Who does it hurt more?

...apparently the daycare...

So, I got a call at work yesterday from J's daycare. I missed the first call and was very uneasy until they did reach me...they didn't leave a message, so I knew it wasn't urgent, but I wasn't sure why they were calling.

It turns out one of J's little buddies gave her a little owie. It's ugly, but it will heal. I don't think it hurts, but it's on her cheek. They didn't mention who the perpetrator was, but I had my suspicions. There is one child who is a few months younger than most of the rest and sometimes I've seen this child express frustration physically, even if the person the aggression is directed to isn't the cause of the frustration. But I wasn't really concerned. These things happen and from the sound of the conversation I had with the caregiver who called me, they are very cognizant of the problem and have it under close watch. This was just one of those things and one of those times when there was no adult close enough to intervene in time.

J didn't mention it to me until I was helping her into the car. Then she said "Mommy, daycare-kid* give me red owie. I cry for Mommy. I sad." I gave her a hug and asked her if someone gave her a hug when she was crying and she listed three people she went to for cuddles.

I figured that would be the end of it...but she's two. So it wasn't. She mentioned it three or four more times before bed - mostly telling me daycare-kid gave her a red owie. Pretty matter of fact, not traumatized, totally over it. But, she told me eight or ten times that she cried and listed the three people she got hugs from. It sounds like her puppy came out for a cuddle too. The crying seemed to bug her more than the actual incident.

So, I figured this morning it would be over.

HA.

I must say, this daycare is very concerned about the well-being of the kids that go there and they take very good care of them. I've now had four of the five women who were there yesterday speak to me about this and apologize and assure me they are taking all kinds of steps to change the behaviour of the other child. Their incident management is great and I feel even more comfortable leaving J there after this little episode.

I hope we've heard the last of it. These things happen and while I realize that this is an ongoing behaviour issue with this particular child, it's not a huge deal (and J is over it) and I really feel it's been dealt with and dealt with appropriately (and I've told them that!)

I pick her up in just over an hour, so we'll see...

*anonymous for a reason