Other Kid's Parents

My husband and I work full time. Cami, who is 19 months old, goes to a wonderful daycare/preschool. It's really top notch. In her "toddler program" they have a curriculum. The children learn new words, sing songs and make crafts; lots of crafts. We love the school and Cami does too.

Cami arrives pretty early and is subsequently picked-up pretty early in the afternoon. It is unusual that I see any other parents during my drop-off or pick-up times. Yesterday was an exception. Mrs. G was picking up her son at the same time I arrived to pick up Cami. We exchanged polite smiles at which time I told Cami, who was bolting for the door, "Wait a minute, Sweetie. Mommy wants to grab a wipe for your nose." It's no secret that childcare and runny noses go hand-in-hand. So you can imagine my surprise when Mrs G looked at me and said, "Yes, her nose is pretty bad today, but not nearly as bad as it was on Friday." I had no reply. Needless to say, I was shocked! Was Mrs. G keeping tabs on my child's nose? What was she trying to say?

I realize now that this is the beginning. A new chapter in my life and my roll as a parent. It's not enough to deal with my own child or other children, as the need arises, but as a parent, I will also need to deal with other kid's parent.

Lord, give me strength...