A three-year-old throws tantrums and begs his mother not to go to daycare. Worried, she goes in unannounced and what she sees shocks her.
“No, mommy, no!” Johnny threw himself on the floor and started screaming. Marla Evans sighed. Not again! She looked at her watch. If he threw a full tantrum, she would be late yet again.
She gazed at her three-year-old with exasperation. Johnny had been going to daycare for two years and always loved it. For the last week, out of the blue, he’d been making a scene, begging Marla not to take him.
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She’d spoken to her pediatrician, and the doctor had told her that toddlers often went through the ‘terrible threes.’ “Stop it!” Marla heard herself scream, then she saw the look of fear in her son’s eyes. Something wasn’t right.
Marla sat down on the floor next to Johnny and coaxed him into her lap. He sobbed, pressing his little face against hers. Marla decided this was more than a tantrum, but what could be wrong?
“Honey,” Marla said gently. “I’m sorry. Mommy didn’t mean to snap.” She rocked him until he stopped crying and asked gently, “Why don’t you like daycare anymore?”
Raising a child is about setting and respecting boundaries.
Johnny shivered in her arms and whispered, “I don’t like!”
“But why, sweetie?” Marla asked. “Are the other kids mean?” But Johnny wouldn’t answer. Marla sighed. “Baby, mommy needs to go to work, but I tell you what… I’m going to come and get you from daycare early today, OK?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Johnny sat up in her lap. “No lunch?” He looked up at her anxiously. “No lunch, mommy?”
Lunch? The worried mom frowned. What was happening with her son?
Marla dropped Johnny off after promising she’d fetch him before lunch. He walked into the daycare quietly but threw Marla a pleading look that left her heartbroken.
She went to work and asked her boss for the afternoon off to deal with a personal issue. Thankfully, her boss was a mom too and understood!
Marla was determined to get to the bottom of Johnny’s reluctance to go to daycare. She decided to drop in — not before lunchtime as she promised Johnny — but during the meal.
Johnny’s daycare didn’t allow the parents into the children’s playrooms or the dining room, but each door of the facility had a large, clear glass window. Hopefully, Marla would be able to see what — if anything — was going on.
When she arrived, the receptionist told her the children were having lunch. Marla walked to the dining room and peered in. The kids were all sitting at their tables, eating.
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A teacher or an assistant supervised each table. Marla quickly spotted Johnny. There was a woman Marla didn’t recognize sitting next to him.
As Marla watched, the woman picked up Johnny’s spoon, scooped up a portion of mashed potatoes, and pressed it against his lips. “Eat!” she cried. Johnny shook his head violently, his mouth firmly closed, tears running down his cheeks.
“Open your mouth and eat!” the woman said angrily. Johnny was looking deeply distressed. The woman cried, “You are going to sit here until you clear your plate!”
Marla saw a small portion of mince, mash, and vegetables left on Johnny’s plate, and she knew her son. Johnny was not a big eater; she never pushed it when he told her he’d had enough.
Johnny opened his mouth to protest, and the teacher quickly pushed the spoon in. Marla saw her son choke and sputter. She’d had enough! She opened the door and stormed in.
“Get away from my son!” she cried.
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The woman looked up, and her mouth hung open. “Parents aren’t allowed in the dining room!” she cried.
“Then they should be,” Marla said, reining in her anger. “Can’t you see Johnny’s had enough? He’s a healthy boy, but he is not a big eater. As an educator, you should know how traumatic force-feeding a child can be.
“Being forced to clean up the plate is an old-fashioned notion. You should be aware of the statistics and the causes of obesity and eating disorders in children.
“And one of them is making food an issue! My little boy is an active child, and if he feels he’s had enough, you need to respect that and not force him to eat.
“As for shoving food into a child’s mouth in that way, it is reprehensible! You should certainly know better. These children are not puppets for you to manipulate at will!
“They are little people with needs and a will of their own. If you don’t respect their boundaries, you teach them they don’t deserve respect. I don’t think that is a message you want to pass on!”
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The teacher flushed a bright red and got to her feet. “I never…” she cried.
“That’s a pity,” Marla said crisply. “Because if this happens again, I will ensure you are out of a job! I’m not sending my son to daycare to be brutalized!”
Marla walked over to Johnny and tenderly wiped his mouth. “Come on, honey,” she said gently. “Mommy promised you a treat this afternoon!”
Marla had a long talk with Johnny, and there was no tantrum the next morning. Over the next few weeks, she popped into the daycare at lunch times just to keep an eye on things.
The teacher never forced Johnny to eat again, and the boy recovered his good humor and enthusiasm.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
What can we learn from this story?
- Children and their boundaries should be respected. Johnny’s teacher was teaching him that adults had the right to impose their will on children against their welfare.
- Raising a child is about setting and respecting boundaries — theirs and ours. A child whose boundaries are not respected is insecure and has low self-esteem.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a little boy who learns all about love by watching how his father treats his mother.
This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
I Caught My Kids’ Babysitter Coming Out of the Shower While My Husband Was Home, So I Turned On the Nanny Cam the Next Day
A wife was left shocked when she came home one day and found her children’s nanny wet after stepping out of the shower. What was even more surprising was that her husband was there and he sided with the nanny when his wife showed concern!
A woman with wet hair and body smiling | Source: Pexels
I CAUGHT MY KIDS’ BABYSITTER DOING THIS WHILE I WASN’T HOME! Okay, here’s the backstory, my hubby and I hired a babysitter for our three children as we’re both slammed with work all the time. Everything had been fine until yesterday… I walked in at 6 p.m., and there she was with her hair all wet!
She said she had to shower because my kiddo spilled milk on her. The babysitter was hired and is paid by me to look after mine and my husband’s children, all under six. She tried reassuring me by saying the children were fine while she showered quickly because they were napping.
A woman drying her hair with a towel after showering | Source: Pexels
“I still don’t think it’s appropriate for you to shower in my home though,” I replied in frustration. The 23-year-old brushed my concerns aside and argued that it wasn’t a big deal. As we went back and forth on the matter, my husband suddenly appeared in the living room!
I was more confused that my husband was home and on top of that he sided with the babysitter, but I insisted that I was uncomfortable with what happened. My feelings were dismissed by both parties and the babysitter left to go home. But here’s where it gets totally weird – my husband, who’s supposed to be at work at that time doing the night shift, is right there at home!
Two women having a disagreement | Source: Pexels
My gut told me something totally wrong occurred and I just couldn’t stop thinking that they were having an affair. So, the next day, before leaving for work, I decided to dig out and turn on the dusty old nanny camera that I’d been using when my children were babies. I secretly set it up in the living room before I headed to work.
The day started like any other, with the usual morning rush of getting the children ready, making breakfast, and kissing my husband goodbye as I left first for work with the babysitter passing me at the entrance. Or so I thought. Little did I know, my world was about to turn upside down!
A woman drinking a beverage while looking at something on her laptop | Source: Pexels
Not even an hour later, I checked the camera and saw MY HUSBAND, who’d left for work, walking in the door. My heart just dropped when he approached our nanny. Tears blurred my vision as I watched, unable to comprehend the scene unfolding on the small screen of my phone.
In a daze, I told my boss I felt sick and needed to go home, though the sickness I felt was one of betrayal and heartache. Rushing home, driven by a mix of dread and a desperate need for answers, I expected the worst. Yet, what I found was my husband at the cooker, preparing food.
A man making a meal at a stove | Source: Pexels
The sight left me dumbfounded. Confusion clouded my mind as I tried to reconcile the images from the nanny camera with the man standing before me. Was I cheated on or WHAT?! My husband, sensing my distress, turned to me with a look of worry.
“Why are you home so early?” he asked. I told him they let me go home early because of a power outage that brought the systems down. He seemed to accept my story before saying, “Honey, I have to tell you something,” his voice heavy with guilt. The confession that followed was one I could never have anticipated.
An upset woman talking to a man holding a paper and water | Source: Pexels
He admitted to being afraid to tell me the truth that a week ago he was fired due to downsizing at work. My spouse said he hadn’t wanted to bother me with it and decided to pretend that he was going to work. Instead, he would return home, look for jobs online, and help with taking care of the children, adding:
“Yesterday indeed our daughter spilled milk on our nanny so I told her to go and wash everything while I was there to take care of the kids who were napping.”
A man holding a laundry basket with clothes | Source: Pexels
The incident with the babysitter? “A simple accident,” he explained, that he had handled so I wouldn’t have to worry. He intended to support me by keeping the household running smoothly in the face of his own crisis. As he shared his struggles, I felt a whirlwind of emotions.
Guilt for not noticing the signs of his distress, anger for being kept in the dark, but also compassion for the fear and love that drove his actions. It was a sobering reminder of the unseen battles we each face, hidden behind a facade of normalcy.
A couple having a serious conversation | Source: Pexels
“That’s why I was home yesterday. And why the nanny was… it was an accident, really,” he added, hoping to clarify the misunderstanding. “But why didn’t you just tell me?” I asked, struggling to keep my voice steady.
“I was afraid,” he admitted. “Afraid of how you’d react, and seeing disappointment in your eyes. I wanted to fix it before you had to worry about it too.” We sat down at the kitchen table, in a silent agreement to talk it out.
A couple having a serious conversation | Source: Pexels
“And the nanny?” I finally asked, needing to know more about that day. “She was just as surprised as you are about all this. She’s been really understanding, considering the awkward position we put her in,” he explained.
I nodded, taking in his words, the anger slowly dissipating. “I owe her an apology then. And… thank you, for trying to keep things running smoothly. I just wish you had told me.” He reached for my hand across the table. “I know. I’m sorry. From now on, no more secrets. We’ll get through this together.”
A couple holding hands across a table | Source: Pexels
That night, we had a long-overdue conversation. It was painful, yes, but also cathartic. We discussed the importance of openness and honesty, acknowledging the strain our silence had placed on our marriage. The realization that we had both been trying to shield each other from hardship, at the cost of our connection, was a poignant moment.
A couple arranging an agreement with a woman | Source: Pexels
The babysitter, unwittingly caught in our family drama, became an unexpected catalyst for change. We apologized for the misunderstanding, grateful for her understanding and the care she had shown our family during a confusing time.
Two women and a man having a conversation | Source: Pexels
My husband and I promised to keep her on, not just as a babysitter, but as someone who had demonstrated remarkable responsibility and compassion. In the end, this challenging ordeal brought to light the strength and resilience of our family.
A couple embracing on a couch | Source: Pexels
It reminded us that in times of hardship, the bonds of love and understanding can see us through the darkest times. It was a lesson in the importance of communication, a reminder that the weight of the world is easier to bear when shared with those we love.
A couple holding hands while bonding in the bedroom | Source: Pexels
Here is a quick synopsis of a similar tale that might interest readers:
Kate and her husband, Dan’s nearly a decade-long relationship is put to a brief but intense test. The couple, blessed with three children leads a busy yet fulfilling life, with Dan working as a university professor and Kate as a wedding photographer.
A happy couple playing with a child | Source: Pexels
Their life, filled with the demands of work and family, is supported by their nanny, Ella, whose dedication and affection for the children are unmatched. The story takes a turn one evening when Kate returns home unexpectedly early from a trip, only to find Ella, their trusted nanny, leaving their house at an unusual hour.
This encounter sparks a whirlwind of suspicion in Kate’s mind, especially when Ella’s explanation and Dan’s subsequent, uneasy excuse about borrowing a book feel insufficient and out of place. The seeds of doubt, once sown, grow rapidly, leading Kate to search her husband’s office.
A woman searching through desk drawers | Source: Pexels
She discovers a black box containing what appears to be wedding rings. This discovery further fuels her anxiety, prompting fears of betrayal and a hidden life. Confronting Dan with the box and her fears, Kate demands the truth.
A woman holding a small wrapped box | Source: Pexels
The tension peaks, only for Dan to reveal a heartwarming secret. His intentions, obscured by secrecy and misunderstandings, finally come to light, showcasing his true feelings for Kate. Ella’s involvement, too, is clarified.
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