Punishments can be punitive.
Did you ever find yourself in the middle of a family feud, except you and a member of the other clan were besties? Ever been told you can't play with your best friend or hang out together because the "adults" involved weren't getting along? That happened to me when I was about 14. My best friend told me to come over the back way so none of the neighbors would see me walk up to the front door. I hung myself by the back of the pants on the wire fence and ripped a big hole in the back of my new jeans.
It was Thursday morning at the daycare (last Thursday, Feb 29th). We were getting ready for breakfast. There were buttermilk pancakes, some kind of fruit or juice, milk, and instant oatmeal packets. While Co-Teacher got the breakfasts ready, I washed little hands and put chairs around the table. (Maybe I picked up a few toys too, but I don't really remember exactly.) The food comes from the kitchen on a cart shared between the two toddler rooms which are separated by a partial half wall/door. We each have a wire rack/shelf on our own side on which to set plates and bowls as we fill them.
Maybe I was putting bibs on toddlers when Co-Teacher made the first bowl of oatmeal. (Again, I don't remember but I know I often do that as they are seated around the tables.) We had somewhere between 7 and 9 children, and transitions from one activity to another can hectic. I was on the opposite side of the table when The Child let out a scream and started rubbing his hands together. I hurried over to investigate and was told by an "Other Toddler Room Parent" that The Child had stuck his hand into the bowl of oatmeal set back on the wire shelf. Sure enough! He had oatmeal on his hands and there was a puddle on the floor as well.
Recognizing this was a cry of pain, and deducing it had to do with the oatmeal's temperature (even though it shouldn't have been hot enough), I hurried The Child to the sink, attempted to pull up his sleeve, and ran cold water over his hand. He fought and cried. Nothing unusual for this particular child. Co-Teacher, who had been rescuing Toppling Toddler from tumbling off his seat at the table when the incident occurred, realized how hot the oatmeal must have been and called the office and was told, "It can't be a burn, the water's not hot enough," (The water should NOT be hot enough) but indeed it was.
Co-Teacher called the office again and a Different Office Worker came to look at The Child's wrist and arm, which were now looking pink. I called for a frozen Boo Boo Sponge from the kitchen and put it, along with a cold, wet paper towel, on the long, pink mark down The Child's arm. Now we could see where the hot water had run down his sleeve and where the oatmeal had been stuck just below his wrist. We did everything we could do for The Child, along with continuing to pass out breakfasts to the Other Hungry Children. At 8:30 or 9 o'clock (I can't remember this either) a second teacher was needed in the back room (on the other side of the half wall). When our Third Teacher arrived I went to the back until all the teachers had arrived.
Fast forward.
Because of the nature of The Child's injury, The Director was required to notify the Office of Child and Family Services. OCFS informed her it was necessary to call CPS and so the fiasco began, and by "fiasco" I mean Investigation. Although we were assured by our staff we "did nothing wrong," there are official alleged charges from CPS. (I have a letter.) We were in the room when The Child was injured and we are therefore responsible. Incompetent Supervision. Though we did not fill the carafe of hot water, nor did we place the wire shelf in the classroom. (There are rules on how hot the water can be and it was much hotter. Even cups of hot coffee are banned from classrooms. Nothing is allowed that is potentially hot enough to burn a child.
The punishment.
On Monday morning we came into work to find we had been stripped of our clearance to be alone with the children. No opening or closing shifts until The Investigation is complete. On top of that, we are not allowed to be in a classroom together and that includes going out on the playground, even when there is a third teacher present. I must admit I was more than a little miffed when I had to leave the room and they had The Cook stand in in my place... (Where do you think the hot water night have come from....?) Ugh.
All week long Co-Teacher and I have gone to work and been separated. We have worked together since September and now, not only are we not allowed to work together in one room, but it means one of us is separated from the children we cared for daily as well. I feel like the child who is no longer allowed to speak or play with her best friends. It's only been a week and could take up to eight weeks before the Investigation is complete. That's a long time for toddlers.
:(
Update (Because I actually wrote this on Thursday night and it's Saturday morning now)
I watched the video. It was short and sweet. I scooped up M from the square table and took him to his seat at the round table (because he has allergies and eats alone). While this was happening, Co-Teacher stepped over to steady Tumbling Toddler, and just like that it had happened. I went to The Child, scooped him up, and headed for the sink.
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