From no volunteers to the irate parent volunteer

Day 2.

Today my after-school science programming took me to a public school. This time I did have Kindergarteners in addition to first and second graders.

I walked into that school thinking I was totally up for the challenge – already knowing that I would have no middle school volunteer and no parent volunteer.

Things started off well, I thought. Then, about half way through, an irate parent stormed through the door, kid in tow, ranting that how dare we send her kid home on the bus when he should have been with the program.

Before 5 PM came, other parents started to show up to pick up their children and I had gone through all my science stuff – what was the harm of letting them go a bit early? After all, the students had showed up early – I was certain that I had entertained them for a full hour (it really felt like a lifetime!).

Well, harm there apparently was – that irate parent proceeded to let me know that parents paid good money for the program and that they expected I would provide jam-packed science entertainment for their children until 5 PM every Thursday for the next 8 weeks.

And then, something unexpected happened, that irate parent volunteered to come every week to help me. Maybe she felt bad for me or maybe I am the worst after-school child care provider she ever saw. I know she is the overly-involved, know-it-all, know-everyone mom, but I’ll take all the help I can get!