Friday, 17 February 2012

Unbelievable parenting?

A good few years ago, I drove my friend, her daughter and daughters best friend to the bowling alley in Newport. On route we picked up the girls 'boy' friends, they were all aged 14.

On arrival in Newport one of the boys gave me an enverlope containing a tablet which he stated he must have at noon. 'Oh I say, is it a antibiotic?' he replies 'no, it's ritalin, I've got ADHD and as long as YOU give me my medication, I'll be fine.'

Now to me that is NOT acceptable, you DO NOT send a child off with people you hardly know without imparting information like that.

There was another time at one of the kids birthday parties, I know the children, all 30 of them, were aged between 5 & 7. All dropped off by parents, some didn't even show their faces. At the end of the 2 hour party one parent said 'was ..... ok as i forgot to leave his inhaler, he's got bad asthma' and another asked if their son had been OK as he had recently been diagnosed with eplipsy.

OK, OK, OK I happen to know what to do if someone is epileptic and has a seizure and fortunatley my teaching background is Autism and ADHD, but it is very wrong of a parent NOT to mention this, when trusting your child into their care.

Today I get a phone call from school, I'm supposed to be having ..... to sleep over for the weekend. Nope not happening, he has his weekend bag and is waiting for me to collect him as his parents are away. Sorry, but the child asked several weeks ago if he could stay over and I said 'here is my telephone number, your parents have to call me first and I will need your medical aid number. (I'm not prepared to pay for a child who injures himself then have the difficulty of claiming the money back from the parents)

The child's parents never called me, yet they sent their son to school this morning, knowing they would be away for the weekend without calling me to check it is ok. The child did stay over for one night last year after he fell out with the child he was staying with while his oarents were away and turned up at our house asking to sleep over. He gave me his parents number but they failed to reply so I went to see the people he was supposed to be staying with to discover they had gone out and left this child. When I finally got hold of the dad, he told me he was away and as long as his son stayed in the estate till Friday he didn't mind where he slept.

My son and his friend are 12/13.

I polietly informed the school that the child was currently their responsibility, they agreed with me in reagards to my reasons for the child not sleeping over.

Now the big Q's... Would/Do you inform other parents of a disability/illness/physical or medical need when dropping your child at a party?

Do you insist on meeting the parents or at the very least speak to them on the phone before allowing a sleep over?

My other son has a friend sleeping over tonight...the parents sent a SMS/Text to confirm I was aware of these plans...they are both 17.

2 comments:

  1. Ok, my son is only 20months, but I would definitely make sure to at least clock the parents before allowing a sleepover.

    You're giving them a massive responsibility - the welfare of your child, so why wouldn't you?

    The same goes for any medical needs your child might have.

    Not to do so is just irresponsible and (dare I say) slack.

    Until my little lad's 18, he's my responsibility where ever he is.

    The opposite of helicopter parenting? How about DRONE parenting? Sounds pretty remote and hands off to me!

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    Replies
    1. Unfortunately hubby and I managed to come up with so many examples like the above we were amazed and shocked. In regards to your son being your responsibility till he's 18, I'm afraid to tell you, it never stops. Lol

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