Would You Go Get Baby-O?
It’s mid-afternoon and I still haven’t shaken my decidedly non-Zen morning that involved running through the shower, then locking horns with Laurel over the topics of eating breakfast, getting socks and shoes on, not playing with markers, etc., in order to get out the door to day care. Not surprisingly, my attempts to explain how our lateness impacted my ability to meet several deadlines this week weren’t going anywhere.
We finally got out the door and then, in the day care parking lot, as I pulled Laurel out of her seat, she said: “Where’s Baby-O”? My heart sank as I realized that we had left the house without her beloved Asian baby.
Laurel started crying and I felt my blood pressure elevate markedly, but given that Laurel is going through another clingy phase and drop offs haven’t been great these days (unless her BFF Gracie is there) I got in the car, and, swearing vigorously under my breath (okay, I was swearing out loud…), raced home to get Baby-O.
I suppose Laurel’s cheery expression when I gave her Baby-O should have been enough to erase my frustration, and the loop around only set me back another 15 minutes, but somehow I felt completely wronged by the situation. I wondered, what are the limits to requests, especially now that we’re in the classic toddler phase where the requests come fast and furious? Given the variables, would you have gone back to get Baby-O??
Comments
To be honest, probably not. Once at daycare, Little Man is so distracted that he probably wouldn't notice until the end of the day. I think it's a good lesson in coping.
That said, if the morning was horrible in all other ways, then I might ... hard to say.
Posted by: The Feminist Mafia | December 5, 2006 4:05 PM | Reply to this comment
maybe "baby o" needs a twin sister named "baby k" at school. That way you know your bases are covered and that it'll all be.....O-K. Love ya.
Posted by: sha-sha | December 6, 2006 2:49 AM | Reply to this comment
hard to say...i generally tend not to go back for things forgotten, but it would also cost me more than 15 minutes to get home and back. I, too, think it's a good lesson in coping, my guys would have forgotten the whole thing within 5 minutes (only to rehash it in the car on the way home). That said, they also aren't the kind of kids who have loveys, blankies or stuffies for sleep time, either. I kept a plethora of pacifiers in all the cubbies at daycare when we were at that stage, so maybe a "baby-k" isn't a bad idea. overall, i probably wouldn't go back, but I probably would feel guilty!
Posted by: tracy p | December 6, 2006 9:28 AM | Reply to this comment
I probably would have gone back if it's part of her routine. I believe routine helps create security and confidence. If 15 minutes out of your day will make your little girl happy, why not? It's not as though she did something bad and you are rewarding her.
Posted by: Maureen | January 18, 2007 8:57 PM | Reply to this comment