my dd was left at gymnastics by herself

[redhookmom]

I am horrified. I was so happy this morning. I was given the oppurtunity to go to my son's school to help with a special project and had been looking forward to it. My dh had arranged for his Mom take my daughter to gymnastics. My MIL is not very good at LISTENING! I heard my dh explain to her, on the phone, that she would stay with dd and then take her back home and I would pick her up as soon as I left ds's school.

She left my baby at gymnastics. She is only 2!!

I arrived at MILs after K visit and she is not there which was strange. I drive home she is not here. I call dh as he is walking in the house with dd. The gymnastics place called home (I was not here) then they called him at work. He went right away but it took about 30 minutes for him to get there. She was hysterical and rightly so. By this time she had been there for almost 2 hours. I guess they let her participate in the class thinking MIL would return at the end. She was fine during the class but not after it was over.

I am so mad that my MIL does not listen. I am mad that my dh did not give her the note I wrote b/c I know she does not listen. I am mad at myself for not making sure MIL understood. I am mad I did not have my cell phone with me.

I am grateful to all of the other mother's in the class who hung around trying to calm Grace down. I am grateful to the gymnatics manager who was not mad. I am grateful that I have learned a huge lesson at a relatively small cost.

ETA: SHE KNEW SHE WAS EXPECTED TO STAY!! I just got off the phone with her. She told me she stayed for 10-12 minutes and once she saw Grace was comfortable she left. And WHY, b/c somemone needed a ride at 11:30. HUH, couldn't grandpa give the ride, I know he was home and would be more then willing. AND, if it was some sort of emergencey TAKE GRACE WITH YOU. I will never, ever leave my kids with her again!! I was stunned and crying and just hung up the phone on her.

[AvasMama]

Oh...my...god. If I were you, I don't think I would ever speak to MIL again! At a minimum it would be a good year before she was left alone with my DD again.

Poor Grace! I am glad all was OK in the end, but how scary for both of you!

Robyn & Ava

[bluej]

I would be absolutely furious! And unfortunately your MIL probably won't 'get it' b/c she wasn't there to see how upset/scared Grace was! And on an annoying note: why didn't she WANT to stay and watch her precious granddaugher do her gymnastics? Don't most grandparents live for that sort of thing?

[JElaineB]

OMG! I feel so bad for you and your little girl! I'm so glad she is ok. I cannot imagine leaving a 2 year old alone at a class even if I was not given explicit instructions to stay. What was your MIL thinking?! Hugs, and hope your weekend is better than today!

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[Dcclerk]

Yikes, Jessica. That sucks. I'm so sorry to hear that MIL was so irresponsible. I think you have a great perspective on everything and am really glad that everything turned out remarkably well. Big hugs to you and Grace!

[alkagift]

I agree with Jennifer. What person in their right mind would leave a 2 year old ANYWHERE by herself? ARRGH! Dumb grandma.


Allison
Mommy to Matthew 5/03

[egoldber]

Oh how horrible!!!! My MIL has done some innane things, but NEVER anything as egregious as that. Yowza, what was she thinking??????

[candybomiller]

Wow. That's just about unforgivable. Your (bleeping) MIL is damn lucky that nothing happened to your baby. And as a pp said, she probably has no idea that she did anything wrong. GRRRRR.

[Bethann31]

I just cannot even begin to imagine. I am so glad that Grace is ok and that you had so many good mommies to help her out. I'm thinking you will find a way to make MIL listen if you ever give her the opportunity to watch her again.


Beth
mom to:

Josh 3/90
Mollie 4/92
Jeffrey 12/94
Katherine 6/03

[Roleysmom]

Jessica, I too would be so freaked out and incredibly angry. Didn't MIL see the other children with their parent/caregiver there? Anyway, thank goodness at least she was in a safe place, with adults who were looking after her the best that they could. So, will the next time MIL watches your DC be in 2008 or 2010?

Paula -- mom to Roley Julia, January '02

[pritchettzoo]

I can only think of curse words. You must want to wring her neck. What the [expletive] was she thinking?

Poor little girl!

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and One More (coming July '05)

[barbarhow]

Oooohhhhhhh. Your poor daughter! GGGgrrrrrrrrrrrrr to you MIL. So glad that everyone else was responsive. Hugs to Grace. and to you, too.
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03, a Red Sox fan
expecting #2, a Yankee fan, around 5/9/05!

[toomanystrollers]

What is she absolutely CLUELESS????? Is she elderly and LOSING ALL HER MARBLES???

[C99]

Jessica,

How horrible! I would be so mad and just UPSET too. What a wackadoodle. No WAY would I give her a second chance after that.

[kristine_elen]

Oh my GAWD! I don't think I'd be able to talk to my MIL (or anyone) for a very long time, if ever, after something like that. What is her problem???

[wagner36]

OMG - I am laughing so hard at the term wackadoodle. I spit out my water all over my shiny new laptop at work.

We're working on eliminating bad words now that C's talking, so we've been trying to think of new words, but ours suck compared to that one!

Oh, I seriously can't stop laughing....

[cuca_]

I cannot believe that. What was she thinking?!! And she knew she was expected to stay, what nerve. Was she even planning on coming back to pick Grace up? She sounds like she needs some serious help. I am sorry you had to go through this.


Carmen
DD May 2003
#2 expected in May 2005!

[murpheyblue]

How funny, I was just going to post that that's my new favorite word.

[papal]

I am mad for you! How awful and scary for little Grace. I would definitely be FUMING and never trust a person who did this with my child again. You don't get second chances when you are this unthinking.
That just made me postpone getting a babysitter for another year.

[StaceyKim]

WTF! That is just ridiculous to leave your DD at gymnastics by herself at 2 years of age AND knowing that she was expected to stay with her. What a jerk of a MIL. I am so sorry you had to go through this. I don't think I would be able to trust MIL with my child ever again. What did your DH think of all this???

[KBecks]

Jessica, I'm so sorry to hear of you and your daughter's ordeal.
Apparently grandma doesn't get it when it comes to child care. Glad to hear that she won't have child care priveleges in the future...

Supervised visits sound like the way to go.

Good luck,
KBecks

[himom]

Oh, I'd be so mad! I'm glad everything turned out ok, but poor Grace!

I hope your mother-in-law gets a clue soon.

Jodi

[Puddy73]

WTH was she thinking?!?! If she didn't want to stay, why didn't she at least pick up a phone and let you know? Hugs to you and Grace!!

Jennifer
Mommy to Annabelle Mae 9/8/03

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

[momma_boo]

I can't even imagine how upset you must be. I just don't understand why she didn't come back.

Definitely qualifies to be a "whackadoodle."

[zen_bliss]

you are handling this with exceeding grace. my scalp is all prickly reading this! unforgivable. i don't see this as one of those nutty stories to laugh about years later, 'hey remember the time grandma left grace at class and then went home?' it could have had a much different ending if she had, say, left her at the playground or at the mall. TG for a wonderful staff and group at the gymnastics class. she knew she was supposed to stay, yet she didn't even go back for the end of the class? what kind of person doesn't go back??? you just got a free pass to never interact with that mindless c--t MIL again.