Big Mama Bear

For the mommies out there ...

Have you ever had a day filled with heart-wrenching moments watching your child overcome feelings of being left out.

Feeling helpless as their protector for not shielding their little hearts from this imperfect world?

Harbor feelings of sadness and anger for those who are insensitive to a child's most innocent feelings?

Well, yesterday was that day for me and here's why...

As I rushed into my son's summer school class to pick him up before their scheduled lunch hour at 12pm, I noticed that the entire class was already sitting at the table with their lunch boxes while my son sat off to the side on the floor all alone.  The teachers were standing over the students by the lunch tables as my son sat all by himself.

WHAT??!!

Many thoughts rushed through my head...

Why did the teachers go off schedule and start lunch early? 

Why was my son all alone and not sitting at the table with everyone else and given some of the goldfish or graham crackers that I had donated to the class?

Should I have paid the extra money and signed him up to stay for lunches and nap times so this would never have happened?

As I was prepared to start asking my questions, my eyes locked onto my son's big brown eyes and he burst into tears.

Although I knew what was wrong, I asked him anyway.

With tears flowing down his chubby cheeks, he pointed to the kids at the table eating and said, "Mommy, I don't have one of those boxes!".

My heart ached for him.

His teachers just stood there watching.

And I scooped him up and carried him out of the classroom while he cried uncontrollably.

As I reached the door, his teacher yelled, "Bye Luke, see you tomorrow!".

Oy!  The insensitivity and lack of communication by his teachers were shocking.

So...

Today when I dropped off my son at school, I walked up to the teacher and asked her when she plans to start lunch, and told her that I was just heart broken yesterday seeing my son on the floor by himself.

When she rudely told me that they always start at 12pm and that my son declined to sit at the table with the rest of the kids, I transformed into "Big Mama Bear".

Through my bared and gritted teeth, my response was short, stern, and direct.

"Ok, whatever.  If you decide to start lunch early again today, I included snacks in his bag.  PLEASE give it to him.  THANKS!"

The teacher looked surprised, walked out of the room, and I heard a faint "I'm sorry".

Grrrrrrrrr!!

- Big Mama Bear