I have so had it with watching people get screwed. Two weeks ago, I wrote about some folks at work getting laid off. I was (and still am) grateful to have kept my job.
Today, I went to pick up Matthew at daycare, and as usual, I logged into the computer and checked him out for the day. I checked our mailslot, and found a few papers in there. One saying they need verification of his most recent physical, a state health assessment form, and a third sheet which turned out to be a letter from the director. I read it in disbelief.
In a nutshell, it said that due to the economy, enrollment in the center is down, and that as a result, Thursday, March 12th (yes, today) would be Amanda's last day. Amanda is Matthew's primary teacher.
I am just devastated. This young woman has taken such wonderful care of Matthew over the last year, and he really loves her (and she him). You can just see it. Don't get me wrong - the other teachers are wonderful, too. But there's just something special about their relationship.
I walked into the infant room, and saw her almost immediately. I just said her name, and she knew that I knew. She had Matthew with her, and she immediately started to cry, as did I. We hugged, and I thanked her for everything she's done for us this past year. Matthew is a happy, well-adjusted, fun-loving boy, and she's played a part in that. We will miss her so much - all of us - me, Dennis and most of all Matthew. It breaks my heart to think about him looking for her and her not being there. Gosh, who'd have thought I'd say that? Remember this post? Yup, that was Amanda. Thankfully she's planning to stop by and visit, and they're hoping to be able to hire her back in the future if things pick up again.
I'm so pissed that it's had to come to this. All because of the greed of people who don't give a shit about anyone but themselves. Ordinary people just trying to make a living are getting their lives upended. Here's someone who I'm sure isn't making a huge paycheck, doing what I consider to be the most important job in the world, losing her job three months before her wedding. Nice.
Something's gotta give, folks. Things are just so out of hand.
Update 3/13: Just wanted to clarify something lest I give the wrong impression. I'm not blaming the folks at daycare - they're not the greedy people I'm talking about. I'm talking about those fat cat CEO's who are sitting pretty while everyone else suffers the consequences.
7 comments:
That sucks. Hopefully we have, or are about to, hit the bottom. That little boy is so damn cute!
Kimmy, you know how I feel about this already, but will sum up my thoughts - reiterated: For those parents who struggle with either, by choice, or by necessity, giving their kids up to someone they have to trust to care, look after and love their child - it is heartbreaking when that entrustment is broken. After the intial internal struggle of handing your child to someone everyday, that person has inevitably become the extension of you as a parent. For you to have lost that connection, makes me sad. And you are right - ordinary people are the biggest losers here. It's a shame.
I'm so sorry, for Amanda, for you and Dennis, and for Matthew. Last year we did a wage analysis for a client, comparing and contrasting how much Certified Nursing Assistants and daycare professionals make. We discovered that dog groomers make more. What does that say about how we value our elders and our children? It is certainly a tough time now, but even when it's not, these individuals who give so much of themselves need more respect.
I am so sorry...that totally sucks! I am red in the face just reading this post - angry that she has lost her job because of irresponsible people who's eyes were bigger than their wallets, sad because Matthew and the whole family has lost a big part of your days and that this woman doesn't have a job three months before her wedding. She was working hard and loving children and now is unemployed. It just doesn't seem fair that those that have caused this nightmare are getting off scott free and the rest get screwed! My prayers are with you all.
Just one more example of how the people who caused this - CEOs who are still employed and received their bonuses despite being bailed out AND people who knowingly spent beyond their means who also get/got bailed out - sit pretty with no consequences. No wonder why the regular people in the middle are outraged!!
It does suck - and I can't disagree with anyone else's response. But I will add my optimistic 2 cents, Kim - Matthew will adjust and fall in love with the next kind, loving caregiver. He is just a baby, he won't have trust issues or abandonment issues because of this.
And while I know that this is an unfair situation, it is most likely not the last time you will be crying over the loss of a daycare provider. (ok, that part was less "optimistic", more "realistic".)
Anyway - I know your point was that it sucks that this departure was without choice. And for that, I'm sorry.
Darn! It's really upsetting that this happened to Matthew's teacher. The economy sucks and it's getting worst every day.
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