't angels. but the definitely aren't malicious trouble makers.... it's not like they go around biting, pushing & otherwise bullying kids for no reason at all.

pointing at gavin she says "he dumped the crayons", and then pointing at owen she says "& he pushed him back" pointing to another boy (who was twice o's size & probably age as well). shocked & very embarrassed, i didn't think to actually ask any questions. i simply gathered up my boys & left the facility, with my head hanging very, very low. i'd always worried about it, even had nightmares about it, but i never thought i would have been banned from the child-care at my gym! & even though i think the child-care coordinator may have over-reacted (come on! kicking us out because a 3 year old dumped some crayons, & because a 1 and 1/2 year pushed back at a 4 year old), i'm still too embarrassed to say anything about it. instead of being brave, brushing it off & going back the next day. i decided to cower. it took nearly a week for me to get up the nerve to go back. however, now, i leave the house early each morning, hoping to get in a workout before my family even wakes up. still embarrassed, i try to sneak in & out of the gym before the child-care coordinator even arrives.

so i'll admit it, loud & proud... i am a total wimp! maybe the next time i go to the gym, i can work on strengthening my backbone!

20 comments:

Alison Wills said...

Oh man...that's pretty bad on the gym's child care part...I mean they are children! you ought to see the child care at my gym, it's like a crayola, fischer-price explosion has taken place! But the two girls are in there playing with all the crazy kids...they're kids!! They'll throw crayons and probably in O's case, stick up for themselves!! What a bummer!!

just jen said...

I'm sorry, but did you say this "eviction" was over some spilt CRAYONS?! And A LITTLE PUSH?! That child-care "coordinator" needs to be fired! Seriously. Gym memberships in today's economy are a bonus...and gym managers KNOW it. YOU have the power, my dear, to march in there and make it VERY clear that UNLESS your children DRAW BLOOD, you are to be left ALONE to exercise your membership free of worry over whether or not the "coordinator" can handle HER JOB! I'm mean REALLY! It simply is NOT fair that you were asked to collect them and leave under those circumstances. Unless it says explicitly in your contract that spilling of crayons and general turf-claiming behavior is grounds for dismissal and humiliation. I'm FIRED UP! Want me to call for you?? I'm a MAMA ON THE EDGE over stuff like this! Just say the word...just say the word....

Val said...

Oh come on, are you serious? I can't believe that they would ask them to leave because of that. Crayons, ask the child to please pick up and suggest he not color anymore today, as for the "baby" compared to the 4 year old, give me a break he was probably bugging your little one.
I'm so sorry this happened. But I totally understand you "hiding" from the coordinator.
I say just take them back like nothing ever happened.:)

Anonymous said...

All because they dumped out a box of crayons? Maybe they need a new daycare person... one who actually understands kids...

groovyteach said...

wow. that's unreal. i'm so sorry! and it's ok, sometimes i'm a wimp too at the time because i'm in shock over what people can say and do. all the good comebacks come as i'm driving away, fuming. sounds like your gym has some issues in the childcare department.

Becky said...

If that's all your kids did, then that child-care facility has some problems! I'm sorry- I would have done the same thing though, I'm a wimp!

Leslie said...

that is crazy, kelly. you didn't deserve the walk of shame for a few crayons on the floor. obviously that lady wasn't having a good day and patience is not her virtue. :)

second of all, i hate to offend any uber-stephenie meyers fans, but that post that you just wrote so well in about 10 minutes? sounded just like her books! you need to start a novel, obviously! it was fun to read. :)

Tonya Staab said...

They kicked you out for THAT. Are you kidding me. How ridiculous.

Okay, they should really hire a daycare co-ordinator who has kids.

JuliaGulia said...

Oh don't feel bad that happened to me for my potty training child who had just began wearing underware and I was so careful to take him before I worked out and then as soon as i got back. had like every child a accident. And they called me in and had all three of my children waiting for me like they were in a line up and said out they have to leave now. So I did and did the same thing as you going killing myself to get up and to the gym at 4 in the morning but then I decided that if they were going to treat my kids that way then they didnt need my money. As the kid care was one of the reasons we choose that gym. So we called and told them that we wanted last months payment back and that we were going to another gym. So good luck and keep your head up. You shouldnt have to be treated that way you after all are paying to go there and they are working because of you. Good luck.
p.s. sorry for the rambling

Robin Beck said...

Oh Kelly that is not right... I used to manage a fitness club and we had to get rid of some child care coordinators in the club because they for some reason didn't realize that kids are kids! I'm sorry to hear you don't feel comfortable taking your kids with you anymore...It's just not right. Good for you for still getting a workout in though.
Best to you...

Traci said...

Say what? That is crazy, I think they may need a new child-care coordinator, maybe one that has kids of her own???? Sounds like she doesn't know how to handle kid situations very well! Let alone one that wasn't that big of deal either.
Now if your tykes came in daily and were dumping things everywhere and not cleaning up and pushing others, then that would be a cause of concern, but just once. And your tykes are only 3 and 1 1/2- oh dear, that lady needs help!
Now don't be shy- you are the MOM!!!!!

Heidi said...

how are you going to color if you can't dump out the crayons! she probably had some bad pms that day.

J+S said...

Wow, I am in agreement with the above comments. There is something wrong with that childcare coordinator. Your boys sound like perfectly normal kids! In fact, they sound better behaved than normal. I'm sorry that you feel bad. I wish I had some great advice on being brave, but I am pretty much wimpy.

Kimberly said...

Oh, I feel for you! My 2-year old was also banned from the gym. I couldn't believe it! I often contemplated taking "early childhood" reading materials for the child-care instructor to read, but wimped out. Seriously! He's only 1 1/2! How much do they think a little push is going to hurt a 4-year old!

Wendi said...

Did I miss something?
Did you say spilled crayons and a push?
Hmmmm...I think I might have accidentally spilled some more crayons and maybe even my Evian...
on her!

Shelly G said...

Oh.... BIG hugs <_> You need to go to the gym manager... More then likely they need a new childcare coordinator... One of the gyms I belonged to allowed people to work in the childcare area as payment for gym dues... This is no way to approach childcare... I have never met a normal child as young as yours who only picked one crayon at a time... Not to mention if you keep them in the box, how are you going to know which one you used already...It's crazy... Your boys are darling... and kids will be kids... It isn't like they were biting, spitting or kicking... they were being boys... I think it is time for the gym to make a change in their child care providers... They need someone who knows kids... and the natural ways of children... Wow... I am on a soapbox... Thank you so much for all your potty training encouragement... It helped me so much and we are doing better then I thought we would:)
shellys.hut@gmail.com

Shannon said...

NO FREEKING way!!!! That is Ridiculous!! And good on your lil' guy for sticking up for himself.... I don't know. If it was me, what would I have done? Oh... probably throw a fit and embarrass myself and the "coordinator".. All I know is that someone who is worried about a little bit of spilled milk (or crayons) should NOT be working with children - in ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM!! You need to take them back there and stand up for them (not that you don't want to - I know it's hard) - THEY ARE KIDS!!! LITTLE KIDS AT THAT!! Not 12 or 13 year olds! I'm so sorry... Don't ever be embarrassed or ashamed to show your face... you are a great mom... I can tell by your posts!

Anonymous said...

WOW---
I have to say that was no reason to kick you out! That is NUTS!

...some people...

Travelin'Oma said...

This is too funny. Hold your head high and think, "My kids are not those mamby-pampy good ones. My boys have Spirit!"

My Two Army Brats said...

What a sad story but well told. I think you should bring the boys back to the gym and tell the lady that you pay good money for her to pick up crayons and stop children from bickering and she should do her job!

I'd take them back for sure!