Excuses and Justifications

When I picked up Drew from school yesterday, he asked if he could play there at the school playground with some other kids. I agreed as we parked. We opened the back and pulled out a small arsenal of toys at the ready (ie. frisbee, soccerball, etc.). Shortly thereafter a healthy game of kickball broke out and all was right with the world. At this point all other children had left. Some time later the doors to the school opened and out came approximately twenty or so kids. In an odd turn of events, girls were screaming hello to Andrew as boys and girls came running out to play. Nearly a half dozen or so gathered up on the actual playground area vs. the dual purpose playground parking lot. Suddenly, a lady with a red YMCA shirt comes up and begins agressively yelling in the girls faces who were all huddled together talking. Apparently, it was not okay for them to be up there.

Excuses and justifications can be made for this caregivers actions. Perhaps she had told them they are not allowed up there multiple times previously. Or maybe there are too many kids for so few caregivers to adequately manage. Or perhaps she is simply underpaid and under appreciated. Nevertheless, in my opinion it is never appropriate for any caregiver to yell in the face of child. Much less, a child not your own. A nearby mother chimes in making me aware of the established reputation of two particular YMCA after-school care providers. With the YMCA having such an established reputation parents could easily justify working a few more hours in order to make a few more bucks while these sweet golden resume yielding ladies watched after their children. Undertone and hardship circumstances aside, I have to ask...Who and what are the priorities of these parents? I'm speaking to the parents who choose to have both parents working to make over six figures a year, while their children are raised by others. Would those parents continue with the same established priorities if they truly knew the way caregivers were behaving?

Our children need their parents, not a substitute teacher. Let's get in the game.