Crappy Daycare

I want to squirt this entire bottle down my throat to ease my pain. That, and seek out the wino in Walgreen's parking lot to beg, borrow or steal some calming substance in pill form. Too bad I have to attend husband's graduation tonight (sober.) Momma needs something, though, maybe just to share what happened to me an hour ago.

It stared when I was kept late at work because of a trauma patient. I called husband who was just leaving work. (Don't worry the kids do fine when we both work overnight. We lock the doors, leave out a bottle of formula and toss down some fishsticks. It's all good.) He was on his way to play golf with the other new grads and was able to go home, get the kids to preschool and daycare. I had just tucked myself into bed with a cup of moonshine tea when riiiiiiiiiing...."Uh, honey? I forgot to drop off Junior's formula with him."

That's right - I feed my kid FORMULA. See - I should have seen this coming.

When I arrived at Junior's little sitter/daycare place, he was in a playpen whinging and the owner's son was naked as a jaybird as she tried to give him a bath. That was cool - she keeps my kid and her own clean. Well, suddenly there was a dog yapping at my ankles (Dog? There's a dog here?) and I went over to give Junior a cuddle. Well, his head and hands REEKED of Pungent Dogturd (caps - I need caps today, sorry.) I looked into the depths of the Pak n' Play and Junior had been SNACKING on a piece of DOGSHIT. Rubbing it all over his face and head like his sister taught him with my lipstick. Seriously, the smell was like when you're in the car and you know someone has stepped in some dog doo and you stick your nose right into your sneaker and it turns out you are the offender? THAT'S what it smelled like. I almost got sick right there.

Instead, I gave him a bath in the sink, made my excuses and got the hell out of Dodge. I know it was an honest mistake but how can I take him back there?

I have never, ever, ever, EVER felt like a worse mother than I do at this minute, one hour after returning and putting Junior in a poop free bed. I am just SICK over this and sadly, Junior probably will be, too. All I can think about is: Ecoli0157:H7

Sometimes being a working mother sucks. Thanks for listening.

"Don't worry, Mom. A daily intake of dogcrap increases one's SAT score 200 points. You're the greatest."

Comments

[kstyle]

Hey Pink

Trust me all of our kids have eaten poop from time to time. It's just par for the course. But it really is hard to find great daycare. I remember the baby sitter years as pretty stressfull. If you can find a good one guard her like gold. k

[teri]

OMG! and what did the daycare provider have to say about all this?

ps.....i gave my children formula too. they are wicked smart and nice people, showing no signs of becoming ax wielding pyschos

[Kathleen]

OMG. That is the worst thing I have ever heard! Do not feel bad, but never go to that daycare again...and I'd report them if I were you. How on earth did Junior get near enough to dog crap to eat it? If they have a dog that isn't housetrained it should be penned away from the kiddies or kept outside until it is. That's just unacceptable. So sorry Pink.
Hey, have you heard of mama source? I looks like they have a daycare rating service and other things...http://www.mamasource.com

[Rachael]

He looks so adorable. and clean.

[kiwi]

I literally gasped out loud. I would still be screaming...and crying...and then screaming some more. you are a lot more understanding than I would be. I would have broken my foot off in someone's backside.

I hope he doesn't get sick.

[rebecca]

It will be ok. Shit happens, literally and figuratively. This too shall pass, literally and figuratively...

ok I'll stop with the poop jokes. Little guy will be fine. He'll never remember.

[rebecca]

However, to be clear, I don't think I'd take my kid back there either...

[paola]

I have absolutely NO IDEA how you do it. I have trouble enough coping with only one and working on the business part time. How you manage with two and night shifts is completely beyond me.

Anyway Junior looks pretty good to me for a kid living on formula and dog poop :) May have to try it with the Minx.

[Quirk]

Dont worry...it happens to all moms. And the ones that say it doesnt....they are liars.

[kiminottawa]

OMG I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit. And you are a GREAT mom so don't even say/think otherwise. Dammit Junior is adorable in that photo. Trade ya a cat for him.

[Alyssa]

Priceless.

[Gypsy Purple-Chamara]

I am so sorry.....I know this was terrible for you, but I couldnt help laughing when I saw the picture of this little adorable clean child that looks as if he has just did something awfully cute.....

...all mine did the tasting thing....but the daycare sounds a bit strange

[Megan]

Ewwwww!! What was the owners reaction?? What if her little boy was getting clean because he had the same accident, maybe she took care of him first. Have there been other mishaps? I agree, it was probably an honest accident, but it would be really hard for me to take my kids back to that situation. I am one of those crazed animal lovers, but I think the dog should be kenneled during day care hours.

[Cath S]

Sigh - some days just turn to, okay gotta say it, crap. I agree, he'll be fime. But the sitter should not be :-(

[midcenturyjo]

Just to cheer you up I shall tell you the story of my now 25 year old neice (very successful and on her way to her 3rd house) who was tricked into eating her sister's poop in the bath tub they were sharing. Please do not ask my my other neice was pooping in the tub but sh*t happens. Funny thing was after chomping on the sh*t and remarking that it didn't taste like the chocolate bar she was promised the pooper neice told the poopee neice to take a second bite to get the real flavour ..... and she did. Have I mentioned that she is very successful 22 years later and her mum loves telling the story of how she stopped her taking the 3rd bite!

[Iheartfashion]

I wouldn't worry a bit about the formula, but Yikes! Definitely time for a new day care.

[peggy]

Oh honey. Wish I could give you a big hug. You are not a bad mother. I think all working mothers go through such guilt, and it's not necessary. My poor sister-in-law just agonizes when she has to leave town for her very high profile, very high status job. I tell her the kids are better off. If I had kids they would be dirt poor.

The worst thing a mother can do for her children is be unhappy.

Now, that is a sweet faced child. I can see he is well cared for. And no "bad" mother would create such a wonderful place for her children to hang out as Casapinka is.

That said, I am really glad that you took him home. Probably won't be the only time you have to pull him out of shit.

Put on that lavendar dress tonight and let everyone see how absolutely marvelous you are. A mother, a doctor, a writer and decorator. Chin way up honey.

[Kate I]

Oh Pink, you just made my day! I know this is a horrible thing to have happen...I remember one of mine doing that too, but you have such a gift for turning a crappy event into a golden story. I hope you print this out and save it for him...he'll appreciate it someday!

[Jenny Fillius]

I really have nothing better to add after reading these comments. It's just that it happens to all of us. Not eating poop perse, but regrets we have about things that have happened to our children as the result of something we did.
I am so pleased you found him when you did as it could have gone undetected, and been repeated. Shame on the caregiver.

[casapinka]

To all of you - I'm amazed at how many people left supportive comments and how few threw a turd in my direction. I guess it goes to show that we are hardest on ourselves. Thanks to all of you for your stories, hugs and support. I still don't know what I'm going to do with Junior on Tuesday. As for the caregiver - I think it was an honest mistake. She was mortified. What I didn't mention, though, was while I was bathing Junior in the kitchen sink, Sydney (another kiddo)crawled up on the dining room table and I realized that we simply weren't going to be back.

[Lindsay]

Your a good Mom. The fact that you care about the situation and feel badly about what your son went though is a sign of your love. If you didn't feel badly, then, maybe you should be concerned. Kids eat dirt, sand, and yes, poop. Just don't bring him back, and do tell the daycare why. You don't have to launch an attack, but write a "Just so you know" letter. Love your blog(s).

Lindsay

[Rachelle]

OMG, hilarious! Don't worry, apparently I ate tons of turd snacks as a kid and I turned out awesome!

[julie at BV]

Shame on that daycare. I know that it might sound easy for me to say because I don't have a child yet and I don't know how hard it could be to find a good daycare but don't take your baby back there again.

[drey]

hehe pink, yes you know we are hardest on ourselves.... poor bubs! you're trying your best!

[stefan]

I don't have any childcare experience, but I have a story about when I was a child that might make you laugh. My mom went out to lunch every tuesday with her gf's and took me along. As a baby the only thing I could eat on the menu was soup if she didn't pack me anything, so she ordered me italian wedding soup on one occasion. Well -a bowl of 'soup' came to the table before anything else and while talking to her friends she fed me the entire bowl of soup and I apparently LOVED IT. Then...the REAL soup came. She had fed me an entire bowl of ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING! I had diahrea for a week afterwards apparently and after that she always tasted my food. I'm sure I got way more sick than your son will and I turned out just fine too...I think...