No emergency contacts

[Anonymous]

I (a female single parent) asked a co-worker to be listed as an emergency contact once, and the school literally listed her in the public parent directory as my “partner.”

It was so weird.

I am not gay and the co-worker (who no one at the school had ever met or seen with me) was a married conservative Christian!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Put down the names and numbers of the parents of your kids’ friends.

This. And offer to be theirs if needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would write in Jesus.

Take the wheel, sir!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, let me ask you. If you and your husband were suddenly incapacitated in someway, who would care for your child for the night or for the day until your family from out of town comes in? You really need to establish somebody because whether or not 4 contacts is too many you don’t even have one and that is concerning.

Social services. I wish I was kidding, but I work from home, so I've never had the opportunity to meet anyone here. DH works long hours and is kind of a loner. Thankfully planes are fast.

I guess I will use some new combinations of our names with his work number. I don't even have one. Maybe Google will work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also lie about health insurance group number/phone number/address because I am too lazy to get the real information. Nobody actually uses or needs this information.

You sound irresponsible.

The type of person who uses social structures but can’t be bothered contributing to them.

I have multiple kids spread over 15 years. Not once has a school or camp used my insurance information! I'm not really sure what it has to do with "social networks." I am not OP, I have 4 folks I could name if I had to. Just don't think it is necessary, especially with everyone having a cell phone now.

[Anonymous]

I always just put my parents and lie that they are local. Ours are:

My contact
Wife's contact
My mom (no longer local)
My dad (no longer local)
Wife's sister (lives in MD not VA)
My brother (he is local but super unreliable)

[Anonymous]

Classmate's parents. Two of our four emergency contacts are moms that I met on the playground and became friends with. They have kids the same age, in the same school. Better than family or friends because they would know exactly where to go, who to talk to and if needed, my kid would be hanging with a friend until I could get to them. Don't be shy, just ask some of the parents in the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a school post, though it's peripherally related: our kids were denied bus service (private school) because DH and I couldn't provide four (!) local emergency contacts. I work from home, so I don't have local colleagues, and he could only find two to agree. We have no family in town. Don't know our neighbors. The school said we can sign up once we come up with two more names, but I feel like such an utter failure. No question. Just a vent.

get to know your neighbors

How? We've lived here three years and have seen them like a dozen times.

Seriously, same here and it would feel like a HUGE imposition

[Anonymous]

Do you have a former babysitter or nanny? I babysat a child for a single mother and told her to write my name as her emergency contact at preschool. Anyone who has cared for your child in some capacity probably is a decent person, somewhat reliable and likes your kid. Those are two qualities that make a fine emergency contact.

[Anonymous]

Dwight Schrute : Just put The... Hospital. Contact number. Just put 9-1-1.

[Anonymous]

People are being kind of glib about the fact that emergencies can and do occur, and there need to be people actually willing, ready, and responsible to entrust with this type of scenario.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also lie about health insurance group number/phone number/address because I am too lazy to get the real information. Nobody actually uses or needs this information.

+1

LOL I do this also. If my kid were injured at schoo, obviously a parent would be at the doctor or hospital to provide the info anyway. Not like they would withhold treatment until they get the info. Not to mention- we are in the system for local health care centers anyway. I don’t see any logical reason whatsoever the school needs the info anyway. It is just a CYA thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People are being kind of glib about the fact that emergencies can and do occur, and there need to be people actually willing, ready, and responsible to entrust with this type of scenario.

People would be less glib if the school didn’t require FOUR contacts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also lie about health insurance group number/phone number/address because I am too lazy to get the real information. Nobody actually uses or needs this information.

+1

LOL I do this also. If my kid were injured at schoo, obviously a parent would be at the doctor or hospital to provide the info anyway. Not like they would withhold treatment until they get the info. Not to mention- we are in the system for local health care centers anyway. I don’t see any logical reason whatsoever the school needs the info anyway. It is just a CYA thing.

+1. Every field trip permission form that required it was a bunch of made up info. Random #s each time.

[Anonymous]

That is whack. I wouldn’t want some random neighbor making decisions on behalf of my kid in an emergency. I’d rather have my mom, who isn’t local. If it’s re pickups, try coordinating with other parents in the neighborhood.