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childcare centres

Part 2: First week at day care: a slice of life series about parenting

Liz, a parent from Wellington

The X family, a typical kiwi family, talk about their life. -  How can you not want to take a look?

Part Two:

My cell phone blinked at me when I turned it on after my meeting. My cellular secretary informed me there were two messages. I pressed one to listen.

The first message was left at 11:33 am. It was now 1:30 pm.

"Hi, it’s Sally here from Happy Kids. I’m calling as Matthew appears to have developed little spots all over his tummy. He’s a bit grizzly too. You’re gonna have to come and collect him."

The word panic took on a new meaning to me as I rushed from the office and drove like a maniac through the traffic, heading towards Happy Kids.

He’d been at the center one week; maybe this was a sign I’d done the wrong thing, returning to work

At the center I bolted inside and frantically looked around, trying to spot my little boy; I couldn’t help but wonder if I was reaching hysteria as a voice in my head told me he probably had a fever of 109, been vomiting all morning and rushed off to the hospital by now.

"Sally," I gasped, as she exited their small make shift office. "Matthew, spots, tummy."

She gave me a puzzlingly look. "What?"

I took a deep breath. "I only just got your message about Matthew being sick. I’ve been in a meeting all morning."

"Oh," she nodded. "His Dad came and got him. We contacted him after we couldn’t get hold of you."

Back in my car, outside the center my cell phone blinked at me again and I remembered the other message. I picked up the phone and put it to my ear.

Of course it was my husband reassuring me he had it all under control. Matthew was sleeping soundly in bed and he’d arranged to take the rest of the day off work.

I pressed delete, promising myself they’d be no more panicking, hysteria or jumping to conclusions…well not for the rest of the day anyway. Either I was working or I wasn’t. And today I was.