Was this mom entitled?

[Anonymous]

I mean, if you go literally anywhere and ask for a pencil, people will usually to accommodate you, so this would be frustrating at a community center.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, if you go literally anywhere and ask for a pencil, people will usually to accommodate you, so this would be frustrating at a community center.

People who happen to have pencils will accommodate you. I don't carry pencils most of the time, so if you come up to me in most places and ask for one, you won't get one. I'm sorry that's frustrating.

Gym childcares are often mixed ages, and in those setting certain things like toys with small pieces (legos) and sharp things (pencils) need to be closely supervised due to toddlers. I can see a childcare that only has the manpower to supervise one "big kid" activity at a time, and already has the legos out, or that offers a supervised homework/drawing option during after school times in the school year, but only offers drawing with more toddler safe things like crayons or washable markers during the summer when there are more kids. I can also see a situation where they usually have pencils, but today they are broken and they haven't had a chance to go sharpen them.

The thing is, that ratios are a really big deal in childcare, so unlike other jobs where, if the pencils all get broken, you can run into a nearby office and sharpen it, the childcare workers need to make do with what they have at that moment.

I get why this is frustrating. I've been in situations where I needed a pencil or a pen and there wasn't one, and I was frustrated. It sounds like the mom assigned blame where blame wasn't due, and way over reacted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, if you go literally anywhere and ask for a pencil, people will usually to accommodate you, so this would be frustrating at a community center.

People who happen to have pencils will accommodate you. I don't carry pencils most of the time, so if you come up to me in most places and ask for one, you won't get one. I'm sorry that's frustrating.

Gym childcares are often mixed ages, and in those setting certain things like toys with small pieces (legos) and sharp things (pencils) need to be closely supervised due to toddlers. I can see a childcare that only has the manpower to supervise one "big kid" activity at a time, and already has the legos out, or that offers a supervised homework/drawing option during after school times in the school year, but only offers drawing with more toddler safe things like crayons or washable markers during the summer when there are more kids. I can also see a situation where they usually have pencils, but today they are broken and they haven't had a chance to go sharpen them.

The thing is, that ratios are a really big deal in childcare, so unlike other jobs where, if the pencils all get broken, you can run into a nearby office and sharpen it, the childcare workers need to make do with what they have at that moment.

I get why this is frustrating. I've been in situations where I needed a pencil or a pen and there wasn't one, and I was frustrated. It sounds like the mom assigned blame where blame wasn't due, and way over reacted.

I am familiar with childcare and how it works. I find it hard to believe there were no pens or pencils in the room. There are, for example, mandatory forms the workers fill out if a kid is injured, and writing utensils would be on hand for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've seen those gym "childcare" centers and I'm not surprised they don't have pencils. I would be surprised if they didn't have crayons and paper.

Those gym childcare centers are specifically supposed to be used by parents working out. I'm pretty sure their membership would say that. You can't just drop off your kids and do a date night or whatever.

Yes, it's weird that the YMCA couldn't scrounge up a pencil; it's also weird that the mom is using the YMCA for childcare for her younger kid so she can have one on one time with the older kid. That's not what gym childcare is for...

The mom wasn't dropping and leaving. She was in the lobby spending time with an older child who probably didn't want to go to the childcare. That's not against the rules. As long as you are on campus, you can do whatever you want. No one is forcing you to be on the treadmill the entire time. Jeez. If they do want them to use the lobby, then they shouldn't have it. I guess it's only for single childless people.

[Anonymous]

This sounds like asking a store to use a bathroom and they say we don’t have public bathrooms. I don’t care if it’s public or not I just need to pee.
They’re not required to give you a pencil and the front desk person didn’t have one, so they weren’t going above and beyond to find you one……

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like asking a store to use a bathroom and they say we don’t have public bathrooms. I don’t care if it’s public or not I just need to pee.
They’re not required to give you a pencil and the front desk person didn’t have one, so they weren’t going above and beyond to find you one……

Wrong. Its a private place they pay to be a member of. It's not a random public store.

[Anonymous]

If you are prepared enough to bring school work to the gym, you need to also bring a pencil.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like asking a store to use a bathroom and they say we don’t have public bathrooms. I don’t care if it’s public or not I just need to pee.
They’re not required to give you a pencil and the front desk person didn’t have one, so they weren’t going above and beyond to find you one……

Wrong. Its a private place they pay to be a member of. It's not a random public store.

+1
It’s a community center. Ours has coffee and magazines and the olds are encouraged to hang out. It also has a robust camp program so yes, pencils, colored pencils and even markers could be found for a member on request. Same as soap, first aid supplies and probably granola bars!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, if you go literally anywhere and ask for a pencil, people will usually to accommodate you, so this would be frustrating at a community center.

People who happen to have pencils will accommodate you. I don't carry pencils most of the time, so if you come up to me in most places and ask for one, you won't get one. I'm sorry that's frustrating.

Gym childcares are often mixed ages, and in those setting certain things like toys with small pieces (legos) and sharp things (pencils) need to be closely supervised due to toddlers. I can see a childcare that only has the manpower to supervise one "big kid" activity at a time, and already has the legos out, or that offers a supervised homework/drawing option during after school times in the school year, but only offers drawing with more toddler safe things like crayons or washable markers during the summer when there are more kids. I can also see a situation where they usually have pencils, but today they are broken and they haven't had a chance to go sharpen them.

The thing is, that ratios are a really big deal in childcare, so unlike other jobs where, if the pencils all get broken, you can run into a nearby office and sharpen it, the childcare workers need to make do with what they have at that moment.

I get why this is frustrating. I've been in situations where I needed a pencil or a pen and there wasn't one, and I was frustrated. It sounds like the mom assigned blame where blame wasn't due, and way over reacted.

I am familiar with childcare and how it works. I find it hard to believe there were no pens or pencils in the room. There are, for example, mandatory forms the workers fill out if a kid is injured, and writing utensils would be on hand for that.

They’re not giving you their pen. That’s for their use. Yes, you’re an entitled ahole

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, if you go literally anywhere and ask for a pencil, people will usually to accommodate you, so this would be frustrating at a community center.

People who happen to have pencils will accommodate you. I don't carry pencils most of the time, so if you come up to me in most places and ask for one, you won't get one. I'm sorry that's frustrating.

Gym childcares are often mixed ages, and in those setting certain things like toys with small pieces (legos) and sharp things (pencils) need to be closely supervised due to toddlers. I can see a childcare that only has the manpower to supervise one "big kid" activity at a time, and already has the legos out, or that offers a supervised homework/drawing option during after school times in the school year, but only offers drawing with more toddler safe things like crayons or washable markers during the summer when there are more kids. I can also see a situation where they usually have pencils, but today they are broken and they haven't had a chance to go sharpen them.

The thing is, that ratios are a really big deal in childcare, so unlike other jobs where, if the pencils all get broken, you can run into a nearby office and sharpen it, the childcare workers need to make do with what they have at that moment.

I get why this is frustrating. I've been in situations where I needed a pencil or a pen and there wasn't one, and I was frustrated. It sounds like the mom assigned blame where blame wasn't due, and way over reacted.

I am familiar with childcare and how it works. I find it hard to believe there were no pens or pencils in the room. There are, for example, mandatory forms the workers fill out if a kid is injured, and writing utensils would be on hand for that.

Maybe they use pens, or the form is online. Where I work those things have all gone online.

Or maybe the childcare provider has one writing utensil and can’t send it off to other parts of the Y with no idea if she will get it back.

[Anonymous]

OP, you're clearly the mother in this situation. It's weird they didn't offer you a pen at the front desk instead (I'm sure they had a few pens). But no one really uses pencils these days except for kids in school so I'm not surprised they didn't have a pencil. Next time bring a back up. Sounds like they could have been more helpful but also sounds like you came with only one pencil and it broke and you were annoyed that your plan got messed up, which is valid, but not really something the Y can solve for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you're clearly the mother in this situation. It's weird they didn't offer you a pen at the front desk instead (I'm sure they had a few pens). But no one really uses pencils these days except for kids in school so I'm not surprised they didn't have a pencil. Next time bring a back up. Sounds like they could have been more helpful but also sounds like you came with only one pencil and it broke and you were annoyed that your plan got messed up, which is valid, but not really something the Y can solve for you.

Yes, who uses pencils anymore? And every time I lend someone a pen, it doesn’t come back to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like asking a store to use a bathroom and they say we don’t have public bathrooms. I don’t care if it’s public or not I just need to pee.
They’re not required to give you a pencil and the front desk person didn’t have one, so they weren’t going above and beyond to find you one……

Wrong. Its a private place they pay to be a member of. It's not a random public store.

+1
It’s a community center. Ours has coffee and magazines and the olds are encouraged to hang out. It also has a robust camp program so yes, pencils, colored pencils and even markers could be found for a member on request. Same as soap, first aid supplies and probably granola bars!

Does the robust camp cost $150 a month?

Camp and gym childcare are two different things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like asking a store to use a bathroom and they say we don’t have public bathrooms. I don’t care if it’s public or not I just need to pee.
They’re not required to give you a pencil and the front desk person didn’t have one, so they weren’t going above and beyond to find you one……

Wrong. Its a private place they pay to be a member of. It's not a random public store.

+1
It’s a community center. Ours has coffee and magazines and the olds are encouraged to hang out. It also has a robust camp program so yes, pencils, colored pencils and even markers could be found for a member on request. Same as soap, first aid supplies and probably granola bars!

Does the robust camp cost $150 a month?

Camp and gym childcare are two different things.

Except they have all of these things at the ymca.

[Anonymous]

Why on earth would a mother use GYM childcare instead of getting a sitter for her other child, and do the homework at home? Is this something cheap people do, use their gym memberships to squeak out free childcare each month? I guess if you WFM you could drop your kid off at 8, work in the lobby and pick them up at 5…